![Los Angeles Police Department Ford CVPIs on scene of felony traffic stop](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Los_Angeles_Police_Department_Ford_CVPIs_on_scene_of_felony_traffic_stop.jpg)
The
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-large ...
(LAPD), the
municipal law enforcement agency of the city of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, maintains and uses a variety of resources that allow its officers to effectively perform their duties. The LAPD's organization is complex, with the department divided into bureaus and offices that oversee functions and manage specialized units. The LAPD's resources include the department's divisions, transportation, communications, and technology.
Police stations
The LAPD's deployment of officers has reflected the growth and changes of Los Angeles since the late 19th century. The earliest LAPD police station (or "division", originating from the "Patrol Division") was Central Division, located in
Downtown Los Angeles
Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is ...
on the southeast corner of
1st and
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct Summit (topography), summit.
Terminology
The distinction between a hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally con ...
. This station opened in 1896 and was the department's first dedicated police station (another had been located at 2nd and
Spring
Spring(s) may refer to:
Common uses
* Spring (season), a season of the year
* Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy
* Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water
* Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...
, but was possibly a leased or rented storefront type of set-up). The Central Jail was located directly south of it. "Old Central", as it came to be known, housed not only Central Division but also many of the department's headquarters units until its closure in about 1955 in favor of Parker Center and Central Community Police Station.
The city's largest growth period was from approximately the late 19th century through the 1930s when the city grew at a
geometric rate. Approximately 100 smaller portions were added to the original five square mile pueblo. Of these, about 90 were formerly
unincorporated area
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
s. The remaining ten portions had been their own incorporated cities, and included the cities of
Watts
Watts is plural for ''watt'', the unit of power.
Watts may also refer to:
People
*Watts (surname), list of people with the surname Watts Fictional characters
*Watts, main character in the film '' Some Kind of Wonderful''
*Watts family, six chara ...
,
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
,
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
,
San Pedro,
Wilmington, Barnes,
Hyde Park
Hyde Park may refer to:
Places
England
* Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London
* Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds
* Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield
* Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester
Austra ...
,
Eagle Rock Eagle Rock may refer to:
Entertainment
* "Eagle Rock" (song), a hit single in 1971 by Australian band Daddy Cool
* "Eagle Rock", a song by Motörhead
* Eagle Rock Entertainment, a record label
Places
* Eagle Rock (formation), in California
* Eag ...
,
Sawtelle, and
Tujunga. When the city consolidated another existing city, its police officers became LAPD officers with corresponding ranks and titles at the LAPD, per the city charter. The LAPD would then create a new division named after the city that had been consolidated and would continue using the former city's police station, usually replacin9g these facilities with larger renamed police stations within a few years.
The following is a list of LAPD stations, along with their original division numbers:
*01 Central Police Station
251 East 6th Street 90014
*02
Rampart
Rampart may refer to:
* Rampart (fortification), a defensive wall or bank around a castle, fort or settlement
Rampart may also refer to:
* "O'er the Ramparts We Watched" is a key line from "The Star-Spangled Banner", the national anthem of the ...
Police Station
1401 West 6th Street 90017*03 Southwest Police Station
1546 West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard 90062*04 Hollenbeck Police Station
2111 East 1st St 90033*05
San Pedro Police Station
2175 John S Gibson Boulevard90731
*06 Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
Police Station
1358 North Wilcox Avenue90028
*07 Wilshire Police Station
4861 West Venice Boulevard 90019
*08 West Los Angeles Police Station
1663 South Butler Avenue 90025
*09 Van Nuys
Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley.
History
In 1909, t ...
Police Station
6240 Sylmar Avenue91401
*10 West Valley Substation
19020 West Vanowen Street91335
*11 Northeast
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...
Police Station
3353 North San Fernando Road 90065
*12 77th Street Police Statio
7600 South Broadway 90003
*13 Newton Street Police Station
3400 South Central Ave 90011
*14 Pacific Police Station
12312 West Culver Boulevard 90066
*15 North Hollywood Police Station
11640 South Burbank Boulevard91601
*16 Foothill
Foothills or piedmont are geographically defined as gradual increases in elevation at the base of a mountain range, higher hill range or an upland area. They are a transition zone between plains and low relief hills and the adjacent topograp ...
