Valley Needs New Police Bureau and Station, Parks Says

Police Chief Bernard C. Parks recommended Monday that the San Fernando Valley be divided into two police bureaus and receive a sixth police station, saying public safety will be “adversely affected” without the reorganization.

In a report to the City Council, Parks said splitting the Valley into north and south would ease the burden of the LAPD’s largest bureau.

Each of the five stations in the Valley Bureau covers 45 square miles, compared with an average for the other three bureaus of 19 square miles. The Valley Bureau is responsible for protecting 35% of the city’s population.

“Clearly the effective delivery of public safety services is adversely affected when officers are housed so far from the communities they are sworn to protect,” Parks said. “Given projected growth and the future needs for public safety services in the San Fernando Valley, these recommendations for increasing the number of police facilities should receive careful and immediate consideration.”

Parks said the Valley’s population is expected to grow 28% by the year 2010.

“The sheer size of the San Fernando Valley mandates additional policing facilities be constructed or developed from existing structures,” Parks said.

Under his proposal, a sixth police station would be located between the Devonshire and Foothill divisions, taking much of the load off the Van Nuys Division.

The border between the north and south Valley bureaus would run generally along Roscoe Boulevard.

Parks estimated that the cost of the reorganization could total $32 million, including $17.5 million to buy a Department of Water and Power building in Sun Valley to serve as the new Valley bureau headquarters and the sixth police station.

Another $9 million would be needed to staff the new bureau and station.

The City Council this week will consider whether to ask voters in June to approve up to $750 million in bonds for new police and fire stations.