Busy Work competition at LASD Lakewood station

Apparently the LASD Lakewood substation officers dont have enough to do? Well how about writing a few parking tickets after the useless city parking staff goes home at 5pm (just when most of the parking violations start occurring in Lakewood). Well you know the saying in Lakewood, "write a parking citation loose a vote".

So if they cant find enough to do and dont want to write parking tickets (as that is too far beneath them) then perhaps we should transfer some of the officers to other LASD areas that have a use for them and save a few million dollars of the city budget. I think the LASD contract is the largest portion of the city service budget for "contractors"

City Councilman Todd Rogers, who coincidentally is commander of the Carson Sheriff's Station, was quoted below stating: "But I do want my officers to be proactive. That's what really characterizes the Sheriff's Department, in my opinion, and we've been historically proactive in terms of seeking out law violators."

Given the parking problems in the city and the council stating over and over again that it is a complaint driven system, and not forgetting about the whole Brian Miller explosion debacle, LAAG finds it hard to believe that LASD is proactive. Maybe in "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood" (Carson) but we have not see proactiveness in Lakewood. And this after rewarding the Sheriff's with a new 20 million plus station?

Lakewood Sheriff's Station capt. apologizes for quotas
Sheriff Baca emphasizes `quality over quantity.'
By Karen Robes, Staff writer
Article Launched: 10/04/2007 09:15:48 PM PDT

LAKEWOOD - The commander of the Los Angeles County Lakewood Sheriff's Station said Thursday he was wrong in permitting competitions that pushed deputies to achieve the most arrests, net the most impound vehicles and interrogate the most gang members.

Capt. David Fender said he made an error in judgment and will stop conducting the contests, a practice not condoned by Sheriff Lee Baca.

"As the sheriff puts it, `Quality over quantity,"' Fender said. "I erred because I gave the ultimate approval to go out there and try to make the arrests on this given day. But it was all for the right reasons - to impact crime and bring up productivity and morale.

"We weren't promoting any quotas or attaching any rewards to the arrests," Fender said.

Baca said the competitions were a well-meaning but poorly conceived idea that promoted "the wrong values."

"We're not into numbers, we're into quality," Baca said. "I don't think it will occur again."

Fender's apology comes after reports of an internal e-mail by sheriff's Lt. James Tatreau to patrol deputies to make them aware of the contests, said Fender.

Some Lakewood city officials - including City Councilman Todd Rogers, who is commander of the Carson Sheriff's Station - said they were not aware of the competitions.

Rogers said he knows Fender and Tatreau, whom he described as "an outstanding guy who did it with all the best intentions, which was to motivate deputies and increase productivity."

"There was no malicious intent," Rogers said.

Rogers said the line between motivating deputies and falling into a situation such as Lakewood's is a blurry one.

"You don't want to establish quotas, obviously and you don't want to go out and say this is the standard by which you'll be judged," he said. "But I do want my officers to be proactive. That's what really characterizes the Sheriff's Department, in my opinion, and we've been historically proactive in terms of seeking out law violators. But there has to be a purpose, part of a larger law enforcement mission."

Rogers said the city will monitor the issue.


Los Angeles County Deputies Criticized Over Competition
Updated: October 4th, 2007 10:20 PM EDT
Story by knbc.com
http://www.officer.com/online/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=38213

The Sheriff's Department was under fire from law enforcement experts Thursday over contests to see which Lakewood station deputies could make the most arrests, impound the most vehicles and question the most gang members in a 24-hour period. Video

An e-mail written Aug. 15 and obtained by the Los Angeles Times described one recent competition -- "Operation Any Booking" -- designed to arrest as many people as possible within a specific 24-hour period, according to the newspaper.

Lakewood-based sheriff's Lt. James Tatreau, the e-mail's author, told The Times the intent was motivational and said the only prize was "bragging rights."

"No way, no how did anyone encourage officers to falsify a report or an arrest," he said.

Another competition, dubbed "Operation Vehicle Impound," aimed at seizing as many cars as possible, according to the Times. It took place July 11 and dramatically increased the number of vehicles seized.

A third competition challenged deputies to see how many gang members and other suspected criminals could be stopped and questioned, according to the Times. That produced a spike in such interviews.

Some police accountability experts, civil libertarians and defense attorneys condemned the competitions, saying they trivialized traumatic encounters such as arrests and having a car impounded, The Times reported.

"It's crazy," Jane White, the associate director of the National Center for Community Policing, told the Times. "I'm at a loss for words. I've never heard of anything like this before."

Hubert Williams, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Police Foundation, which promotes innovative policing strategies, told The Times that the competitions were "highly problematic and inappropriate."

Sheriff Lee Baca told The Times the competitions were well-meaning but ill-conceived.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-games4oct04,1,2655896.story
From the Los Angeles Times
Deputies compete in arrest contests
Southeast L.A. competitions were meant to boost morale, official says. Baca calls them a well-meaning but ill-conceived idea.
By Scott Glover and Matt Lait
Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

October 4, 2007

Participating in sports such as football, weightlifting and boxing has long been part of the culture within the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. But deputies have recently been playing some new games -- on-duty enforcement competitions that have police watchers across the country crying foul.

One recent competition, described in an internal Sheriff's Department e-mail obtained by The Times, was called "Operation Any Booking." The object was to arrest as many people as possible within a specific 24-hour period.

Other one-day competitions have included "Operation Vehicle Impound," a contest aimed at seizing as many cars as possible. And another challenged deputies to see how many gang members and other suspected criminals could be stopped and questioned.

The prize for winning was nothing more than "bragging rights," said Lt. James Tatreau, who helped organize the events that involved teams of deputies patrolling the southeast Los Angeles cities of Lakewood, Bellflower, Paramount, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens. The station is one of 23 that make up the nation's largest sheriff's department.

