Role and Function of the Police Permit Review Panel

The Police Permit Review Panel is responsible for issuing and overseeing a wide variety of Police Permits for numerous types of businesses. Businesses that require permits include official police garages that contract with the City to tow vehicles at the request of the Police or Transportation Departments. Other regulated businesses include pawn shops, massage parlors, pool halls, junk dealers and security guards. The processing of these permits and the investigation of complaints related to permitted businesses is conducted by Commission Investigation Division, which is headed by a Lieutenant Commanding Officer and staffed by sworn and civilian investigators and clerical staff.

The Police Permit Review Panel was created through a change in the Los Angeles Municipal Code in 1992. The Panel is a subsidiary of the Board of Police Commissioners, and its purpose is to approve most types of police permits, rule on cases involving the discipline or revocation of police permits, approve stipulations in the settlement of disciplinary cases, and review and approve conditions placed on new and existing police permits.

The Panel members are appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council, and serve staggered five-year terms. The Panel members may receive a stipend for each meeting they attend. LAMC Section 102.13.1 defines the function and responsibility of the Panel.

At each Panel meeting, which are held the first, third, and fifth Wednesdays of each month at 2:30 p.m., Commission Investigation Calendars are approved. The Calendars consist of a listing of new permits, and include business permits, alarm permits, and permits, which have been discontinued or were not processed for a variety of reasons. Hearing Examiner reports regarding proposed discipline of permittees, or in extreme cases revocation of police permits, are also considered by the Panel. In such cases, the Panel may vote to adopt the findings of fact and determination of issues brought forth by the Hearing Examiner, and may adopt, amend or not adopt the Hearing Examiner's recommendations. Decisions of the Panel are final, except that persons whose police permits are suspended or revoked by the Panel may appeal the Panel's decision to the Superior Court.

In addition to business permits, the Panel also hears in relation to the City's False Alarm Ordinance. In such cases as the alarm subscriber fails to pay mandated charges for excessive false alarm responses by the Los Angeles Police Department, alarm permits may be revoked by affidavit if the permittee chooses not to request a formal hearing. If a hearing is requested, one is held before an independent Hearing Examiner, whose findings of fact and recommendations are considered by the Panel.

The Panel members include the Chairman, Mr. Ara Bedrosian,  the Vice Chairman, Rickey M.Gelb, Anita Castellanos, Diego de la Garza, William O. Kil, Victor Narro, and Barbara A. Perkins.

The creation of the Panel was recommended by the Independent (Christopher) Commission in 1992, which opined that the Board of Police Commissioners spent an inordinate amount of time on permit matters. The Christopher Commission felt that a subsidiary body was needed to handle such routine business, which would leave the Board more time to concentrate on broad policy issues. The Council approved creation of the Panel, and approved a Commission Executive Assistant I position to manage its daily business. The Panel also receives assistance from its staff liaison, a Senior Management Analyst II, as well as assistance from staff of the Advocate Unit and Commission Investigation Division.

Appearing Before the Police Permit Review Panel

Members of the public are invited to address the Panel on any item of the agenda prior to action by the Panel on that specific item.

Members of the public may also address the Panel on any police permit related matter. Such comments will be entertained as the last item of regular business.

Comments from the public will be limited to two (2) minutes per individual for each item addressed, unless there are more than ten (10) comment cards for each item, in which case the public comment will be limited to one (1) minute per individual. The aforementioned limitation may be waived by the Chairperson of the Panel.