Police Station
12760 West Osborne Street91331
*17 Devonshire Police Station
10250 North Etiwanda Avenue91324
*18 Southeast Police Station
145 West 108th Street90061
*19 Mission Police Station
11121 North Sepulveda Boulevard91345
*20 Olympic Police Station
1130 South Vermont Avenue 90006
*21 Topanga
Topanga () (Tongva: ''Topaa'nga'') is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains, the community exists in Topanga Canyon and the surrounding hills. The narrow s ...
Police Station
21501 West Schoenborn Street91304
*24 Central Traffic Division
251 East 6th Street
90014
*25 South Traffic Division
4125 South Crenshaw Boulevard90008
*34 West Traffic Division
4849 Venice Boulevard90018
*35 Valley Traffic Division
7870 Nollan Place91402
*41 Metroplitan Division
2710 West Temple Street90026
Transportation
Patrol cars
![Los Angeles Police Ford PIU x3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/Los_Angeles_Police_Ford_PIU_x3.jpg)
The
Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is one of the LAPD's three primary patrol sedans, the other two being the
Dodge Charger Pursuit and the
Ford Police Interceptor Sedan
The sixth generation of the Ford Taurus is the final generation of the model range manufactured by Ford (in markets outside of China and the Middle East). Introduced for the 2010 model year, the sixth-generation Taurus is the second generation o ...
.
Chevrolet Impala 9C1s were also purchased in small numbers in the 2000s. With the Ford Crown Victoria's discontinuation in 2011 and the Ford Taurus' discontinuation in 2019, the LAPD has shifted from sedans to crossovers, purchasing primarily the
Ford Police Interceptor Utility
The Ford Explorer is a range of SUVs manufactured by Ford Motor Company since the 1991 model year. The first four-door SUV produced by Ford, the Explorer was introduced as a replacement for the two-door Bronco II. Within the current Ford light ...
. The LAPD also uses a small number of
Chevrolet Tahoe PPVs, though they are gradually decommissioning them due to their poor gas mileage.
LAPD vehicles are ordered painted in black clearcoat with the roof, doors, and pillars painted white from the factory, though some vehicles assigned to special divisions, such as
K-9 or the
bomb squad, may be painted all-white or all-black. Options available from
Ford ordered by the LAPD today include dual pillar-mounted Unity spotlights, 16-inch heavy duty steel wheels with chrome center caps, and ballistic panels within the two front doors. Most LAPD patrol cars bear at least two rear bumper stickers: one reading "There's NO Excuse - For Domestic Violence" and another for "Watch The Road - Operation Traffix". On the rear side panel is a black and white sticker that reads "EMERGENCY DIAL 9-1-1 Fire Police Medical." The front door design is similar to most other
city government
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
fleet vehicle
Fleet vehicles are groups of motor vehicles owned or leased by a business, government agency, or other organization rather than by an individual or family. Typical examples include vehicles operated by car rental companies, taxicab companies, ...
s, and consists of the
city seal
The following table displays the official seals, logos, wordmarks, and coats of arms of the cities and counties of the United States.
Alaska
Seal of Anchorage, Alaska.svg, Seal of the Municipality of Anchorage
Seal of Juneau, Alaska.svg, Seal ...
, the department slogan ("to protect and to serve"), the five-digit "shop number" (a fleet
vehicle identification number
A vehicle identification number (VIN) (also called a chassis number or frame number) is a unique code, including a serial number, used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters ...
custom to the city government; format "00000"), and city department name ("POLICE"). The last three numbers of the shop number are reprinted on the roof to help air units visually identify cars. On the trunk is a number that identifies which division the unit belongs to (e.g., a 25 would be "South Traffic Division" or a 3 would be "Southwest Area"). The LAPD has used the same black-and-white paint scheme and markings since roughly 1940 with minimal modifications.