"It's just a friendly competition to have a little fun out here," Tatreau said. It was Tatreau who sent the e-mail about the booking contest Aug. 15. Tatreau said he viewed the games, which began in July, as a morale booster for overworked deputies who, because of staffing shortages, are required to work four overtime shifts a month.

But police accountability experts, civil libertarians and defense attorneys condemned the practice, saying that it trivialized traumatic encounters such as arrests and having a car impounded, and raised questions about deputies' motives in taking such actions.

Hubert Williams, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Police Foundation, which promotes innovative policing strategies, called the competitions "highly problematic and inappropriate."

"The arrest is one of the most potent tools in the possession of law enforcement and should be used with great thought," Williams said. "It's not a competition or a game."

Others, including Los Angeles County Public Defender Michael P. Judge, worried that the games might also prompt deputies to make illegitimate arrests to boost their statistics.

"Certainly, it calls into question whether there was a legitimate reason to book any of the people who were booked during the time of the competition," Judge said.

"It's crazy," said Jane White, the associate director of the National Center for Community Policing. "I'm at a loss for words. I've never heard of anything like this before."

After being called for comment by The Times on Wednesday, Sheriff Lee Baca said he spoke with the Lakewood station lieutenant. Baca called the competitions a well-meaning but ill-conceived idea that promoted "the wrong values."

"We train deputies to be independent thinkers and leaders," Baca said. "The lesson learned here is that -- whether it's for morale purposes or to increase productivity -- law enforcement is not the kind of service where you can dictate the activity.

"We're not into numbers, we're into quality," he said. "I don't think it will occur again."

Operation Any Booking did not result in an increase in arrests on the day of the contest, according to records provided to The Times in response to a public records request. The cities reported a combined total of 28 arrests, which was equal to the daily average that month.

The impound competition, however, appears to have dramatically increased the number of vehicles seized, records show. On average, deputies in the five-city area hauled away 4.7 cars a day in July. On the day of the contest, July 11, they impounded 37 vehicles -- which owners could not recover until they paid a towing fee.

Deputies in Lakewood seized 18 vehicles that day, half the total they would impound over the course of the month.

The number of field interviews with gang members and other suspected criminals also soared during the contest to increase that particular enforcement activity. Tatreau said the spike occurred because some deputies had fallen out of the habit of doing that intelligence gathering.

Before he was contacted by Baca, Tatreau said he stood by the idea to encourage deputies' productivity and had been encouraged by deputies who liked the competition.

"They were pumped and excited," Tatreau said. "I've never got any negative feedback. It's not a quota or review system. It's a morale booster."

Like every station, Tatreau said, there are "good, hardworking deputies and there are the lazy guys." He said he was trying to encourage the less motivated deputies to get more involved in proactive police work.

Tatreau said he joined the Lakewood station about 18 months ago and noticed that some deputies weren't pulling their weight. Some patrol deputies made 15 to 20 arrests a month, while others made seven arrests in an entire year, he said.

"It frustrates me that people are so against doing work and cry foul," he said.

Tatreau said he was "almost certain" that he was the one who came up with the original idea to have deputies compete, but that he did so with the approval of his captain.

On the day of the contests, a sheet of paper was posted in the watch commander's office where deputies reported their activity. At the end of the 24-hour period, the team results were tallied.

"We're not doing anything wrong," Tatreau said. "No way, no how did anyone encourage officers to falsify a report or an arrest."

scott.glover@latimes.com

matt.lait@latimes.com


Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

The big snow (or fire) job

LAAG feels sorry for the city of Pacifica. If they are anything like Lakewood they don't stand a chance against the "smoke and fire" [our phrase for "safe and sane"] peddlers. The vast PR machine of the fireworks industry has lots of money and people as this is a very profitable industry. Sort of like the pharmaceutical industry lobby. The smoke and fire peddlers basically have taken over the state fire Marshall's office.

Our LAAG site is replete with statistics from the fire dept themselves showing that cities that allow "legal" fireworks have a greater problem with illegal firework damage and likely, illegal use. This is likely due to legal fireworks creating a "permissive" environment for other mayhem and illegal firework use and also creating a one upsmanship situation ("our illegal fireworks are better than your legal ones). The legal fireworks also help to mask illegal use. And of course there is always "illegal" use of "legal" fireworks (ie modifying them so they explode or shoot in the air) This is the way legal fireworks start fires.

The marketing guru for one of the smoke and fire peddlers notes that the problem with firework use has gotten worse in the last 10 years. That is likely due to the fact that sports clubs and fraternal benefit societies have now become addicted to selling smoke and fire and that the problem has become acute in the last 10 years as the fireworks companies see linking with these organizations as a way to entrench themselves and use the clubs fund raising mantra as impenetrable political cover. It really is like getting addicted to selling drugs. The money is great and the clubs are conned into the notion that there is nothing else out there that can compete fundraising wise. These organizations have been drawn into the same trap as the medical marijuana "clinics". Yeah were selling pot to help sick people. Right. Well at least 5% of their customers are sick.

The smoke and fire peddlers have burrowed into Sacramento politics like termites and tried to stir up some watered down increased penalty legislation which again is just political cover. The penalties are not the issue. The cases never get to the penalty stage as enforcement is impossible. Deterrence is based on the likelihood of getting caught and the likelihood of getting convicted. And right now those percentages benefit the offenders due to the nature of the laws and difficulty of enforcement. Law enforcement benefits from all this increased enforcement with hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on overtime. What is so ironic is that the the money spent on over time is likely greater than the small percentage of money the clubs make on the fireworks that cause the overtime. The city would be better off pay the overtime money to the clubs.

