LOS ANGELES : Actor Olmos Seeks Permit to Carry Concealed Weapon

The attorney for actor Edward James Olmos, who became a symbol of peace after last year’s Los Angeles riots, declined Friday to discuss his client’s request to the Los Angeles Police Department for a concealed-weapon permit.

“It is unfortunate someone who is a man of peace feels it necessary to apply for a permit but these are troubled times,” said James Schreiber. In his gun permit application, Olmos said he fears for his life after receiving threats against him and his family.

Police Commission Executive Officer Richard Dameron has recommended that the application be turned down. In a letter to the commission, he said that the application “fails to set forth . . . clear and present danger.” A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

According to Assistant City Atty. Byron Boeckman, only one such permit has been issued since 1979 and that was to Police Chief Willie L. Williams.

For three days last spring, Olmos, best known for his 1988 portrayal as math teacher Jaime Escalante in the movie “Stand and Deliver,” led cleanup brigades through South-Central Los Angeles and downtown, bringing disparate racial groups together.