Unmarked cars
![LAPD Dodge Charger Police Package](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/LAPD_Dodge_Charger_Police_Package.jpg)
The LAPD has many unmarked vehicles, primarily used by special units such as gang units, detectives, SWAT, and some traffic units. They are usually assigned Ford Crown Victorias, Ford Explorers, Dodge Chargers, Chevrolet Impalas, and Chevrolet Tahoes.
Certain investigative units, such as detectives, vice, special investigations, homicide units, may be assigned civilian vehicles that are not normally used for police work, ranging from civilian models of cruisers (such as Ford Crown Victorias or Ford Explorers) to common civilian vehicles (such as Honda Civics and Chevrolet Silverados). These differentiate from traditional unmarked cruisers due to their prevalence among regular civilian traffic and their lack of police equipment.
Special vehicles
![2016 UCLA Shooting](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/2016_UCLA_Shooting.jpg)
The
LAPD Metropolitan Division's SWAT
In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
operates a fleet of unmarked
Chevrolet Suburban
The Chevrolet Suburban is a series of automobiles built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. The name started in 1934 for the 1935 U.S. model year, making it the longest continuously used automobile nameplate in production. It has tra ...
s and
Chevrolet Tahoes alongside regular unmarked cruisers. They also operate a fleet of
armored SWAT vehicles, primarily
Lenco BearCats and possibly also a
Cadillac Gage Commando
The Cadillac Gage Commando, frequently denoted as the M706 in U.S. military service, is an American armored car designed to be amphibious. It was engineered by Cadillac Gage specifically for the United States Military Police Corps during the ...
, which are designated as "Rescue" vehicles. As well as
specialized variant M113 APCs.
The bomb squad and the K-9 unit both operate a mix of all-white cruisers and pickup trucks (the bomb squad also operates all-black vehicles as well), such as the Ford Police Interceptor Utility and the
GMC Sierra
GMC Sierra (Classic) may refer to GMC counterparts, either as model names or as trim lines, to the following Chevrolet vehicles:
*Chevrolet C/K
*Chevrolet Silverado
*Chevrolet Suburban
The Chevrolet Suburban is a series of automobiles bui ...
. The bomb squad also operated a custom
Peterbilt 367 with a Total Containment Vessel until June 2021, when it was destroyed after illegal fireworks accidentally detonated while being stored in the truck.
The LAPD uses various trucks, including a
Peterbilt
Peterbilt Motors Company is an List of American truck manufacturers, American truck manufacturer. Established in 1939 from the acquisition of Fageol, Fageol Truck and Motor Company, Peterbilt specializes in the production of heavy-duty (Truck c ...
used to move a
mobile command center
An emergency operations center (EOC) is a central command and control facility responsible for carrying out the principles of emergency preparedness and emergency management, or disaster management functions at a strategic level during an emerg ...
trailer, and several retired military flatbeds acquired from the
1033 Program
The Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) is a division of DLA Disposition Services, a subordinate command of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in the United States. LESO is responsible for operating the 1033 Program or LESO Program, which tran ...
. At least two modified
Pierce
Pierce may refer to:
Places Canada
* Pierce Range, a mountain range on Vancouver Island, British Columbia
United States
* Pierce, Colorado
* Pierce, Idaho
* Pierce, Illinois
* Pierce, Kentucky
* Pierce, Nebraska
* Pierce, Texas
* Pierce, We ...
rescue trucks are used by SWAT and the bomb squad. The LAPD also uses several vans, with white
Ford E-Series
The Ford E-Series (also known as the Ford Econoline or Ford Club Wagon) is a range of full-size vans manufactured and marketed by the Ford Motor Company. Introduced for model year 1961 as the replacement for the Ford F-Series panel van, the E-Se ...
,
Ford Transit
The Ford Transit is a family of light commercial vehicles manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1965, primarily as a cargo van, but also available in other configurations including a large passenger van (marketed as the Ford Tourneo in ...
,
Chevrolet Express
Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and oust ...
, and
Chevrolet Astro
The Chevrolet Astro is a van that was manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of American auto manufacturer General Motors from 1985 to 2005. Sold alongside the GMC Safari, the Astro was marketed in multiple configurations, incl ...
vans being used for transport, administrative, and special purposes. The LAPD
Honor Guard is transported in a white Ford Transit.