Putting a cap on an explosive problem
City seeking strict fireworks sanctions
By Elaine Larsen
http://www.pacificatribune.com/localnews/ci_7073495
Article Launched: 10/03/2007 01:21:20 PM PDT

It's an explosive problem in Pacifica to be sure -- putting a cap on the illegal bottle rockets and M-80s that cause mayhem in neighborhoods, yet not penalize those who enjoy safe and sane fireworks that are a tradition and help fund programs for thousands of kids.

Such has been the conundrum of Pacifica officials for several decades and the issue has been before the community in at least two public votes.

"Pacifica is not alone in this problem," Dennis Revell, president of Revell Communication which represents the safe and sane supplier [what a cute phrase], TNT Fireworks, told the council last month. "This has been a growing problem in communities throughout California for the last 10 years."

But more productive — and perhaps permanent — solutions might well be in the offing.

Senate Bill 839, which is headed to the governor's desk for signature, would throw more manpower and resources [resources is "Sacramento speak" for tax dollars; laag editor] toward stopping suppliers of illegal fireworks from bringing them over the border into California or selling them on the Internet in the first place.

It would also put more teeth in local law enforcement efforts to curtail illegal fireworks, giving them the authority to impose stiffer fines on violators and giving them a way to dispose of the confiscated pyrotechnics safely. [no problem here as the cops can take them home to their kids; laag editor]

And if Pacifica Police Chief Jim Saunders has his way, the San Mateo County District Attorney will declare illegal fireworks a felony. That would mean that violators who insist on shooting off fireworks that have the explosive power of dynamite would not just walk away with a citation as they do now, but face being booked into county jail. [really this is already the law and felony prosecutions will mean even less likelihood of enforcement; laag editor]

These and other potential solutions were tossed around at a recent Pacifica City Council meeting, setting the stage for the council s eventual decision to put together a special task force to further study the problem and make recommendations. [oh and by all means invite the fireworks sellers to propose a "solution" what a joke; laag editor]

"I'm quite concerned about the fourth of July being on a Friday next year," said Saunders, who appeared before council discussing the fireworks once before, a discussion that was publicized in the Tribune.

The matter was postponed for council discussion so all members could be present. Since the local newspaper publicity, Saunders said he heard even more troubling stories from residents.

Saunders official report about this past July 4 described a night of chaos. A night where police were run ragged trying to track down illegal fireworks shooters who took refuge in the cover of darkness, smoke or neighborhood spotters who warned them when cops were on the way. [what did we just say about enforcement?; laag editor] In a few areas it got so bad officers had to be taken off the street to stand watch over unruly neighborhoods where drunk residents got into fights.

"Being on a Friday could be good or bad. People could leave town or even more folks could pile in. We're going to hope for the best and prepare for the worst," Saunders said, nothing the problem doesn't seem to be going away despite years of public education programs. He said added patrols at beaches focused on out-of-town violators seems to have just driven the problem into the neighborhoods.

Which means the enemy is us.

"Pacifica is out of control," agreed Deborah Jones of Montezuma Avenue in Linda Mar, among the citizens who spoke before Council Sept. 10 urging further sanctions be taken. "Many residents are both distraught over the pyrotechnic barrage and resigned that nothing can be done. But we must not allow others to hold us hostage to reckless and unlawful behavior. Other cities have this problem but it is not on the same scale." [wrong; laag editor]

Because Pacifica has such a liberal stance on fireworks, many Pacifica residents think they have implicit permission to shoot off illegal fireworks, she said.

Council listened both to speakers who are unhappy about illegal fireworks and many others who do not want to see "bad apples" force the council ban safe and sane fireworks which, admittedly, funnels thousands of dollars into the coffers of well-deserved youth and booster organizations benefiting literally thousands of children. [ahh the children; hey if they burn their fingers off at least the get new uniforms; laag editor]

To demonstrate just how much money is earned in just one short week of parental involvement in staffing the booths, one fireworks booth representative presented the council with a check for $33,000 to cover the city's police and fire overtime costs for this past July holiday sales. [well not in Lakewood., we'd like to see how long this lasts; conflict of interest? cops making OT of fireworks?; laag editor] That money is collected as the result of an 8 percent surcharge the city imposed on the 15 permitted booths.

Several speakers spoke about the numerous benefits of the safe and sane sales and even pointed out research involving the city of Fremont they say demonstrates that banning them not only had no effect on the illegal fireworks problem, [back that up with statistics please; laag editor] but also meant no fee income to the municipality for dealing with the problem.

"I am confident that if there wasn't so much good that comes of the sale of safe and sane fireworks we wouldn't have them. We're not considering a ban on the legal fireworks at this time," said Councilmember Cal Hinton, himself a former Pacifica fire chief and licensed pyrotechnics expert. [again is this not a conflict?; laag editor]

He and other council members agreed that the real solution to curtailing illegal fireworks is to stop them from being sold in the state in the first place, which would require both state and federal legislative intervention. [heresy; laag editor]

Hinton said he reread the Senate bill several times and believes it has real promise of helping solve the problem. [dream on; facts please? statistics?; laag editor]

"If a person is convicted, the judge cannot impose just probation or suspend a sentence" under terms of the bill, Hinton said. "That means if you're found guilty, you're had. The best way to stop illegal fireworks is at the state level. [with the smoke and fire peddlers army of lobbyist fat chance; laag editor] And we also need the support of the federal government. We need to stop the sales at the source," he said.

Pacifica and San Bruno are the only two remaining cities in San Mateo County that allow the sale of safe and sane fireworks. The California cities of Palmdale and Chino dealt with their problem of illegal fireworks violators by imposing strict fines, up to $10,000.

Other potential solutions that came up were appointing citizen monitors at block parties and letting police into neighbors backyards to help view and single out the offenders who normally hide in the dark away from scrutiny.

Several safe and sane proponents said they'd be more than happy to invite police officers into their homes and backyards to get a better on-view look at violators.

