First Public Meeting On LAPD Chief Beck's Bid For Second Term Sees Light Turnout
WESTCHESTER (CBSLA.com) — The first in a series of meetings seeking public comment on a bid by LAPD Chief Charlie Beck for a second term saw a light turnout Wednesday night.
About 25 people attended the meeting at the Westchester Senior Center to hear from Beck, who said despite making progress since was appointed in 2009, he believes he has more to offer Los Angeles.
The low turnout may have been affected by the Los Angeles Kings playing Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, officials said. Beck said he was satisfied by the turnout.
KNX 1070's Megan Goldsby reports the public hearing by the police commission that was scheduled to run for two hours was over in 30 minutes.
First Public Meeting On LAPD Chief Beck's Bid For Second Term Sees Light Turnout
Photos posted to social media showed mostly empty seats at the Senior Center, with one Twitter user noting she saw "more cops than constituents" at the hearing.
Resident Cindy Hench, who was one of only four speakers at the hearing, said her main complaint was not being able to work with her community police department.
"With communications providing unsatisfactory customer service, it kind of blows everything up," said Hench. "The perception in the community is not good."
Beck said any efforts to improve coordination with the community-based policing program must start with officers on the street.
"We push all those beliefs, all that philosophy down to the rank-and-file, and that it not just be the domain of management," he said.
Beck officially notifed the Police Commission last month of his bid to seek a second term, saying he has led the department through the "toughest financial era since the Great Depression" while overseeing a reduction in crime and gang activity and the completion of federal consent decree requirements.
A second hearing is scheduled Thursday night at the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School in Canoga Park at 6:30 p.m.
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