The LAPD briefly had a
Lamborghini Gallardo
The Lamborghini Gallardo (; ) is a sports car built by the Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini from 2003 to 2013. It is Lamborghini's second car released under parent company Audi, and best-selling model with 14,022 built throughout its ...
with a black-and-white livery and patrol-specification lighting. The Gallardo was loaned to the department in 2014 and was used to promote the Air Support Division at several promotional events. As it was on loan and has not made any further appearances, it is likely no longer used by the department. Other vehicles the LAPD uses to promote recruitment include the
Hummer H3 and the
GMC Yukon.
On September 11, 2015, the Mayor of Los Angeles announced a plan to lease 160
battery electric vehicle
A battery electric vehicle (BEV), pure electric vehicle, only-electric vehicle, fully electric vehicle or all-electric vehicle is a type of electric vehicle (EV) that exclusively uses chemical energy stored in rechargeable battery packs, wi ...
s and 128
plug-in hybrid
A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a hybrid electric vehicle whose battery pack can be recharged by plugging a charging cable into an external electric power source, in addition to internally by its on-board internal combustion engin ...
s for city department use. In 2016, the LAPD leased a
Tesla Model S
The Tesla Model S is a Battery electric vehicle, battery-powered liftback car serving as the flagship model of Tesla, Inc. The Model S features a dual-motor, all-wheel drive layout, although earlier versions of the Model S featured a rear-moto ...
and a
BMW i3
The BMW i3 is a B-segment, high-roof hatchback manufactured and marketed by BMW with an electric powertrain using rear-wheel drive via a single-speed transmission and an underfloor Lithium-ion battery, lithium-ion battery pack and an optional R ...
for testing purposes,
and decided to purchase 100 BMW i3s for administrative and non-emergency duties. However, they were almost never used due to concerns over their low mileage, and were decommissioned and sold in bulk for $19,000 each in 2020.
A cruiser with
1-Adam-12 markings is used by Central Division to reward officers for "outstanding duty performance". It was activated in 2003. It is unknown if the vehicle is still used. A specially-marked 2001 Ford Crown Victoria with an older
Federal Signal
Federal Signal Corporation is an American manufacturer headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. Federal Signal manufactures street sweeper vehicles, public address systems, emergency vehicle equipment, and emergency vehicle lighting.
The compan ...
Aerodynic lightbar (used by the LAPD in the 1980s and 1990s) is used by officers assigned to patrol
Panorama Mall; despite its visible age, it is still in service as of November 2020.
Motorcycles
Kawasaki police motorcycles have historically represented the majority of the motorcycle vehicles in the LAPD's motor pool. In recent years, the LAPD has shifted to using
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson, Inc. (H-D, or simply Harley) is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depressi ...
FLHP and
BMW R1200RT-P
The BMW R1200RT is a touring motorcycle, touring or sport touring motorcycle that was manufactured from 2005 to 2019 by BMW Motorrad to replace the R1150RT model. It features a flat-twin engine with a six-speed gearbox and shaft drive.
History Pr ...
motorcycles. LAPD motorcycles are painted black and white and carry a radio, emergency lights, a long arm, police equipment, and police documentation. The LAPD also operates a smaller fleet of electric motorcycles and electric scooters.
[ Motorcycle units are not deployed during rainy or inclement weather, during which all traffic units patrol in cruisers.
]
Aircraft
The LAPD Air Support Division
The Air Support Division (ASD) is the police aviation division of the Los Angeles Police Department. It is the largest municipal airborne law enforcement organization in the United States and operates from the LAPD Hooper Heliport.
While origina ...
maintains 21 helicopters and 1 fixed-wing aircraft. Older helicopters were painted silver and blue; newer models use the traditional black-and-white paint schemes, similar to patrol cars. The letters "LAPD" appear on the top side of the aircraft in blue, capital letters. LAPD air units (known as "Airships") use Eurocopter AS350B2 AStars, Bell 206B-IIIs, and the Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter of the Huey family manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212, with the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.
