LAPD & LA Port Police to Escort & Release Rehabilitated Seals & Sea Lions NA18098ml

WHAT: LAPD S.W.A.T. Tactical Waterborne Unit & LA Port Police join forces to escort and release rehabilitated Seals & Sea Lions back to the sea. Divers and support boats will release animals healed from injuries and illnesses.

WHEN:Wednesday, May 16, 2018 10:00 AM

Officers and vehicle from Los Angeles Police S.W.A.T. Tactical Waterborne Unit arrive at Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles. Address: 3601 S. Gaffey, San Pedro. Directions:110 South to the end. Exit Gaffey to 32nd Street ( turn right at the hill). At the “T” turn right, then right again to the parking lot.

10:15-10:30 AM Seals and sea lions scheduled for release will be loaded on to a L.A.P.D. truck then transported to the dock at Berth 84.

10:45 AM Arrive at Berth 84 (next to the Maritime Museum off 6th Street and Sampson Way, San Pedro) Officers, animals, media and the release team will board law enforcement vessels to the short boat ride to the open ocean release location. Two vessels will be available. One provided by L.A.P.D. and the other by LA Port Police. One vessel will carry the animals, release team. The other vessel will transport media pool reporter and camera.

11:30 AM Return to Marine Mammal Care Center, repeat the loading process then travel with law enforcement escort to White Point Beach for a beach release with officers. Address: 1801 W Paseo Del Mar, San Pedro, CA 90731

WHERE: Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles 3601 South Gaffey # 8 San Pedro, California 90731

WHO: LAPD S.W.A.T Waterbourne Unit Los Angeles Port Police Marine Mammal Care Center of Los Angeles Representative

DETAILS: Working and training in and around the Los Angeles harbor, the S.W.A.T. Tactical Waterborne Unit has become all too aware of the human-induced injuries and illnesses afflicting seals and sea lions. Often, L.A.P.D. receives calls from the public notifying them of these animals, commonly suffering from fishing line entanglement, starvation, plastic products ingestion, shark bites, parasitism, disorientation from domoic acid (red tide) poisoning, pneumonia and gunshot wounds. This, in turn, sets into motion a professional life-saving network including Marine Animal Rescue and the medical and husbandry teams of Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles.

A media pool (CBS & KCAL) will be invited to ride along on law enforcement boats provided by L.A.P.D. and Los Angeles Port Police for the Wednesday, May 16th morning release of the California sea lions and northern elephant seals.

CBS/KCAL will release all video footages to all media outlets.

CONTACT:For further information, contact Valerie Goodman Special Hospital Projects at (310) 567-6384 or LAPD Media Relations at 213-486-5910.