Outspoken Linda Mar resident Deborah Jones, who said flying pyrotechnics shot into her yard narrowly missed her children, said she'd go so far as to videotape violators in her neighborhood, post signs warning people that neighbors were cooperating with the police or form citizen "evidence gathering" coalitions. It was also suggested the city put stricter regulations into block parties, requiring a "monitor" for illegal fireworks who would be held accountable, for example.

"A lot of money may be made, but was is the cost of the loss of an eye or a limb," Jones and others said.

Bernie Sifry suggested a compromise. He suggested the city of Pacifica ban fireworks in residential neighborhoods and confine the use of safe and sane to the city owned portion of Pacifica State Beach in Linda Mar.

He said that way police could control fireworks use and confiscate illegal pyrotechnics.

"How do you control it? Take it out of residential neighborhoods where it's impossible to enforce. [not a bad idea; laag editor] It s dark and officers get fireworks thrown at them. It's a dangerous situation," he said.

"This would mean better control, less litter and noise. And residents could make citizen arrests with officers making out the complaints. This would be a civic duty. Residents would know who the violators were and testify against their neighbors," Sifry said. [that is not going to happen folks; sort of like a do it yourself police force? Then what do we need the cops on OT for?; laag editor]

Lynn Adams, president of the Pacifica Beach Coalition, politely noted that fireworks debris is not healthy for the marine environment. However, even as it stands, legal fireworks are already allowed to be set off at the local state beach. And in fact, although police post officers at all local beaches, Linda Mar is the most preferred so much so it has often been referred to as a "war zone."

Nonprofit groups not only pay the city a surcharge for overtime costs, [Hey Lakewood city council are you reading this?; laag editor] but are also commissioned to provide volunteer cleanup crews the next day, most particularly the popular beach in Linda Mar.

"I want to thank the public for all their suggestions. People are thinking about this and trying to solve this dilemma," said Councilmember Julie Lancelle. "I think we should consider as many of these ideas as possible in some kind of combination so we can begin to work on this problem."

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Vreeland noted that just as community groups came together last year to find an equitable annual distribution of the limited number of permits which was an issue at the time, they are now trying to find a solution to the illegal fireworks problem which he commended.

He suggested that the council set up a task force that include the city's two North County Fire Authority liaisons, Hinton and Sue Digre, as well as citizens to study the potential solutions and make recommendations to the council by Jan. 1 -- a good six months before the next July 4 holiday.

"I'm hoping that the passion we saw here tonight could be channeled into the task force to find solutions. We're certainly starting early enough," Vreeland said.

The council voted unanimously for a future agenda item, perhaps Oct. 10, for formation of a task force. Council also directed staff to write letters of support for increased sanctions for illegal fireworks to state and federal legislators immediately in support of pending legislation, and to send further correspondence later, taking into account the local task force's recommendations.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

The slobs will now cost you...

Well thanks to cities not street sweeping the streets as they should (cleared of parked vehicles) and ticketing cars that leak oil on the street and driveways and failing to take care of rampant litter problems the rest of us will have to pay for the slobs. Typical.

A parcel fee for clean water?
County may charge property owners to raise $30B to clear runoff
By Alison Hewitt Staff Writer
http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_7019912

County officials are considering a plan to raise money for clean water by adding a fee to the tax bills sent to property owners.

Almost every aspect of the proposal is still being developed - whether or not to go forward with a campaign, how much money county residents might be assessed, or what form an assessment would take.

Approximately $30 billion is needed over the next 20 years to clean up the county's storm water runoff, which regularly pollutes rivers and the coastline, said Donald Wolfe, the head of Public Works.

If the county fails to act, it could face expensive lawsuits from environmental groups for failing to comply with state and federal clean water acts, warned William Fujioka, the county's CEO.

The supervisors put $3.5 million aside for a study and campaign, and other uses. The study would explore whether voters might approve a ballot measure asking for the tax money.

A portion of the funds would go to support a possible campaign in favor of the initiative.

Another portion of the money could go toward engineering studies and consultant fees.

Supervisors Michael Antonovich and Don Knabe opposed the move.

"We've asked for a lot of information,and we've yet to receive any," Knabe said.

Antonovich said the county shouldn't be picking up the bill for clean-water requirements mandated by the federal government.

"Let's not let our (congressional) delegation off the hook," Antonovich said. "The county of Los Angeles, like other counties, does not have the ability to implement all of the mandates from the federal government. When the federal government imposes these types of mandates ... they have a responsibility of funding those."

Although only three votes were required to set aside the $3.5 million and give the go-ahead to Fujioka, four votes will be required if the supervisors decide to put the issue to voters in a countywide election, noted Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

However, there is a way to do it with three votes, said Judith Fries, principal deputy county counsel.

Fujioka's office is considering a mail ballot to property owners instead of a countywide vote. Mail ballots must be authorized under a specific statute, Fries said.

The flood-control act and the health and safety code are two avenues being explored as linchpins for such a ballot, Fries said. Using flood-control statutes would require three supervisor votes for a mail ballot, while health and safety would require four votes, according to Fries.

Whatever form the ballot takes, Yaroslavsky said the fee could help clean up county beaches that are frequently closed due to pollution after a rainstorm.

After last weekend's showers, he had to explain to visiting relatives that it wasn't safe to go in the water, he said. "We're not the Third World," Yaroslavsky said.

Fujioka was careful to point out that the supervisors' vote does not mean the county will move forward with a parcel fee.

"A decision has not been made to do it," Fujioka said. "It will take a significant effort to even determine - if we do a parcel tax - what one person's share would be, and it will take a huge amount of support from the community."

The $3.5 million will give his office a chance to "explore an appropriate funding method," he said.

"I don't want to say property tax ... the primary focus right now is a parcel fee."

