Bradley Asked to Help Ease Crackdown on Dogs at Park

A dog problem reached the highest level of Los Angeles city government Tuesday as Mayor Tom Bradley was asked to persuade the city’s animal control chief to ease up on a disputed crackdown on leash-law violations at Laurel Canyon Park.

Anton Calleia, the mayor’s chief administrative assistant, said he sees no need for Bradley to get involved right now because “things are cooling down.” However, members of the Bradley-appointed advisory city Animal Regulation Commission said Tuesday they were “very angry” that a commission request made last week to reduce the number of citations issued to people who let their dogs run free apparently has been ignored.

Four Citations Issued

Calleia said he had received a call earlier Tuesday from Arthur Margolis, a Bradley appointee to the animal commission, asking the mayor to seek a halt to the arrest sweeps. Last Sunday, three animal control officers, two park rangers and four police officers went to the park and four citations were issued. Each citation carries a $46 fine.

Robert Rush, general manager of the Department of Animal Regulation, confirmed that Calleia had called him to discuss the matter, but he refused to elaborate.

Asst. City Atty. George Buchanan said the mayor has no authority to tell the department how to enforce the law. However, those familiar with city operations say that department managers listen carefully to the mayor because he controls their budgets and can seek their dismissal, subject to City Council approval.

Anger Over Enforcement

Mimi Robins, a member of the Animal Regulation Commission, described herself and her colleagues as “very angry” after learning that the nine uniformed city employees had showed up at the park Sunday. Last Wednesday, the commission had asked that only one or two animal control officers be sent to the park at any given time.

The commission made the request after about 75 dog owners jammed a meeting room to protest what they called “Gestapo-like tactics,” including allegations of physical abuse by officers enforcing the leash law. Rush was asked by the commission to investigate the complaints.

Rush said in an interview Tuesday that he believes he complied with the commission’s request.

“The commission asked for not more than two (animal control) officers out there issuing citations, and that’s all that were out there issuing citations,” Rush said. He said that a third officer, an animal control supervisor, was on hand “in order to assist if there was any kind of confrontation.”

Margolis said that, although only two officers actually issued citations, the presence of five other uniformed city employees violated the spirit of the commission’s request.

Rush said that the park rangers and police officers were in the park at the request of Councilman Joel Wachs, whose district includes the park.

Wachs said in an interview Tuesday that one of his aides asked Rush to continue enforcement at the park, even after the commission’s request. The councilman has said that many constituents have complained to him about dogs taking over the park.

“The leash law is going to be enforced,” Wachs said. “It is up to the department using their expertise to determine the manpower they need to do it. They know better than the commission.”

Margolis said the commission never had recommended that the leash law not be enforced. He said the issue is how much effort will be put into enforcement.

The crackdown on Laurel Canyon Park, Margolis said, is drawing resources away from other problems, such as investigating reports of animal cruelty, “because some city politician wants to use the department for his political purposes.”

Meanwhile, Rush, who said he agreed to try having fewer officers in the park last week, said he has not decided what he will do next week.

“Laws are laws,” he said. “And they have to be enforced.”