Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jul 2001
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2001 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Author: Daniel Hernandez, Times Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rampart.htm (L.A. Rampart Scandal)

297 ARRESTED IN CRACKDOWN ON DRUG DEALING IN WESTLAKE AREA

Crime: Federal Agents And The LAPD Targeted Sellers And Clients. It Was Not 
A Response To Rampart, Chief Says.

Los Angeles police and federal drug agents on Tuesday announced the results 
of a four-month joint operation that included nearly 300 drug-related 
arrests in the city's Westlake area.

A dozen Drug Enforcement Administration agents and eight detectives and 
officers from the LAPD's Rampart Division made 297 arrests in the 
operation, seizing drugs that officials estimated to be worth more than 
$1.8 million on the street. Agents and officers confiscated nine guns and 
about $60,000 in cash.

At least six of those arrested have received settlements from the city in 
the aftermath of the Rampart corruption scandal, in which dozens of 
convictions were set aside amid allegations of wrongdoing by Rampart's 
anti-gang unit, said Det. Perry Moore. The deployment, called the Mobile 
Enforcement Team joint operation, used undercover and surveillance tactics 
to target street-level dealers, suppliers and their customers. The arrests 
mostly involved heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and crack cocaine, 
authorities said.

Police Chief Bernard C. Parks joined investigators to announce results of 
the operation, which they said has contributed to a 5% decline in crime in 
the Westlake area compared with last year.

"We're pleased to be here to announce that police work is alive and well in 
the Rampart area, contrary to some of the public reports that officers are 
not doing their job or that there's been a withdrawal in concern as it 
relates to the public of this community," Parks said. Despite that, "We did 
not choose [the area] because of the Rampart scandal," but because of the 
magnitude of crime problems in the area, Parks said. "We don't do 
everything in relation to the Rampart scandal."

Area residents said Tuesday afternoon that crime has indeed dropped in the 
area.

"It's changed. I walk around here at night and the police are always going 
everywhere," said Rafael Martinez, a 60-year-old janitor who has lived in 
the neighborhood for 11 years.

"It's calmed down a lot. Everything has," agreed Ramon Cervantes, 38, who 
has worked for four years in a taco shop a block away from the Rampart 
Division station. "On the one hand it's good, but then we don't want police 
to abuse their position."
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