As of July 27, the metrics of COVID-19 are showing a steady plateau, according to the Mayor of Los Angeles the curve is heading in the right direction. On Monday, the county reported 2,039 new cases. This brings the total diagnosed reports to 176,028. There were 905 of those cases found in the city of L.A., there were an additional count of 17 deaths, in summary there are 4,375 fallen Angelenos.
A dual sword has been flailing in the air, as the city fights for control over COVID-19, there is also a call for action to respond to the social inequities among public safety. Garcetti stressed the co-ownership of protection from both local legislation and the community they represent. He shared the progress of the Community Safety Partnership Bureau in the Los Angeles Police Department. “This bureau makes CSP both a program and a philosophy,” Mayor Garcetti stated. The program cultivated a set of procedures that hold the body of the organization accountable to maintaining a civil approach to policing.
Two weeks ago, the police commission passed “nation leading” reforms around use of force. They are set in place to create total compliance with “Eight Can’t Wait.” Gang reduction and Youth development programs have been expanded over 50%, the mayor described this new step in policing as “community driven.” LAPD is being renovated in all aspects; recruitment and training, tactics and strategy, police culture improvement, in addition to having a wider perspective of known inequities that live among the division of resources.
LAPD Captain Emada Tingirides has been appointed to Deputy Chief over the Community Safety Partnership, Chief Michel Moore announced the appointment and described it as one the most critical decisions he has made for the future of the department, he said “In making that appointment, in choosing her for this critical moment, it wasn’t that she was the face of CSP since inception, it wasn’t that she grew up in the Watts Community, both these circumstances are true but you only need to spend a few moments with her to understand her empathy.”
Future Chief Deputy Tingirdes said in response to her new role,” This is not a LAPD program, this is a community program. This is about understanding the cultures of the community and adjusting how we work in respond to conflict within communities.” She spoke directly about the fragility of the overall police system, Tingirdes emphasized a major pillar of CSP is forgiveness.
The mayor explained they are integrating the Community Safety Partnership Bureau to the foundation of the Los Angeles Police Department. Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson joined the course of celebration of the transitions happening within LAPD. He shared testimony of what the CSP program has done within his district that included reducing the shootings, homicides, all without increasing arrest or the “intended increase of clashes between community and police.”
Harris-Dawson stated, “I for one will say, this is the only systematic way I’ve seen where you can do policing in communities like South Los Angeles, where the community feels like the police department works on their behalf.”
Ninth District Councilmember Curren Price added Los Angeles is re-envisioning public safety, the protection and service to the city is priority. “We are living through a pivotal time in our history and the landscape of our community is changing right before our eyes.” Price said he has seen firsthand the positive affects the community- driven-protection model has played in the ninth district.
Friday, July 24 the Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti shared the latest updates regarding the coronavirus outbreak. Two weeks ago, the mayor stressed the concern in current statistics, reflecting a spike in positive cases, hospitalization, and death rate in Los Angeles. Mayor Garcetti disclosed on Friday that the message remains the same, coronavirus is creeping up to levels that may trigger another mandated Stay at Home Order.
Garcetti stressed the importance of “taking back control and stopping the spread of the virus,” every Angeleno is being held accountable for the next moves that will be in place. He stated public health conditions remain in a fragile condition, it has been reported that California has more positive cases than any other state. The mayor clarified California is home to more people than any other state.
The six measurements the determine the severity of COVID-19 in Los Angeles are updated and reviewed, to review the measurements track new cases, new deaths, test positivity, hospitalization, PPE equipment access, and acute care bed capacity. Garcetti disclosed that 4 out of 6 are “heading in the right direction.” The transmission has come down to representing people who are infected are spreading it to less than 1% of their close contacts.
In comparison to the passed week, the average positive rate was 13%, it is now down to roughly 11%. Hospitalizations are at an all-time high, reflecting the greatest fluctuation than any other time of the pandemic. The Los Angeles Health Department reported 1,949 new cases on Friday, bringing the total within L.A. 168,757. 730 of those positive reports were in the city of Los Angeles. There were 44 additional deaths reported on Wednesday, bringing the total of fatal cases to 4,300. COVID-19 is now impacting demographics from all age groups.
“Exercise extreme caution, please” The mayor stated, “If you think you been exposed ask your doctor for a test first, or get tested at a CVS, community health center, or any of the city, county, and state sites…”
According to the press release, the CSP Bureau will bring the ten CSP sites under single command and “integrate aspects of the model, including its training curriculum, across LAPD operations.” Mayor Garcetti Stated, “Today we take a major step forward in our work to reimagine policing in Los Angeles and strengthen the human bonds that are essential to public safety,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Every Angeleno deserves to feel secure not only in the parks and streets of their neighborhoods, but in the presence of people in uniform — and expanding CSP will help to make that possible.”