A parcel fee would show up on property tax bills and be based on how much each parcel contributed to the region's pollution, said Wolfe. The fee would be calculated based on the size of the parcel, how the property is used (residential or industrial, for example), and runoff amounts.

Runoff would be determined based on whether the property had large amounts of open ground where water could seep in, or large amounts of paved surfaces that water would rush off, Wolfe said.

"The beaches get closed every time there's a storm because of the pollution ... the urban slobber ... that we as citizens are continually dumping into the storm drain," Wolfe said.

Early polls indicate that people would be willing to pay $20-$40 per parcel, enough to raise $100 million annually but still far short of what is needed, Wolfe said.

"The board would have to make a decision," he added, "as to whether or not they are going to give the voters an option to say yes or no."

alison.hewitt@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2730

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

The LAAG banned word/phrase list

Well we had to do it. We have just gotten to the point where we cant take the government "BS Speak" any more. There must be classes on how to speak like this. Michael Chertoff, Homeland Security Director is a grand master at BS speak. Everything he says sounds good until you get the text and read it. Then you realize that he really said nothing in 10 minutes of speaking. But it sure does sound impressive at first. The key is to sound authoritative and knowledgeable and to convey you have a handle on the situation while at the same time not giving any time tables, deadlines, specifics or any real information that could later come back to bite you. Its CYA language.

The list is alphabetical order. This list is a work in progress.

Bi-partisan. That term ceased to have meaning after Obama was elected in 2008. At the "local" city or county level its not used much as offices are all [supposed to be] "non partisan" thank God. The one thing right with local politics. Of course local politicians still try to throw it is. In the 2014 LASD primary I heard two of the candidates tell the audience their political party. Woops just sorta slipped in... Once you get into "labeling" people Dems or Repubs all the discussion of issues is out the window.

Challenges- Everything is a challenge. Its a good meaningless way of saying "hey we will likely not get anything done as its a challenge"...but we like challenges as they are like excuses.

Cut- We often hear of "job cuts" or "spending cuts" leading to massive layoffs of teachers and firefighters. But remember that in California public employee union and liberal legislator parlance a "cut" really means "less of an increase this year than expected". Its not a "real decrease" from current spending levels. This is further complicated by the fact that no one really knows what the last three years worth of actual outlays was on a particular budget getting "cut" as "they" mix up projected and actual outlays all the time to confuse taxpayers that try to pay attention to such budget double speak.

Empowerment/empowered/empowering etc. Enough said. Usually used to mean we give you less money and you can do more on your own without our help.

Grant Money. Lets just call this what it really is: tax dollars. Usually its tax dollars from a larger government agency given to a smaller one. The the smaller one likes to sell it to local taxpayers as free or "found" money. There is the implication that it comes from some private benefactor when in reality its just tax dollars paid by the same taxpayers to some other entity.

grass roots. Lets just retire this word permanently and replace it with "astro turfing" [the act of creating a small organization and making it appear to represent something popular for the purpose of promoting a particular entity, cause, etc...a play on grassroots in the sense of a popular movement originating among the common people, ultimately from AstroTurf, a brand of artificial grass] There really are no more grass roots movements. Just deviously named 501c political organizations which then go out and get people to "join in" and "voice their opinion" under the organizations falsified banner. Sad.

Hardscape- What ever happened to landscape? This word was dreamed up by high priced consultants and started using the words in their costly reports to cities and since it looked and sounded good (define it as you want) everyone started using it like in a Dilbert cartoon.

I take full responsibility- This means nothing unless your pay gets docked or you loose your job and in civil service land we know that aint gonna happen anytime soon no matter how big the screw up. This term is also related to "holding people accountable" or "accountability"

Moving Forward/Looking forward. This is just feel good gap filler for politicians. Basically we never want to look back at mistakes as then we would have to hold someone accountable. And someone would then have to "take full responsibility"

Not taking anything off the Table. This phrase is often used in negotiations with other governments (National, State or Local) or other branches of government (i.e. The President vs Congress) and basically means we are not ruling anything out. It is a poor negotiation strategy as it is a sure way of never moving ahead. It implies negotiation but without any real compromise or ability to back out. Brilliant.

Opportunities Sort of like challenges. Can be used in the same sentence. A challenge presents an opportunity but opportunities present challenges. See now you're catching on.

Resources If they would just say taxpayers hard earned money perhaps they would start treating it better than lumps of coal which are also a "resource".

Situation on the Ground-As opposed to the situation in the air. This started with the Iraq spin meisters and has now been adopted by silly local government managers as a throw away word to add some sort of additional explanation where its not needed. Again just more "busy words" that sound good in soundbites but once you read them you realize that they have not said anything. Just used up a bunch of words.

Stakeholders. This is getting annoying. No definitions. Just another vague "government speak" word that sounds good but is meaningless or has too many meanings. I think it is a take off on"shareholders" like they have in companies. Only problem is that unlike shareholders, stakeholders have no say in how things work just like taxpayers. Stake holders have a "stake" in the process, which is their tax dollars. I also think it is govt-speak for "customers". People in government HATE using the word taxpayers as it only reminds them that they feed from the public trough, sucking up tax dollars with every overly costly ineffectual step they take. So it just sounds better to use cutesy terms like stakeholders that the taxpayers don't understand.

Tools in the Toolbox-Again this is related to "Resources". It just means that government likes to have lots of costly taxpayer funded "tools" in its arsenal of spending. It needs lots of tools as it can never hope to fix problems so it just buys more tools in a futile attempt to fix them. The Pentagon is a big tool purchaser.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

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Administrative tickets for Fireworks violations?

