Community Joins Forces with Southwest Gang Impact Team in Baldwin Village Area

WHAT:   
Press Conference
        
WHEN:   
Monday, December 15, 2008 1:00 p.m.     
        
WHERE:   
3905 Santa Rosalia Drive
Los Angeles, CA

WHO:       
William J. Bratton, Chief of Police
Councilmember Herb Wesson, Council District 10
Deputy Chief Kenneth Garner, Bureau Chief Operations-South Bureau
Captain James Craig, Commanding Officer, Southwest Area
Chris Homewood, Director of Assets Protection – Target Corporation
Community and business partners

WHY:   
Southwest Area Community Police Station and business and community partners who live and work in Southwest Los Angeles have embarked on an ambitious project to bring video and other technologies to the Baldwin Village and the Crenshaw District.  This type of partnership, under Target’s “Safe City Initiative” has never occurred in the history of Los Angeles Police Department.  Southwest Area’s Community Law Enforcement and Recovery will spear head the operation.  

Community partners will donate over a quarter million dollars to fund surveillance equipment and other technology that will abate gang violence.  Additionally, crime volunteers which will include teenagers and adults are being sought to assist gang officers in the use of the technology.  The project will bring the latest crime fighting strategies to the Baldwin Village-Crenshaw District and to the surrounding communities.  This technology combined with partnerships will assist in combating street robberies, auto thefts and other crimes that plague the high crime gang infested communities.

The Target Corporation has been one of the project’s vital business partners in this effort and will present a grant as part of Target’s Safe City Initiative.  This partnership with LAPD is part of Target & BLUE, through which Target partners with local, state and federal law enforcement by providing equipment, grants, training and world-class forensic support.

For additional information contact Lieutenant Darnell Davenport, at 323-290-6523.