Design and development
Development began in the ...
. They are equipped with a wide variety of electronics and equipment that include a 30 million candlepower
Candlepower (abbreviated as cp or CP) is a unit of measurement for luminous intensity. It expresses levels of light intensity relative to the light emitted by a candle of specific size and constituents. The historical candlepower is equal to 0.981 ...
Nightsun spotlight, optical FLIR cameras and electronically stabilized binoculars, a LoJack
LoJack is a stolen vehicle recovery and IoT connected car system that utilizes GPS and cellular technology to locate users' vehicles, view trip history, see battery levels, track speeding, and maintain vehicle health via a native app. Prior to se ...
signal receiver, and police radios. The Air Support Division operates from LAPD Hooper Heliport in downtown Los Angeles, and Van Nuys Airport.
Two officers with at least three years of patrol car service fly in each air unit; they are armed and able to land and make arrests in areas not accessible by other means. Air units provide information with regards to barricaded suspects, suspects fleeing on foot or in a vehicle, violent incidents involving large numbers of individuals, and then some. Air units are automatically requested when initiating a traffic stop on a Code 5 vehicle, or suspect with known wants or warrants that are a felony, to limit the potential for a vehicle pursuit.
Air units do not fly during poor or inclement weather (particularly dense fog) due to aviation safety procedures.
Bicycles
Occasionally, police bicycle
A police bicycle is a bicycle used by police forces, most commonly in the form of a mountain bicycle, used to patrol areas inaccessible to police cars or cover a wider area than an officer on foot.
Bicycle patrols are often assigned to locations ...
units patrol, usually in large numbers and especially during special events to provide fast and easy access to police assistance. Bicycle units may go on patrols lasting between 10 and 25 miles during any given beat. Bicycle units train rigorously in the hills of Elysian Park near Academy Road and Dodger Stadium. The bicycles used by the Los Angeles Police Department are manufactured by Giant.
Horses
Metropolitan Division also has a Mounted Unit that consists of approximately 40 police horses. These are normally used for riots and special events. Specially trained officers also wear their uniform along with boots and a Stetson
Stetson is a brand of hat manufactured by the John B. Stetson Company. "Stetson" is also used as a generic trademark to refer to any campaign hat, in particular, in Scouting.
John B. Stetson gained inspiration for his most famous hats when he ...
hat with the same police shield as the one worn on the brim of the traditional police hat. Equestrian units normally appear in the city only on special occasions. Metro Division is also responsible for the K-9 units (which also wear ballistic vests). Narcotics and Bomb K-9 units belong to different divisions. The reason the police force uses Mounted Police is the added height and visibility that the horses give their riders allows officers to observe a wider area and be easier to spot in a crowd.
Radio communications
Inspired by a contest in 1924, Police Chief R. Lee Heath ordered his staff to investigate the use of radio communications to "more quickly dispatch officers to where they are needed." It was not until Police Chief Roy E. Steckel, however, that the department was assigned its first Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...
license. On May 1, 1931, KGPL, the LAPD's dedicated radio callsign, began broadcasting at 1712 kHz, just above the commercial radio broadcasting frequencies; this was later changed to 1730 kHz. Any citizen could monitor outgoing police radio traffic on their home sets. The system was "one way" until the mid-1930s when mobile transmitters were installed in patrol units. In 1949, the FCC changed KGPL's callsign to KMA367. This was later changed again at an unspecified point in time; the LAPD's current primary radio callsign is KJC625. Other frequencies are also used for varying divisions and purposes, such as WPLQ343 for talkaround (direct unit-to-unit communications), WPRJ338 for detectives, and WIL868 for tactical operations. KMA367 is still used by a handful of LAPD divisions, but it is no longer the primary radio callsign for a majority of the department.
Emergency calls for police service are handled by the Communications Division. First, an Emergency Board Operator answers calls placed to 911 (with a lower number of operators assigned to the non-emergency 1-877-ASK-LAPD). A call for service is assigned an incident number, which resets to the number 1—citywide—at midnight each night. Upon receiving the call for service, the Radio Telephone Operator (RTO) will go on the air to broadcast to the division (with the option to simulcast on bureau-wide, geographically adjacent or citywide frequencies).