Here is a way for Lakewood to accelerate the fireworks citation process. You avoid citizen arrest issues and hiring a bunch of highly overpaid sheriffs. Just use administrative citations and administrative ticket writers" like the parking staff to write 4th of July tickets. Sure some may get beaten (like in the story below) but if you compare this success rate to the track record of Sheriff "infraction" citations in the municipal court I am sure that the administrative success rate would be even better than the success rate in court as there are relaxed rules of evidence etc. Why does Lakewood not initiate this? Who knows. Maybe they never even thought of it Or its due to the fact that the city council favors fireworks. It can blame failures in prosecutions (and the lack of deterrent effect) on the court system and not its own process. Of course if the Lakewood administrative citation program was a dismal as its administrative parking citation system we would be in big trouble.


Seven Beat 4th Fines
http://www.gilroydispatch.com/news/contentview.asp?c=225887
Sep 25, 2007
By Christopher Quirk

Gilroy - The city reversed seven of 41 administrative citations for illegal fireworks that police and firefighters doled out July 4 after residents appealed the citations.

The city of Gilroy heard appeals Aug. 20 from eight residents, many of whom were outraged when, two to three days after Independence Day, a letter showed up in their mailbox informing them they had violated the city's fireworks ban and had to pay $250. For these seven residents - some of whom were not home July 4 - the appeal was the end to a messy and infuriating administrative citation process.

"I'm glad they gave us the chance to do this," Imperial Drive resident Desiree Vaca said. "There's a lot of innocent people."

Vaca was inside her house July 4 when an illegal firework went off at the end of her street, she said. A police officer, who had been parked at the opposite end of Imperial Drive, saw the explosion and accused a boy who was in front of her house, but who did not live with her, of setting off the fireworks. The officer then asked for the owner of the property and Vaca came forward. A few days later, she received a citation.

As rattling as the citation process was, the appeal process was smooth, Vaca said. She scheduled an appointment for an appeal, spoke during her 15-minute slot and the citation was reversed.

However, the letter that accompanied the citation did not encourage an appeal.

"There are very limited situations that provide for a successful appeal," the letter read.

At least three residents felt their citations were unfair, but did not appeal because they thought they would not be believed.

"It's stupid to contest the fine," Snowberry Court resident Robert Bischoff said in a July interview. "You're going to go to a hearing when the officer will be called in, and it's your word against his. What am I going to prove? How can I prove anything?"

Bischoff claimed he was wrongfully cited for fireworks that one of his neighbors set off.

However, seven of the eight people who challenged the citations were successful, city Fire Marshall Jackie Bretschneider said. An additional appeal has been held over because the appellant cannot appear in court because of illness. The city stands to collect about $8,000 if the remaining 33 residents pay their fines.

Six of the seven successfully challenged citations were given out by firefighters, who were not as experienced in law enforcement as police officers, she said. This means six of 24 firefighter-issued citations were reversed, while only one of the 17 police-issued citations was reversed.

"There was a lot of stuff going on in the neighborhood," Bretschneider said. "It is difficult to identify really where something is coming from."

This past Independence Day was the second year that city law enforcement handed out administrative and misdemeanor citations and the first year that firefighters helped with enforcement. Previously, police officers issued only misdemeanor illegal fireworks citations, which require officers to prove that the suspect owns the fireworks and, if convicted, would go on the suspect's record. As with all new practices, there are still kinks to work out in the system, Bretschneider said.

"I would say making the citation process work better for all parties would serve us well," she said.

When the fire and police departments go on their annual public safety retreat [retreat...what?!] , the administrative citation process will be a topic of discussion, Bretschneider said. However, the experience of patrolling July 4 has already taught firefighters lessons, she said.

"They learned a little bit more about how to identify exactly where things were coming from," she said. "That will be a lesson that hopefully will be learned at that end."


Christopher Quirk
Christopher Quirk covers education for the Dispatch. Contact him at 847-7240 or cquirk@gilroydispatch.com.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

This is why we have no parking on street sweeping days

For those of you that have not yet seen the connection between parked cars blocking effective weekly street sweeping and the effects of this county wide run off problem read below. If I lived in a beach city in So. Calif I would be very mad at cities that did not have an effective weekly street sweeping program. Lakewood claims to be getting their act together in Fall 07 by weeping the northern quarter of the city. Well see. What is most funny is that all the glossy costly car window fliers we are paying for (to alert parking violators of the news laws) will likely end up in the gutter and in the ocean as well! Lakewood residents for the most part seem to be interested in two things: the right to shoot of fireworks whenever and where ever they want and the right to park 12 vehicles near their home whenever and wherever they want. Pollution is not important. Find one trait and the other is likely to be there as well. Hey its not my beach or my ocean. That's Long Beach's problem!




http://www.surfline.com/surfnews/surfwire.cfm?id=11255
First Rain Brings Pollution, Toxins to Los Angeles Waters
September 21, 2007
PRESS RELEASE

Heal the Bay today issued a health advisory to Southland residents and visitors to avoid water contact at Los Angeles County beaches for 72 hours, following the area's first significant rainfall after a record drought period.

The county's 5,000-mile storm drain system is designed to channel rainwater to the ocean to prevent local flooding. But it also has the unintended function of moving pollution directly into the Santa Monica and San Pedro bays. After heavy rains, more than 70 major outfalls spew manmade debris, animal waste, pesticides, automotive fluids and human-gastrointestinal viruses into the marine ecosystem.

This pollution poses human health risks, kills marine life and dampens the tourist economy. The so-called first flush is especially worrisome this year, which is the driest in 130 years. Debris and toxins have been accumulating for months on sidewalks, roadways and riverbeds and are now being washed into the storm drains. Exposure to this runoff can cause a variety of illnesses, most frequently stomach flu.

During dry months, Heal the Bay and county health officials urge swimmers to stay 100 yards from flowing storm drains, which have been shown to have elevated levels of known carcinogens and pathogens. Experts agree after a major rainfall that local beachgoers should stay out of the water entirely for at least 72 hours.

