LAPD
Streetsblog LA
Bicyclists/LAPD Issues Bike Theft Alert
The LAPD/Cyclists Task Force has released a "Bike Theft Alert" to encourage and educate cyclists on the many ways to best secure your bicycle. There are a few nitpicks I have with the two page flyer, I think Streetfilms' bike locking expert would have kittens at the thought of someone locking their bike with just a U-Lock, but as cycling becomes more and more common we're going to continue to see bike theft become a larger and larger problem. It's good to see the LAPD taking an active interest in preventing bike thefts instead of just dealing with the issue after the fact. And it's double good to see them working with the community to put out the best flyer that's possible.
December 13, 2010
Concerns about Safety? Muggings? LAPD Announces “Zero Tolerance” on Downtown Jaywalkers
The Downtown LAPD is at it again.
November 30, 2010
Group Rides and the LAPD, Still Working It Out
While the relationship between the Los Angeles Police Department and large group bike rides, such as Critical Mass or CRANK Mob, have improved by leaps and bounds over the summer; reactions to last Saturday's CRANK Mob ride, aka CRANKMAS III, shows there is still some work to do.
September 21, 2010
LAPD Outlines How to Report a Bike Crash or Theft
It's a story we've heard too often. A cyclist is riding legally down the street, when out of nowhere, blam! For some reason, a car slams into the bicycle for reasons unknown. The car speeds off (or the driver waits, it doesn't matter), and the bloody cyclist rises to his feet, calls 911, and for whatever reason, the police won't take a report. The driver who caused the accident gets off free as a bird. The cyclist is left to his own devices to take care of his own problems.
July 15, 2010
Kumbaya
There will be full coverage of the ride Monday morning, but I'm happy to report that the first "LAPD sponsored" Critical Mass ride was an overwhelming success. Not only did the LAPD escort the ride safely through the city, but riders and the police had a fun night joking back and forth as the bike cops, motorcycle cops and even the LAPD film crew in a four-wheel all terrain vehicle zipped through Koreatown, Mid-Wilshire, Fairfax, West Hollywood, Hollywood, and East Hollywood. As we zipped up Fairfax Avenue towards the Grove and Pan-Pacific Park, one officer even laughed that he was having so much fun that he might do this every Friday.
June 26, 2010
Critical Mass, Parody, and the Responsibilities of the LAPD
Responding to the poster put out last week by the LAPD inviting themselves to Critical Mass, at least one rider wasn't impressed. Rider Plebis Power, roughly translated to Power of the People, posted a poster at Biking in L.A. that both lampooned the LAPD's flyer and made the point that the bad relationship between the LAPD and the cycling community is hardly just the fault of cyclists. Where the LAPD creates a list of infractions that will earn cyclists a ticket tomorrow; Power writes a list of "incidents" caused by the LAPD at "recent group rides."
June 24, 2010
What to Expect at Friday’s Critical Mass
Critical Mass has gone mainstream. Following last month's "Critical Mass Attack," where an officer was caught on tape kicking at cyclists' bikes before the cameraman was tackled to the ground, it seems you can't go anywhere without reading or discussing Critical Mass. There have been press conference's, lawsuits, and even a promise that the LAPD will ride with Critical Mass in the future.
June 23, 2010
Newest Group of Ridazz: The LAPD
Traditionally, small groups of bike riders from around the city gather together on the fourth Friday of the month and head to the Wilshire/Western Red Line Station to gather for Los Angeles Critical Mass. This month, following what Streetsblog is calling the "Critical Mass Attack," a new group of riders will be joining the mass: the LAPD.
June 16, 2010
Cyclist Who Filmed Critical Mass Attack Files Claim Against LAPD
Friday afternoon at the Petroleum Building in Downtown Los
Angeles, Manuel Gallegos and his attorney Hermez Moreno announced the filing of
a legal claim against the City of Los Angeles and the LAPD for assault,
battery, false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and
intentional affliction of emotional distress. The full press release is available at the end of the article
June 4, 2010
LA Bicycle Advisory Committee Convenes with LAPD as Tensions Run High
The revolution would not be televised -- or so we thought. Hushed by the darkened room, more than 50 bicyclists, police officers, members of the media, and community leaders turned toward the projector to watch a film clip that everyone had just confirmed, by a show of hands, that they had already seen.
June 2, 2010