RTOs provide the following information in what is known as a crime broadcast:
*A set of beep tones based on call priority (none for low priority, three for priority, four for major priority),
*to whom this message is intended (a particular unit, a certain division's units, nearby units, any available units, or all units receiving the transmission),
*the type of incident that just occurred (usually per the California Penal Code
The Penal Code of California forms the basis for the application of most criminal law, criminal procedure, penal institutions, and the execution of sentences, among other things, in the American state of California. It was originally enacted ...
, but sometimes an abbreviation established by the Communications Division),
*how long ago the incident occurred,
*the location or address of the incident,
*the number of suspects (if more than one),
*a description of the suspect or suspects, their clothing and/or other uniquely identifiable attributes if available, any weapons they may have,
*a description of the suspect vehicle or vehicle(s), including type, make, model, color, and license plate number (if suspect is using a vehicle, and if such information is available),
*additional details, such as information about the "PR" (person reporting) or simply an order to "monitor comments for further" (a direction to responding officers to read about the incident on their mobile data terminals),
*a response code (Code 3 for emergency lights and sirens, Code 2-High for lights and no sirens, Code 2 for no lights and no sirens),
*a request for the responding units to identify themselves with their callsigns, and
*the incident number and the "RD" or reporting district (a numbered area within the division).
A fictitious example of an LAPD dispatch radio transmission would be:Any available Central unit, a 211 just occurred at 714 South Broadway Street. Suspect is a male, white, six-foot seven, approximately 280 pounds; shaved head, black eyes, white shirt, blue jeans. Vehicle is a dark grey late-model Chevrolet Malibu. Weapon used was a semi-automatic handgun. Monitor comments for additional. Units to handle Code 3, identify. Incident number 171 in RD 193.
Without using jargon
Jargon is the specialized terminology associated with a particular field or area of activity. Jargon is normally employed in a particular Context (language use), communicative context and may not be well understood outside that context. The conte ...
, this radio transmission reports an armed robbery at 714 South Broadway Street, followed by the suspect's physical description, vehicle description, and weapon, an order to read information in the MDT, and a request for the responding units to identify themselves using their callsign and respond to the scene with emergency lights and sirens, ending with the call's daily incident number, the 171st call of the day.
Radio codes
* Code 1: Answer radio
* Code 2: Respond
** Code 2: Respond to the call without emergency lights and sirens
** Code 2-High: Respond to the call with emergency lights, but without sirens. Alternatively, sirens may be used if necessary, such as to make traffic yield or when going through intersections
* Code 3: Respond to the call with using lights and sirens
* Code 4: No further units needed to respond, return to patrol
** Code 4-Adam: No further units needed to respond, suspect not in custody, units already en route to the scene position or patrol in strategic areas near the scene
* Code 5: Stakeout, marked police cars must avoid location
* Code 6: Unit has arrived to location, officers investigating
** Code 6-Adam: Unit has arrived, may need further assistance from nearby units
** Code 6-Charles: Dangerous suspect (usually felony want or warrant reported); units stand-by for assistance
* Code 7: Meal break request (no longer used)
* Code 8: Fire reported in area of high fire hazard or threat to firefighting personnel
** Code 8-Adam: Units requested to scene of fire for traffic and crowd control
* Code 10: request to clear frequency for broadcast of want/warrant information
* Code 12: False alarm
* Code 20: Notify media (or media already on scene)
* Code 30: Burglar alarm (can be Code 30-Silent)
* Code 37: Vehicle is reported stolen (Code 6-Charles is given if vehicle license check produces dangerous suspect or felony want/warrant information)
* Code 99: Emergency (e.g. officer under attack), all units respond
* Code 100: Units in position to intercept fleeing suspect
* Code Robert: Request for deployment of rifle
A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...
to location
* Code Sam: Request for deployment of shotgun slug ammunition to location
* Code Tom: Request for deployment of taser
A taser is an electroshock weapon used to incapacitate people, allowing them to be approached and handled in an unresisting and thus safe manner. It is sold by Axon, formerly TASER International. It fires two small barbed darts intended to ...
to location
A unit that responds Code 3 must state their starting location (e.g. intersection or street address), after which the RTO broadcasts a Code 3 notification, announcing the unit number is responding Code 3 from that starting location to the location of the distress call.