"The first heavy rain of the season is a real eye opener about the extent of marine-bound debris in our storm drains," said Karin Hall, executive director of Heal the Bay. "That's why we're working so hard to address the root causes of this kind of pollution."

County storm drains typically handle 100 million gallons of contaminated water and debris each day, but one rainstorm in Los Angeles County can generate nearly 10 billion gallons of water. Sewage treatment plants, which process storm-drain runoff from major pipes in dry months, simply can't handle the excess load during major storms.

Local residents contribute to debris buildup by dropping nearly 1 million cigarette butts on the ground each month, according to L.A. County Department of Public Works estimates. Citizens walk a dog without picking up the droppings more than 82,000 times per month, and they hose off driveways and sidewalks into storm drains more than 415,000 times each month.

During the rainy season, Heal the Bay reminds residents that they can take steps in their own home to take pressure off an already taxed storm drain system. Among them: keep trash out of gutters and storm drains, dispose of animal waste and automotive fluids properly, and avoid overwatering lawns and plants. (Visit www.healthebay.org/waystoheal for more tips.)

Heal the Bay is a non-profit environmental group dedicated to making California coastal waters, including the Santa Monica Bay, safe and healthy for people and marine life. On Sept. 15, the organization last week mobilized 11,000 volunteers who removed 80,000 pounds of ocean-bound debris from county waterways as part of California Coastal Cleanup Day.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

New perchlorate rules go into effect 10/19/07

http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_perch21.3e7dd56.html#
10:23 AM PDT on Friday, September 21, 2007
By DAVID DANELSKI
The Press-Enterprise

New state regulations setting a legal limit for the chemical perchlorate in public drinking water will go into effect Oct. 19, forcing millions of dollars in cleanup efforts.

The rule became official after it passed the scrutiny of the state Office of Administrative Law and was signed Wednesday by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, said a spokeswoman for Bowen's office.

The rule allows no more than 6 parts perchlorate per billion parts of tap water.

Perchlorate is a chemical used in rocket fuel, fireworks and other explosives. Although it has contaminated dozens of Inland wells, most area water providers already meet the new state standard.

But one San Bernardino-area water district faces about $30 million in cleanup costs.

Water delivered to East Valley Water District customers this year averaged slightly more than the new limit. Perchlorate concentrations have reached as high as 8.6 parts per billion, district officials said last month.

The district provides water to about 70,000 people in eastern San Bernardino, Highland and unincorporated areas nearby.

Ron Buchwald, the district's engineer, said last month that East Valley will seek state and federal grants to help pay for removing perchlorate from its water supplies.

Buchwald could not be reached Thursday for comment.

The state regulations require the district to warn customers about the potential health effects of consuming perchlorate.

The chemical can disrupt the thyroid gland's ability to absorb iodide and make hormones that guide brain and nerve development of fetuses and babies. The hormones also control metabolism.

Pregnant women and iodide-deficient women are more vulnerable to the chemical's ill effects, studies have found.

Defense industries, fireworks factories, fertilizers and other sources have been blamed for Inland perchlorate contamination. Fertilizer is the suspected source in the Highland area.


Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

Seaside CA residents want fireworks ban

Seaside residents split on fireworks ban
Some worry about noise, others about loss of revenue for nonprofits
By ANDRE BRISCOE
Herald Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 09/14/2007 01:40:45 AM PDT
http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_6891470?nclick_check=1

Dog owners in Seaside who complain that they have to sedate their pets on the Fourth of July may just have to keep a few bottles of Puppy Prozac handy.

Residents who say their neighborhoods sound like wars zones come Independence Day pleaded with the City Council on Thursday to ban "safe and sane" fireworks.

But a majority of attendees at the special council session expressed support for continuing the traditional fireworks sales, saying a ban on legal fireworks would hurt nonprofits that depend on the revenue generated from the yearly sales.

"I'm not really sure that banning fireworks is going to solve the problem. I think there are a lot of things we need to talk about before we ban fireworks," said Mayor Ralph Rubio. "We need to talk to neighborhoods, we need to talk to businesses. There have got to be ways to keep (safe and sane fireworks) and keep the city safe and keep it clean. Mostly, what we are concerned about are the things that fly and the things that go boom."

Fireworks opponents hoped a ban on legal fireworks would discourage the use of illegal ones.

Nine-year resident Dwight Marshall said the noise was so bad that he had to leave town for at least four days over July 4.

"If we don't do something, it's going to be a more serious problems every year," he said. "You're going to lose people who are going to leave the town of Seaside. It's not just the Fourth of July, but at least a month before and a month after, you've got explosions
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going off all over the place."

The city has allowed the sale of safe and sane fireworks for more than 40 years, and sales are conducted by church organizations and service clubs. Marina, Greenfield, Gonzales and Soledad also allow the sale of the safe and sane fireworks, which don't shoot up in the air or cause explosions.

Mel Mason, former president of the Monterey Peninsula branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said in a statement sent to the council that banning illegal fireworks would not curtail their use.

"The immediate beneficiaries (of safe and sane fireworks) are the many community-based organizations that serve youth," Mason said. "Ultimately, it is our youth who benefit from these yearly sales, through organizations that are generally volunteer-run, without agency type infrastructure, financially beleaguered and always struggling to work miracles without a magic wand."

Most who support a fireworks ban said it is the best way to keep the influx of illegal fireworks out of the city.

"I understand safe and sane fireworks, but I'm talking about pyrotechnics," said five-year resident Murray Macdonald. "The stuff is going off so loud that the foundation of my house shakes. I have to sedate my dog. I would like to see the work of the nonprofits continue, but if the legal fireworks can't be distinguished from the illegal fireworks, there should be a zero-tolerance policy."

La Bridga Adams suggested that a task force be created to search out illegal fireworks so the sale of legal fireworks could continue.

