Los Angeles: Throughout the month of April and May 2005, Hollywood Area has conducted on-going prostitution trick task forces throughout the Hollywood Area with an emphasis on the East Hollywood Area. These task forces have been conducted in response to the blatant streetwalking prostitution activity observed by community members in the East Hollywood area.

Hollywood Area Vice has conducted several task forces to address the blatant prostitution activity and related citizen complaints in the area of Sunset Boulevard and Kingsley Avenue. The goal is to send a message that the activity will not be tolerated and will be addressed by arresting those suspects that come to the Hollywood Area to solicit acts of prostitution from streetwalking prostitutes. To achieve that goal, undercover operators were utilized in the past two weeks to obtain prostitution violations and deter the violators from returning.

Throughout the remainder of 2005, the Hollywood Vice Unit will conduct weekly task forces and continue to seize the vehicles of suspects coming to the Hollywood Area to engage in illicit prostitution activity.

During the last two weeks, 30 suspects had their vehicles seized by the City of Los Angeles and the owners of the vehicles face forfeiture of their vehicles under Section 41.70.1 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code.

The long-term goal of these on-going task forces is to eliminate the streetwalking prostitution problem in Hollywood Area and restore the quality of life to the area.

For further information, contact Lieutenant Steve Ruiz, Hollywood Area Vice, at 213-972-2996.