California State Senate to Recognize Three LAPD Officers who Work on Skid Row NR15105SF

Los Angeles: On April 9, 2015, three officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) will be honored by the California State Senate for their dedicated work with the homeless community in Skid Row. During the presentation in Sacramento, Police Officer III+I Deon Joseph, Police Officer II Delano Hutchins and Police Officer II Andre Linnear will receive California State Senate Resolutions from Senator Isadore Hall.

In 2005, the LAPD launched the Safer Cities Initiative (SCI) to address quality of life issues in the Skid Row area of Downtown Los Angeles. The SCI assigned 50 officers to work full-time to police the 50-block area encompassing Skid Row. Today, there is one lieutenant, seven sergeants, and 50 officers assigned to the project. SCI works in conjunction with the Los Angeles Homeless Service Association and the Los Angeles County of Department of Mental Health to provide direct services to the residents of Skid Row.

SCI also partners with the Los Angeles Police Foundation (LAPF) who has raised nearly $90,000 in cash contributions and more than $30,000 in in-kind products and services for the Safer Cities Initiative. LAPF donations will help fund the trimming of more than 25 trees that are overgrown and provide cover for narcotics offenders to store and conceal their activities and will improve the CCTV system by adding additional cameras in identified “hot spots” known for criminal activity. Additionally, LAPF’s support will provide SCI officers with hygiene kits that they can give to the homeless population in order to offer essential personal items and allow for positive police contact.

The mission of the LAPF is to create partnerships to provide resources and programs that help the LAPD perform at their highest level and to enhance LAPD-community relations. Since its founding in 1998, the LAPF has invested nearly $23 million in grants to the LAPD in the areas of equipment and technology upgrades, specialized training, community outreach, and youth programs.

For additional information, please call Media Relations Section at (213) 486-5910. For more information regarding the LAPF, please call (213) 489-4636, or visit: www.lapolicefoundation.org