EAST LOS ANGELES : Vendors Complain of Police Harassment

Approximately 30 street vendors carrying placards and chanting slogans demonstrated in front of the Hollenbeck Division police station in East Los Angeles last week, protesting what they consider unfair treatment by patrol officers.

The vendors, most of whom sell their wares in the busy shopping area surrounding Brooklyn Avenue and Soto Street, argued that authorities are stifling their livelihood, but police cite a city ordinance that forbids unlicensed vendors on public streets.

“I admire that these people are out here earning a living, but by the same token, they are violating the law,” said Capt. Bob Medina, commander of the Hollenbeck Division.

“The vendors expect me to make special concessions because my last name is Medina,” he added, referring to the Latino ethnicity of most of the street vendors.

“But the law is the law.”

A street vendor who sells a juice called tejuino and who identified himself only as Guillermo argued that the police efforts are misguided.

“The police are not able to catch the drug dealers, so they are harassing us instead.”

For Richard Cardenas, who sells Spanish-language videos on Brooklyn Avenue, the police enforcement of the city code still seems unjust.

“We are trying to make a decent living and send our kids to school. We have a right to work,” Cardenas said.

Street vendors are typically warned once or twice for the first offense, said Officer Rubin Rodriguez, who walks the beat on Brooklyn Avenue.

The second and third offense, he said, can result in a citation and, in some cases, an arrest.

The maximum penalty is six months in jail and $1,000, said City Atty. Henry Morris.

Although the vendors are highly critical of the police, efforts to curb illegal vending have garnered widespread support among area business owners.

“The vendors can sell much cheaper than we can. They don’t pay rent, taxes or insurance,” said Estela Zenda, whose father owns the Jacaranda Restaurant on Brooklyn Avenue.

“With the economy now, people are trying to make ends meet. They want to pay the cheapest possible.

“It’s taking its toll on our business.”

The City Council is reviewing the existing ordinance.

One alternative, suggested by Councilman Richard Alarcon, is the creation of specialized street vending districts.

The City Council is scheduled to consider the measure on Wednesday.