Lakewood : Deputies Will Be Tougher in Handling Unruly Parties

In the wake of a party shoot-out in Paramount that left two youths dead, the Lakewood station of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is cracking down on large, unruly parties.

Capt. John Anderson of the Lakewood sheriff’s station said deputies who respond to complaints about parties will shut down the party if any juvenile is drinking liquor or any adult is drinking liquor in public. He also said deputies who respond to a call about a noisy party must call the field supervisor, who is then responsible for assessing the situation and deciding what should be done.

“This is really nothing new,” Anderson said. “We are just going to enforce the fact that when our deputies respond to a party, they don’t treat them lightly. The emphasis is that our guys should not be afraid to take action. We owe it to the neighborhood.”

Lakewood deputies were criticized by some city leaders and residents after gang members opened fire at the Paramount party Sept. 9, leaving two dead and six injured. Neighbors said the deputies could have prevented the shooting had they dispersed the party when several neighbors called to complain. Anderson said the calls were never dispatched to the patrol deputies, because the dispatcher was “under the assumption” that the deputies were already monitoring the party. The dispatcher’s actions are under department review, he said.

The Lakewood station serves Lakewood, Paramount, Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos and Hawaiian Gardens.