CommentsRantZ and RaveZ - While Mayor Eric Michael Garcetti waits for confirmation by Elected Representatives in Washington, D.C., to the distinguished position of United States Ambassador to India, his record as Mayor and 8 year leader of the City of Los Angeles can be described by some as an embarrassment to his Legacy as the 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles.
There were great expectations back on July 1, 2013, when Eric M. Garcetti was sworn in as the Mayor for the people and communities of the City of Los Angeles. From Downtown to San Pedro to the Western and Eastern regions of the city and to the San Fernando Valley, a strong hope and promise that would bring all the city’s diverse groups together for a unified, productive, and safe City of the Angels for residents, business, and visitors to the once city of glamor, excitement, and opportunity for those that sought it. Unfortunately, it did not quite turn out that way as evidenced by multiple FBI City Hall Corruption investigations involving various departments and key management executives along with elected City Council members. The subsequent arrests and convictions of a number of elected and appointed city officials is reflective of the wide-spread corruption that existed and still may exist at L.A. City Hall. Some of those arrested have waived a trial and admitted to serious Federal Felony Criminal Charges. Others are waiting for their trials to begin. City Hall Investigations are still continuing as we are now in early 2022.
With Garcetti’s departure from City Hall, there will be the bloodshed of 397 murdered crime victims in L.A. in 2021 and the shame cast upon his reputation as Mayor of Los Angeles. 2021 was the deadliest year since 2007 when there were 395 murders in the city.
In addition to the well-publicized and most embarrassing MULTIPLE City Hall corruption cases and murders of nearly 400 residents and L.A. visitors, there is the lasting comment Garcetti made regarding our dedicated and honorable police officers. Police Officers were called “Killers” by the mayor. That comment caused and remains a wall of anger and betrayal between the Mayor and many members of the law enforcement community that risk their lives protecting others.
The Mayor Garcetti’s “Vision Zero Plan” to eliminate traffic deaths on city streets by 2025 is a Total and Complete Failure as more people continue to die in traffic incidents on L.A. Streets.
As of Dec 25, 2021, 289 people were killed in traffic collisions in Los Angeles. The total is an increase of 21% over 2020 and 19% over 2019 figures. 1,465 people were injured which is a 30% increase over 2020. Pedestrian injuries and deaths also increased. Final numbers from the Traffic Divisions will not be released until later this year.
Mayor Garcetti established the “Vision Zero Plan” in 2015 with the unrealistic goal of ELIMINATING traffic deaths in Los Angeles by 2025.
This is another example of promised made and not kept by the Mayor.
As a former Police Motorcycle Supervisor with extensive expertise in working and supervising police traffic divisions, it is obvious from the lack of traffic enforcement by field patrol units and the reduction of motorcycle officers on traffic patrol that fatal and injury collision numbers will continue to increase resulting with more people injured and killed on Los Angeles roadways.
The ranks of both Uniform Patrol Officers and Motorcycle Officers have been reduced in recent years, along with the difficulty in recruiting Police Officers in general. The Defund and Re-imagine the police movement promoted by the progressive left has been detrimental to public safety programs. Additionally, the required documentation required when issuing a traffic citation has increased by various oversight agencies which requires additional time to complete additional reports. The bottom line is that fewer Traffic Citations are issued resulting in more careless and reckless drivers on Los Angeles roads.
It is hoped that the next Mayor can work with the LAPD to re-energize the Traffic Enforcement along with other field Operations and reduce the number of people being injured and killed on Los Angeles streets.
The Murder of LAPD Officer Fernando Uriel Arroyos.
Off-Duty LAPD Officer Fernando Uriel Arroyos was murdered by known gang members while looking for a home to purchase in the Florence-Firestone community on January 10, 2022. Officer Arroyos was the victim of neighborhood gang activity when he was shot. Officer Arroyos was a young three-year officer with great potential to protect and serve the public. May Officer Fernando Uriel Arroyos Rest in Peace.
(Dennis P. Zine is the author of RantZ and RaveZ. The column runs twice a month to bring you a view of the ups and downs in and around Los Angeles from a combined 54 years of law enforcement and elected public official’s perspective.)
