Culver City Observer -

The Culver City Council will once again take up the proposals that were part of the report by Solidarity Consulting to remake the Culver City Police Department.

The report called for a freeze on hiring new officers along with a reduction in police personnel. The report also addressed reallocation some of the duties of the department -- including diverting calls about mental health, homelessness and substance abuse issues --to a mobile crisis response team not affiliated with CCPD. This presumes the dispatch operator can identify issues other than possible criminal behavior. This would be impossible to accomplish with just a phone call. A trained police officer needs to be dispatched to the scene so they can ascertain if the incident might endanger lives or destroy property. The police department is not a social agency and must not be used that way.

Reducing the department’s budget and staff may sound like an admirable goal but. given the increasing crime rate throughout the country, we believe we need more patrol officers on the street -- not less.

Also in the report: a call to align Culver City with LA County’s Alternatives to Incarceration initiative, including moving traffic enforcement out of CCPD. We believe enforcement of traffic laws is a primary goal of the police department.

A recall effort has been launched against Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, claiming he has abandoned crime victims and their families, disregarded the rule of law, weakened sentencing requirements for violent crimes and reduced sentences on hate, gun, and gang crimes. Clearly, Gascon aspires to higher political office and he is pandering to voters to benefit himself.

Finally, the report calls for the creation of an independent Public Safety Commission to act as civilian oversight. This move is just an unnecessary waste of time and resources. Culver City had a population of around 40,00 and covers an area of approximately 5 square miles We are not Los Angeles or New York City and we should not act the same way they do. We employ a professional leadership team who is responsible ultimately to the City Council for the safety and protection of our community.

We need to trust the people we hire to do their jobs. We call upon the City Council to stop wasting valuable city resources, funds and time on these ridiculous witch hunts.