Typical radio traffic (usually not simulcast citywide) includes the activity generated from traffic stops. A patrol unit may radio control that they are Code 6 on a traffic stop, to which Control will acknowledge. Additional broadcasts will be requests for information on "Cal IDs", or "CalOps" (the numbers that appear at the top of California Department of Motor Vehicle driver licenses) or on vehicle license plates, the result of which provides all of the expected details about the subject plus important details such as whether or not the licensee has any wants or warrants, FTAs (failure to appear in court) or FTPs (failure to pay a fine), etc. In the case of a vehicle, this information can help check whether or not it is Code 37. Off the air and via MDT, officers can check to whom the vehicle is registered.
In the event a Code 6-Charles is broadcast, the unit in question must verify their location, advise if they are Code 4 and the nature of the Code 4 (e.g. suspect in custody, common name, information only or wrong suspect.)
A noticeable characteristic of police broadcasts is the expedited nature of crime broadcasts; due to the number of broadcasts that need to be made at any given moment of the day, each transmission is necessarily as brief as possible. As a standard of police professionalism, RTOs are trained to use a tone that is strictly business-like.
Unit callsigns
From the perspective of control, each unit is represented by an LAPD-specific callsign. Typically, a callsign is made up of three elements: the division number, the unit type and the "beat" number. For example, division 1 is Central Division (or, now, "Central Area"), an "A" is patrol unit with two officers and their patrol area number can be a number like 12. Such a unit would identify themselves as 1A12 (or 1-Adam-12, using the LAPD phonetic alphabet
The APCO phonetic alphabet, a.k.a. LAPD radio alphabet, is the term for an old competing spelling alphabet to the ICAO radiotelephony alphabet, defined by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International from 1941 to 1974, ...
). There are several types of units, designated by a letter:
The immediate supervisor of any patrol officer is called a field supervisor, which typically have beats that end in zero beginning from 2 through 7 (for example, 7-L-60 for a Wilshire Area supervisor). The watch commander is a usually a lieutenant I at a geographic division. Their radio code always ends in Lincoln-10 (e.g., the watch commander at division 6 or Hollywood Area station is always 6-L-10). The watch commander is responsible for the geographic area (e.g. "Southwest Area") and reports to the area patrol captain I.
Staff Unit Designations
Radio equipment
Officers out of their cars are able to communicate over the air using portable Motorola
Motorola, Inc. () was an American Multinational corporation, multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, United States. After having lost $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009, the company split into two independent p ...
radios nicknamed ROVERs ("Remote Out of Vehicle Emergency Radios"). These hand-held radios are currently a mix of the new Motorola APX-8000 and Motorola XTS-5000 models, with some older Motorola Astro
Astro may refer to:
Entertainment and media
* Astro (South Korean band), a South Korean boy band
* Astro (UB40) (1957–2021), member of the British reggae band UB40
* Astro (Chilean band), a Chilean indie rock band
* Astro (Japanese band), ...
digital SABRE models still being used by very few officers and some still inside older police vehicles. ROVERs are normally gun belt-mounted. For convenience, smaller, corded, hand-held speaker-microphones can be plugged into these radios and then clipped to parts of the uniform shirt such as a front pocket or shoulder loop.
