Increased Traffic Patrols Urged

Citing a fatal accident in the San Fernando Valley this week, the Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday asked police to increase patrols by motorcycle officers.

“Something has to be done, and our Police Commission and our chief are not paying attention to this,” said Councilman Hal Bernson, who represents the northwest Valley. “That’s why more people are being injured and killed in accidents in our city.”

On Tuesday, a 7-year-old boy was killed when he was struck by a vehicle after darting out between two parked cars in front of his Northridge home. On Wednesday, a 13-year-old girl was seriously injured when she was hit by a car in Sylmar. Valley accidents rose over the last year, but decreased over the last three months, officials said.

There was a 2.8% increase in traffic accidents in Los Angeles from 1999 to last year, when there were 44,741 accidents, including 192 fatalities, according to Lt. Geof Taylor, who heads the LAPD’s traffic coordination section.

But for the first three months of this year, traffic accidents and fatalities are down compared with the same period in 2000.

In the council debate Wednesday, council members said speeding and red-light running are widespread.

“If you go out there on the streets of Los Angeles, you better watch yourself if you are going to start out into an intersection when the light turns green,” Bernson said. “Because there are going to be at least three cars that are going to go through on the red.”

Councilmen Joel Wachs and Nick Pacheco also told of witnessing widespread violations of traffic laws.

“The real problem is that people are selfish,” Wachs said. “They think only of how they can get across the intersection quicker rather than waiting their turn, and they don’t take into account that they might jeopardize someone.”

LAPD Deputy Chief Julius Davis said the department will seriously review the council’s request but will probably wait for the results of a new enforcement program.

“The chief always seriously considers the council’s requests,” said Davis, the commanding officer of the LAPD’s Operations Headquarters Bureau.

Davis said the department deployed 20 special patrol cars this week to focus traffic enforcement at Los Angeles’ worst intersections. Davis said another 20 cars will be assigned by July 1.

“It really emphasizes the visibility of the patrol car and its responsibility in the traffic enforcement arena,” Davis told the council Wednesday, regarding the new program.