Residents Wary of LAPD Changes to Patrol Area
LAPD officials on Thursday said the department is moving forward with a controversial plan for the Devonshire Division to take over patrol duties in a 1 1/2-square-mile area currently covered by the Van Nuys Division.
The transfer, scheduled for Jan. 17, includes several police reporting districts in North Hills. Called the “Witch’s Hat,” because of its shape, the new boundary extends the Devonshire Division east to just past Woodman Avenue.
Residents in the Devonshire Division area, which includes Chatsworth, Northridge and Granada Hills, have expressed concerns that the change would diminish police protection in their neighborhoods.
But police officials said the move will enhance crime-fighting efforts in North Hills and ease the workload on the Van Nuys Division, one of the Los Angeles Police Department’s busiest and overcrowded stations.
Deputy Chief Michael Bostic, commander of the LAPD in the Valley, said a proportionate number of officers--about 60--and resources will be transferred to the extended Devonshire Division. He said residents would not experience any negative impact as a result of the change.
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