Faith Community CompStat Meeting a Success

 
Los Angeles: Earlier today, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) held its first-ever community CompStat session. Those present included Los Angeles City Mayor Jim Hahn, LAPD Chief of Police William J. Bratton, Bishop Charles E. Blake, Pastor of West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Reverend Eugene F. Rivers, Co-Chair of the National Ten Point Leadership Foundation and approximately 100 faith community leaders. The inclusion of these faith leaders in this CompStat session was due to the recognition by Bishop Blake and Rev. Rivers that only by creating a partnership with police can the churches be more effective in reducing the effects of violence, drugs and gangs on young people, and a similar recognition by the Department of the critical need to engage the community in its crime-fighting efforts.
Faith leaders and police today forged an alliance to respond to Mayor Jim Hahn’s challenge to make Los Angeles the safest big City in America. Mayor Hahn, while at today’s event, reiterated, "Today’s meeting is another important step toward realizing our goal of implementing meaningful community policing at the LAPD."
Today’s meeting not only provided community leaders with a first hand knowledge of the crimes that occur in our neighborhoods, but it also afforded them the opportunity to hear what the individual commanding officers were doing to correct these problems; additionally, what were they doing to prevent reoccurrences.
Following today’s meeting, Chief William Bratton stated, "It was a good first step. The police saw how much support we really have in the ecumenical community to enforce the law fully and fairly. The ecumenical community received first hand information on the magnitude of the violent crime problem we jointly face. We will work together to ensure that the residents, especially the children, of South Bureau are protected."
The Los Angeles Police Department intends to continue on this course of allowing Los Angeles area community leaders to see first hand what type of crimes are occurring in our community and provide insight on how best to address the issues.
This advisory was prepared by Lieutenant Horace E. Frank, Officer in Charge, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.
UPDATE
Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. stated, "I’ve pastored in Los Angeles for 34 years. Never before have I heard crime statistics in such detail and geographic specificity. This knowledge creates a greater sense of responsibility on the part of all who received it. The "Ten Point" model shared by Reverend Eugene Rivers gives us a strategy by which we can address this new sense of responsibility. I’m proud to express the long-term commitment of the Los Angeles church community to this endeavor."