LA city officials tout results of interventions at MacArthur Park

Following almost three months of intervention through police, cleaning and health services at MacArthur Park, city officials Monday touted violent crime dropped significantly around the area and officers recovered more than $350,000 in stolen merchandise.

"We are collaborating with our partners to deliver tangible results in our mission to make MacArthur Park safer, healthier and more accessible," Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez said during a news conference at the Rampart Community Police Station.

In December, the councilwoman launched several initiatives in partnership with Los Angeles County and community organizations to improve safety in Westlake. Additionally, under the direction of Mayor Karen Bass, LAPD increased its presence, as well as installed fencing to reduce the sale of drugs and stolen goods.

The move to add more LAPD officers in the area came after a multi-victim shooting in January.

The cleaning and sweeping operation in the area has also vacated street vendors who would set up outside of the Metro’s Westlake/MacArthur Park Station and throughout South Alvarado Street. 

What was once a heavily packed vendor zone selling everything from prepared food like hot dogs and fresh fruit to non-food items, including clothing, phone accessories, flowers, artwork, handmade crafts and souvenirs, is now empty and blocked with long metal fencing. 

"We know there is still much work to be done in the MacArthur Park community but over the past month, progress has been made in returning the park to the community. Crime in the area is down -- theft and organized retail crime will not be tolerated in the city of Los Angeles," Bass added.

Three months prior to these measures, LAPD reported nearly 100 violent crimes. Five weeks after the interventions were implemented, violent crime decreased by 57%, and resulted in a decrease in robberies and aggravated assaults, according to the mayor's office.

According to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, the department has made disrupting organized retail theft a key focus of its crime reduction strategy -- in particular around MacArthur Park.

McDonnell noted detectives executed a search warrant at 2065 W. Sixth St., adjacent to the park, where a storefront was "receiving and selling stolen merchandise tied to organized retail theft," he added.

"During the operation, the store owner, Blanca Escobar, was arrested without incident for receiving stolen property inside the small storefront," McDonnell said. "Officers recovered a U-haul truck full of stolen goods, including makeup, toiletries and other retail merchandise."

The chief said items from CVS, Walgreens, Target, TJ Maxx and Marshalls, totaling an estimated $367,000, which may increase as the investigation continues.

McDonnell added that operators are closely linked to violent street gangs, which control illegal vending, stolen merchandise trade and narcotic sales.

Led by Hernandez, the city funded contracts for more peace ambassadors, overdose response and cleaning teams with Healing Urban Barrios and Homies Unidos.

Peace ambassadors had more than 300 contacts in the field with people experiencing homelessness, street vendors and local businesses, among others. They also assist other agencies such as UCLA Health, USC's street medicine team and local nonprofit organizations that deliver services in and around MacArthur Park, according to the councilwoman.

"Our team is equipped with naloxone and oxygen, and works to save lives by quickly reaching people in medical distress while reducing the call volume of our first responders in 911," Hernandez said.

Since the start of the year, the team reversed 24 overdoses and saved lives, and distributed more than 3,000 naloxone kits. Additionally, the teams collected and disposed of hazardous materials such as needles, syringes and other items.

In partnership with the Mayor's Office of Community Beautification, Clean LA, nonprofit Chrysalis and the office of Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, crews collected more than 45,000 pounds of trash.

The councilwoman noted the park is a hot spot for illegal dumping.

"There are multiple fires happening in MacArthur Park, but we can all work together to find a strategy that will put out all those fires at the same time," Hernandez said.

Additional reporting by City News Service