"My concern is that these children who work in this community suffer for something that the bad guys are doing," she said.

City staff members will come back to the council with alternative suggestions to banning legal fireworks at a future meeting.

Andre Briscoe can be reached at 646-4436 or abriscoe@montereyherald.com.

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

Pockets of Success...mixed with...

We applaud the fact that the old Macy's (which has been empty for over a year) is now supposedly going to be occupied by a new Costco in the Fall of 2008. Obviously some of the effort was made by Macerich, the owner of the Lakewood Center Mall. We are also happy to see the new Tesco "Fresh and Easy" market and the Rite Aid (finally) pony up some money to match the upgraded exteriors that all the other retailers completed in 2006 at South St. and Woodruff Ave.[see related story here ]

Of course for every success in Lakewood there is a failure. Take a look at Bellflower Blvd. and South St. Two gas stations. They are ok but the small strip mall with the closed out comic book store (vacant since 2006) and the dive "bar" (still occupied unfortunately) are starting to look tattered. Especially the vacant comic book store. "Joe's Sushi" just down the street (5607 South Street, Lakewood, CA 90713) dressed up part of the strip mall on South St. (the east end of the intersection) but we suspect Joes may not last too long due to the poor location (not in Lakewood Center "Restaurant Row") and with it most of the improvements may fade.

The biggest eyesore is the "Itana Designs" "warehouse" that is never open and has no customers. It used to be an old Vons which closed at least 8 years ago (when the Pavillions opened at South and Woodruff). Very old 1950's style building which is likely a fire hazard. Apparently the city cant get anyone in there or force Itana to spruce up the site. I guess some incentives will need to be offered or a fire lit under the leasing agent, whom LAAG contacted, without a reply. Likely not a site high on their list. Most likely a "second tier" or "distressed property" from the looks of all the leasing signs. The whole North West corner of Bellflower Blvd. and South St. is going down hill fast due to the lack of good tenants in that center and a strong anchor tenant. The city needs to act now.

Below is our email to the property broker at www.Grubb-Ellis.com about the status. There was no reply of course. Feel free to contact them. The url in the email has all the specifics on the location.

Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:35:12 -0700
To: max.franco@Grubb-Ellis.com
From: Lakewood Accountability Action Group | LAAG
Subject: south and belflower in lkwd

http://www.loopnet.com/xNet/LoopLink/Profile/Profile.aspx?LL=true&LID=14847969&STID=grubb

so what is going on with this place. Are you leasing the entire shopping center? This whole shopping center needs to be rehabbed. What is the city doing to help move the property?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™

Fundraising Trumps All

These cities will never give into the smoke and fire peddlers and the groups that pander to them. AS LAAG has already demonstrated using LA Co. Fire Dept statistics, legal fireworks increases the use of illegal fireworks. So the issue is simple. Outlaw all personal fireworks and help the booster groups get money some other way as we have outlined over and over again.

Monday, September 17, 2007
Garden Grove to revisit fireworks after tragedy
City Council plans to talk about putting ban on November 2008 ballot.
By DEEPA BHARATH
The Orange County Register

GARDEN GROVE – Joshua Matua had just started to doze off the night of July 4 when a lighted skyrocket landed on his house's shake roof.

It all happened very quickly after that. Black smoke billowed and orange flames shot skyward.

Matua and his friend, who owns the house on Mac Street, were the only ones in the house that night. Matua's girlfriend and 5-month-old son were not there, he said.

The four-bedroom house was a total loss and is uninhabitable. Matua and his family lost all of their possessions and moved to a studio apartment in Westminster.

“It's very hard,” said Matua, 37, manager of a sports bar in Anaheim. “I cry every day partly because of how my life has changed, but also because me and my friends had so many memories in that house.”

The local AARP chapter, which has been vocal in its opposition of fireworks, will host a fundraiser today for Matua and his family at the Community Meeting Center. Garden Grove is one of five Orange County cities that allow state-designated “safe and sane” fireworks during the Independence Day holiday. Proceeds from the White Elephant Sale will go toward helping Matua and his friend rebuild the house and help Matua's family buy everyday items such as clothes to baby necessities.

In the meantime, Garden Grove council members say the July 4 fire has prompted them to reconsider putting a fireworks ban on the November 2008 ballot.

For years, the issue has divided the community into those who want to do away with fireworks altogether and the booster clubs and nonprofits that want to raise money for their respective causes through the sale of fireworks – a big moneymaker for these groups.

Those who support fireworks say problems such as fires and injuries are usually caused by illegal fireworks, not the legal ones they sell at the stands.

A majority of the City Council has always supported keeping fireworks in Garden Grove, although council members this year imposed $1,000 fines on those shooting off illegal fireworks.

Councilman Mark Rosen said the July 4 incident doesn't change his view on fireworks.

“But it's a tremendous tragedy for this family and something that happened as a direct result of fireworks,” he said. “I think the time has come for our residents to have a say on the matter.”

A motion last year by former Councilman Harry Krebs to put the issue on the ballot fizzled.

Sharon Tanihara, a Garden Grove resident and AARP member, said she has been coming to council meetings to protest fireworks for the last four years because she was afraid of people losing their homes or their lives in fireworks-related fires. “Our benefit for the Matua family will hopefully help raise awareness in the community about fireworks and why they should be banned,” she said.

Meanwhile, Matua says it's going to take at least a year to fix up the burned house. Walking through the barely standing structure, Matua sighed as he looked at loose wires hanging from the ceiling, hardwood floors blackened by ash and soot and a murky pool, which had been the site of many a party and barbecue.

“I ran out with the clothes on my back,” he said, glancing at the borrowed shoes he still wears. “All my possessions are gone. But I'm thankful I still have the people I love.”

Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
A California Non Profit Association | Demanding action and accountability from local government™