What:
Press Conference

When:
Tuesday, June 18, 2002, at 9:00 a.m.

Where:
Harbor Area Community Police Station, 2175 John S. Gibson Boulevard, San Pedro

Who:
Los Angeles City Councilperson Janice Hahn, Los Angeles Port Police Chief Noel Cunningham, Harbor Area Commanding Officer Julie Nelson.

Los Angeles: On Tuesday, June 18, 2002, Los Angeles Police Department Harbor Area Community Police Station will conduct a Commercial Truck Task Force. Harbor Area personnel will work in conjunction with officers from the Los Angeles Port Police, motor officers from South Traffic Division and Traffic Coordination Section Commercial Enforcement Unit, officers from LAPD Hazardous Materials Unit and officers from the California Highway Patrol.

California Highway Patrol officers will set up a temporary inspection site at McFarland Avenue at Alameda Street, near the port of Los Angeles. Officers assigned to the task force will direct commercial truck traffic, within a five-mile radius, to that location. This site will be equipped with commercial truck scales and full safety inspections will be conducted. The California Highway Patrol will also deploy their Bell Ranger Helicopter to assist with this operation. The California Highway Patrol will land their helicopter at Harbor Station, prior to the press conference and will be part of the press conference background. The inspection site will also be available to members of the news media.

This task force was the result of numerous community complaints regarding commercial truck traffic in the Wilmington area. Community members also raised concerns regarding Los Angeles Port security after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. This task force is part of an effort to educate truck drivers of posted truck routes, ensure that all drivers are properly licensed and to ensure that all trucks are properly loaded and equipped.

For further information, contact Sergeant Andy Simon, Harbor Area Community Police Station, 310-548-7601.

This media advisory was prepared by Public Information Officer Jason Lee, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.