Officers Walk Beat in Effort to Deter Gangs

Residents of a North Hollywood neighborhood plagued by gangs welcomed the arrival of 16 uniformed Los Angeles police officers Tuesday on their first night of foot patrols in the area, but at least one gang member appeared unfazed.

The officers, working overtime, will patrol streets near Vineland Avenue and Sherman Way for two to three months in a pilot program approved by the Los Angeles City Council last September. Police hope officers on foot will discourage gang activity and graffiti painting. The patrols are scheduled from 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

“We’re out here trying to clean up the area,” said Officer Oscar Sapien as he walked an alley behind Vineland Avenue, looking for suspected gang members. “These guys hang out here and intimidate the kids. Once they take control, they become idols to the kids. We’re trying to stop that process and let them know they can’t run rampant in here.”

Sgt. John Staugaard, one of the coordinators of the patrol, said the 30- to 40-square-block area was targeted because it has the highest concentration of gang members in North Hollywood. Gang membership there has doubled in the past year, from slightly fewer than 1,000 in 1988 to more than 2,000 last year, he said.

Gang-related crimes in the area last year included one murder, three attempted murders, 17 felony assaults and four robberies, Capt. Dan Watson said.

The officers fanned out through the neighborhood about 5 p.m., questioning suspected gang members on street corners and in graffiti-stained alleys.

Francisco Del Rio, 26, who lives in an apartment on Ensign Avenue, said he hopes the officers will help return peace to the neighborhood.

“There are lots of problems with the cholos ,” or gang members, he said in Spanish as he worked on a car in the alley behind his apartment. “They bother me a lot here, every day.”

Resident Teresa Anzaldo, 14, said she hopes the officers will cut down on the number of drive-by shootings and gang-related auto thefts in the area.

But one gang member who hangs out in the alley behind Vineland Avenue said he has no plans to move on, even though foot-beat officers plan to patrol the alley almost every night.

“It’s kick back, “ said Javier Sanchez, 15, who said he belongs to a gang, after police questioned him in an alley and checked his name for warrants. “It doesn’t really bother me as long as I’m not doing anything wrong. It’s nothing to sweat.”

Police, however, insisted the patrols will work.

“You’re going to see the gang members are going to see we’re here and will fade into the woodwork,” Staugaard said.