Los Angeles: Prior to September 11, 2001, the Los Angeles Police Department and the City of Los Angeles was the nation’s best prepared big City to deal with a major disaster. The Emergency Operation Organization for the City provided the foundation for City-wide response to natural or man-made disasters. Interagency cooperation and communication between the Police, Fire, Airport, Port and Transportation Departments have never been better.

Since 9-11, the focus of the Department’s preparedness has been on terrorism. Great stride’s have been made in improving the Department’s ability to investigate, interdict and respond to acts of terrorism. These efforts have been greatly enhanced through the use of funds provided by the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Grant Initiative. The focus of the Department’s efforts have been on training, interdiction and response.

TRAINING:

All Department personnel have received an eight-hour block of training on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). The training included information on the root of domestic and foreign Terrorism, recognition of precursor chemicals and equipment used in WMD’s and response to WMD incidents. All field personnel have been issued protective equipment including nuclear, biological and chemical protective gas masks. Training has been delivered to allied agencies at the Airport and Port of Los Angeles in unified operations. This training will continue until all parts of the City are integrated.

Currently in development, are expanded training in response to WMD attacks, using the issued protective equipment, cooperative training for Law Enforcement and Fire Department managers in unified operations, training in terrorism awareness and suspicious activities reporting for the private sector and interactive first responder training based on the U.S. Marine Corps simulation technology.

INTERDICTION:

The Department’s ability to investigate and interdict a terrorist act before it is carried out has been enhanced through the Department’s involvement in the Los Angeles Terrorism Early Warning Group, the Los Angeles Task Force on Terrorism, and the establishment of a Terrorism Threat Assessment Center. The department’s surveillance and analysis assets have been expanded to identify and disrupt active terrorist cells in the Los Angeles area before they can cause harm to our communities.

RESPONSE:

Bomb Squad, HazMat, SWAT and Air capabilities have been enhanced through training and technological advances. Real time information is now available to responders via microwave links to the City’s information backbone, allowing incident commanders to access critical information from the field. The Los Angeles Police Department is continuing to develop capabilities and deploy innovative technologies to keep Los Angeles the safest big city in the United States.

CURRENT LAPD COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATIONS:

Operation Archangel and DHS:

Archangel is a partnership between the City and County of Los Angeles, the California Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Designed to identify critical locations in Los Angeles and develop a multi-agency response. Archangel is geared toward facilitating the management of information and resources for the prevention, deterrence, response and mitigation to major incidents. It develops interactive electronic target folders for critical locations in Los Angeles.

Joint Regional Intelligence Center:

This center is being built and will serve the 5-county region, (Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura). To collect counter terrorism information for the region and analyze that data that allows 24-hour access for law enforcement.

Homeland Security Operations Center (HSOC)

LAPD has had personnel assigned there since June of 2004. This is a full nationwide, 24-hour, 7 days a week nerve center for information and incident management. It allows for the receipt of information in real time and turn that information into actions to protect the country.

These are samples of the programs, but not all inclusive, that are in place to enhance the LAPD’s efforts in combating terrorism.

This news advisory was prepared by the Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.