Originally, Motorola MX-series analog handheld units were used when the transition from VHF to UHF "T-band" dispatch/tactical frequencies was made in the early 1980s. Prior to that, portable 2-way radios (known in LAPD jargon then as "CC units") were either VHF or UHF, mainly Motorola HT-200s and HT-220s, stocked in small quantities, and used mainly by specialized units such as the Metropolitan Division, SWAT
In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
, Special Investigation Section and Narcotics divisions as stakeout tools. Another use was for foot patrol units, mainly in Central Division, in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Digital frequencies
After the parade in Los Angeles celebrating the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
2001 NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
championship title, the LAPD switched from analog frequencies to digital frequencies. This ended a long-lasting era of the public having easy listening access to police broadcasts that started when the department had initially set up agreements with a local, commercial AM radio station to interrupt regularly scheduled programming for a crime broadcast. Officers were tuned to a specific radio station. However, as the amount of broadcasting needed increased, the department established its first transmission tower in Elysian Park and eventually began broadcasting over dozens of frequencies in the 400 MHz and 500 MHz ("T-band") ranges. These digital transmissions can be monitored on a proper Uniden Bearcat or Radio Shack digital scanner.
Ranks
* Specialized unit insignia are worn at the top of the sleeve beneath the shoulder for officers assigned to the traffic divisions. Officers assigned to area patrol divisions have historically not worn any departmental shoulder patch on their uniforms.
* Service stripes are worn above the left cuff on a long-sleeved shirt. Each silver stripe represents five years of service in the LAPD.
Supervisory terminology
The following names are used to describe supervision levels within the LAPD:
‡ As detectives are considered specialists within the LAPD, they are normally considered to be separate from the uniformed line of command. The senior-most detective is therefore permitted to take charge of an incident when it is necessary for investigative purposes, superseding the chain of command of other higher-ranking officers in attendance.[
]
Technology and policing systems
Predictive policing
Predictive policing is an approach to policing that uses algorithms to predict when future crimes are most likely to occur. Through artificial intelligence, data is gathered and used to identify suspicious patterns, locations, activity, and individuals. The technology is based on network models and risk models. Network models predict specific types of crime using information based on time and location to predict when and where to look for crimes. The prediction model utilizes geo-spatiality to provide information on crimes. In 2008, then-Chief William Bratton began working with federal agencies to assess the use of a more predictive approach to policing. Though certain cities such as Santa Cruz, Oakland
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
, and banned predictive policing over concerns surrounding its disproportional effects on racialized communities, the practice continues in the LAPD.
Los Angeles' Strategic Extraction and Restoration Program
The Los Angeles’ Strategic Extraction and Restoration Program (LASER) began in 2011 and is a strategy that includes location-based and offender-based models. It began in 2011 and was funded by the Smart Policing Initiative. This program uses a point based system where individuals are assigned a LASER score, which is later used to evaluate their potential risk. This system was created with the intention of targeting individuals who are most likely to commit a crime based on data around crime history. Points are designed based on gang membership, violent crimes committed, and “quality” interaction with the police. Through this system, when individuals scored a high enough LASER score, they were put on a “chronic offenders bulletin” which was available to LAPD officers. After a report in 2018 found that 84% of the 233 people with high enough LASER scores to be labeled a "chronic offender" were Black and Latino, the LAPD shut down LASER.
PredPol
The LAPD started using PredPol, a predictive policing software, in 2012. PredPol uses an algorithm to analyze data from LAPD record management systems and predict future crimes. It uses the near repeat model, which suggests that once there is a crime in a location, the surrounding area is immediately at increased risk for more crimes. Three aspects of offender behavior are incorporated into the algorithm that is informed by a decade of research on criminal patterns:
* Repeat victimization: if a crime is committed one day, the risk of it happening again goes up. This is based on the understanding that if an offender is successful in one area, they will come back because it is now less risky.
* Near-repeat victimization: if a crime is committed next door, neighboring homes are now at higher risk because of the close proximity.
* Local search: crimes tend to cluster together, because criminals are not likely to travel far from their key activity points such as home, work, and play.
Palantir
Palantir is a platform where the LAPD uses data to send out reports to officers. The platform works by merging data from crime and arrest reports, automated license plate reader (ALPR), rap sheets and other sources. This platform uses “tagging,” which allows officers to tag people, vehicles, addresses, phone numbers, documents, incidents, citations, calls for service, ALPR, and field interview cards of interest. Through having Palantir on their cell phones, officers are automatically notified of warrants or events that involve the tagged entities.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Los Angeles Police Department Resources
Resources