LAPD Vice Officers Investigate Lewd Conduct

Los Angeles:  Los Angeles Police Department Northeast Division vice officers are investigating ongoing acts of lewd conduct in the form of public sexual encounters that are occurring in Elysian Park, Griffith Park and Sycamore Grove Park in northeast Los Angeles.  

Though this activity has been occurring for many years, LAPD officers are especially concerned about a recent trend in which participants are targeted for robbery and assault by local gang members.  Numerous complaints from people utilizing the parks for jogging, picnics, bicycling and similar activities are also a contributing factor.   

Another matter is the appearance that many of those arrested are engaged in unsafe sexual practices, which increase the risk of spreading sexually transmitted diseases.  Many participants have been arrested frequently for the same activity and claim to be married and heterosexual.  

Over 90 arrests have been made in the Northeast Division in a 12-month period but the problem continues to occur.  Through increased investigations and warnings of physical risks to participants, officers hope to curtail these activities.