For Immediate Release
Contact: Eric Rose (805) 624-0572 or
Paul Haney (626) 755-4759

LOS ANGELES, June 22, 2009 - Los Angeles voters believe it is very important that public safety be maintained as the top priority in the new city budget and are dissatisfied with the way city hall so far is setting priorities, according to a survey of registered voters conducted by the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL).

The survey results complement a new Los Angeles Times poll showing voter approval of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is stronger than at any point in the last two decades.

The survey was part of the LAPPL’s Public Safety First campaign, which launched June 6th with an initial email sent to 400,000 registered voters. Of those who completed the follow-up survey, on the question of how important is it that public safety be maintained as the top priority in the new city budget, 94 percent of respondents answered "very important" and 4 percent answered "somewhat important." In response to the question of how important a role have LAPD officers played in the reduction in the city's crime rate over the past four years, 86 percent answered "very important" and 10 percent answered "somewhat important."

When voters were asked how they would rate their level of satisfaction with the way city hall is setting priorities in the city budget, 62 percent answered either "highly dissatisfied" or "somewhat dissatisfied."

"Los Angeles voters recognize that the city is facing a budget crisis," said Paul M. Weber, President of the Los Angeles Police Protective League. "They clearly want city government to maintain full funding of public safety to continue the crime reduction we have worked so hard to achieve. They understand that lowering the crime rate is a prerequisite for economic recovery in our city."

Weber said the results of the LAPPL survey strongly indicated that the public opposes reducing law enforcement resources in Los Angeles, including the number of officers policing the city and the civilian support staff who back them up. “Residents already feeling economically vulnerable must not be made more vulnerable to crime by reducing the city's commitment to law enforcement and public safety,” he said.

"The Los Angeles Times poll showing widespread voter approval of LAPD is gratifying and not surprising," Weber said. "The high degree of public support for LAPD officers is a testament to the dedicated men and women who work day in and day out to establish relationships with residents on our streets and in our neighborhoods. We appreciate that residents are recognizing the more than 9,800 men and women of the LAPD for their professionalism and devotion to duty."

Weber said the Times poll validated the League's efforts to promote full funding for law enforcement in all of our neighborhoods. "Over the past four years, the City of Los Angeles has enjoyed unprecedented crime decreases not seen in decades, due to the hard work of the men and women of the LAPD. At the same time, by any objective measure, Los Angeles continues to be under-policed for its population and geographic size. Thus, reducing law enforcement presence in the city is not an option and could further erode the city's fragile economy by reversing the current crime rate reduction trend."

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,800 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com.