Venice Homeless Protect LAPD Order to vacate public sidewalk after 9pm, Aug 26, 2010

by Lisa Green Sunday, Sep. 05, 2010 at 8:21 AM
lisaaverde@yahoo.com 310 272 0949 Venice, CA

On Aug 26. 2010 LAPD Officers not familiar with Venice sent to enforcement LAMC 41.18(d) a direct violation of the Jones vs City of Los Angeles settlement Agreement, on 3rd Street between Sunset Ave and Rose Ave. Video evidence taken by Lisa Green. A transcript of most of the proceedings are provided. Names of Officers and the persons which were enforced to leave the sidewalk after having settled to sleep are not provided to protect those being used to pit us against each other using fear. However, I will make the video tape available to the appropriate persons upon request so that we can address this misuse of power and criminalization of those defined as homeless.

Transcript of segments of the video that I will provide to the attorneys upon request.

Aug 26, 2010, between 9pm and 9:30pm. Video recorded by Lisa Green, phone witnessed by Peggylee Kennedy, and others witnessed in person can substantiate if deemed appropriate.

Officers announced on loud speaker: Get your shopping carts, your milk crates, and your things. You must leave. You are in violation of LAMC 41.18. Go to a park, go to the beach, go the Santa Monica Pier. Get up. You must leave. [repeated again with a different wording, that I have also recorded of myself after the incident for the record which can be provided upon request].

Excerpts of Actual transcript of my recording following:

[Lisa Green] I, do, I have one [meaning a recorder].
[Male sitting on sidewalk next to exit of Public Storage driveway about 50ft from corner of Rose Avenue on 3rd Street, referred to as Male_1 going forward] Man, we got permission?
[Male Officer (Id on file)] Sorry?
[Male1] Are we allowed to stay here from 9 at night to 6 in the morning?
[Lady Officer (Id on file)] No
[Male Officer] No, sir.
[Lady Officer] We got this call from our Captian. We don't usually come down here (meaning 3rd Street with lights on door open after announcing on speaker that people must leave the sidewalks of 3rd Street)
[Lady Officer] I know you do not have any place to go.
[Male1] Yeah, we don't.
[Lisa Green] Can I ask which Captain?
[Male Officer] Captain Crump
[Lisa Green] We know Captain Peters, we're not under the impression that...
[Male Officer] Do you have her phone number? His phone number?
[Lady Officer] We have a new Captain.
[Lisa Green, Male1] They said {meaning Capt Peters, other Officers, attorneys} that we [ homeless] have the right to stay our here between 9pm as long as we're not blocking..
[Male Officer] Do you have he/her phone number?
[Lisa Green] Do I have Peters phone number with me at the moment? No.
[Male Officer] Okay, when you get a chance why don't you give him a call. You said you know him, right?
[Lady Officer] We wouldn't come down here but..

Add'l excerpt transcribed by Lisa Green from Video
[Lisa Green] Is it possible to get your instructions, your card Officers?
[Male Officer] Yes (gets on phone).
[Male Officer] (Speaking to someone on phone) We're going to walk up and down the sidewalk to see if I find anything.
[Male Officer] Do you have any warrants? (ask man sitting on sidewalk who's having seizures from having lights flashed in his eyes, his service dog by his side, he manages to mutter, no)
[Male Officer] (Speaking to someone on phone) We're going to do a foot beet for a half an hour, yeah.
[Lisa Green] I repeat what Officer just stated to the person I have on the phone as backup and support.
[Male Officer] (Speaking to someone on phone)Okay. Okay. Uh, can you have the video team bring a video camera to this location just for cya purposes. I have people here video taping in protest of this.....
[Male Officer] (Speaking to someone on phone) Okay. Okay. Okay.

Another male approaches, identified as Male2.
[Male2] Can I ask you a question? (addresses Male Officer)
[Male Officer] Yeah.
[Male2] Why is this going on?
[Male Officer] We got a call that people were sleeping on the sidewalks.
[Male2] Why is this going on? Cops have never told us that before?
[Male and Lady Officer] We're sorry.
[Male2] It's just, I've been here awhile.
[Male Officer] How long have you been here?
[Male2] uh, a year. It's just, no Officer has said that before. Every copy knows we can sleep outside from 9pm to 6am. Then they say after 6am we have to leave.
[Male Officer] We have our Supervisor coming out here. he'll explaing it to you. In the meantime we're going to enforce it until he gets here.
[Lisa Green] Is it possible to get your card?
[Lady Officer] We're getting it.
[Lisa Green] Thank you Officer. (I tell person on the phone the officer are about to give me their card so I'll have to juggle camera and phone). Officers are speaking to each other for a moment before approaching me with the information.
[Male Officer] Here you go (to me, Lisa Green). Give them call. Here's our business card. Our employee numbers. Give the station a call, talk to our Watch Commander. (then officers return toward LAPD vehicle, get in and drive down the street, pausing to speak to someone else).
end of segment.