Chief Parks Announces Restructuring of Department’s Specialized Units

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Saturday, March 4, 2000

Los Angeles – Effective March 12, 2000, Chief Parks will deactivate and disband all CRASH Units. Officers currently assigned to CRASH Units will be returned to patrol in their area of assignment to ensure no lost resources or interruption of service to the areas. The Department will audit the functions of these disbanded units, including such things as their gang files.

In about thirty days, the Department will activate a new Special Enforcement Unit (SEU) in each geographic area. A new selection criteria will be put in place for candidates seeking assignment to the SEU. For example, only supervisors who have a minimum of one year patrol experience as a supervisor and are already working in their second area of assignment as a supervisor will be eligible for SEU assignment. Additionally, Supervisors assigned to this unit will possess outstanding leadership, supervisory and administrative skills.

Officers assigned to SEU will have a minimum of three years experience as a police officer, two of which must have been spent in uniformed patrol. Officers and supervisors selected for this unit shall not be assigned for a period in excess of three years.

All officers assigned to SEU shall be subject to existing procedures for uniform patrol officers, which includes that all persons arrested be immediately shown to the area Watch Commander upon arriving at the station.

It will be the responsibility of the Operations Support Division Commanding Officer to ensure that all SEU personnel are adhering to policies and procedures. Additionally, a Bureau SEU coordinator will personally conduct an on-site inspection and audit at least one SEU area a month.

The Department will be publishing the specific mission of the SEU shortly and personnel selected will receive special training on the mission, expectations, and the strategies.

Chief Parks stated, "It is important to continually assess and modify the system, as this will provide additional oversight and review of this critical function."

For further information please contact the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section at 213-485-3586.

For Release 8:00 am PST
March 4, 2000