LAPD: Making Reports

Thread started by
aurisha at 07.13.10 - 5:06 pm

Here's some info on reporting process and procedures...
What to do in case of a collision, in case of harassment, and if your bike or bike parts get stolen.
http://lacbc.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/how-to-make-reports-with-lapd/
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I think this would make an awesome tee-shirt.
trickmilla07.14.10 - 12:49 am
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Online reckless driving report form in the works?
Wow.
trickmilla07.14.10 - 12:51 am
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I need that online reckless driving report:
* Gold VW license K36ECR honks at me from behind while at a stop waiting for a traffic signal
* I turn around, look at him.
* He takes both off his wheel, gestures violently toward the sidewalk twice.
* I shake my head no
* Light turns green
* Driver tailgates me hard through intersection
* Traffic clears on his left, driver passes me making only half a lane change, accelerating all the time
* Car body comes within an inch of my handlebars
The event had clear elements of intent (he honked at me to get my attention) to put me in danger (passed way too close).
I need that online form. The driver does not respect cyclist's right to the road where there is no bike lane and insufficient room for riding safely to the right of cars.
OverTheHill responding to a
comment by trickmilla
08.11.10 - 7:10 pm
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go to the police station and fill out a report right now.
Roadblock responding to a
comment by OverTheHill
08.11.10 - 7:51 pm
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if we all call in these bullshit drivers every single time they harass a bike rider, we can bring down the whole system.
Roadblock08.11.10 - 8:06 pm
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I was driving about 25 or 30 on sunset in traffic yesterday when a car passed me on my right into the bike lane to pass all the cars, he was going 50 mph? ... It happened so fast and traffic was so thick that i never even saw the make and model, let alone the plate.
trickmilla08.11.10 - 9:28 pm
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@OverTheHill
Please document this incident on
labikemap.com. Whether or not it gets reported to police, whether they actually do something about it, there should be a record that we, the riders, keep track of.
If anything, it's good to get into the habit of posting your incidents right away, before you forget the details or lose the sheet of paper you jotted down a license plate on, etc. And once an incident is submitted, you have a URL with all the info that you can pass on to whomever.
jericho1ne responding to a
comment by OverTheHill
08.12.10 - 6:17 am
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Hello Midnight Ridazz!
The LAPD looked into developing an online reporting system and due to funding issues which include development, maintenance, and personnel...it was determined that we will not be able to implement an online reporting system at ths time. You can make reports for statistical purposes at websites like bikewise and labikemap.
Many cyclists have expressed frustration that they can not make a report for motorist behavior that they feel unreasonably endangers their lives. Often times an officer will simply say that vehicle code violation that amount to an infraction are non-reportable.
Please allow me to explain what is reportable and what is not:
WORDS:
A motorist making a clear and unambiguous threat like "I am going to run you over" reving the engine, and jerking the car in the direction of a cyclist may be reportable as a "criminal threat" even if the motorist does not actually intend to carry out the threat and even if the motorist never comes close to the cyclist.
ACTIONS:
A motorist swerving toward a cyclist where the cyclist had to take evasive action to avoid getting hit is an "assault with a deadly weapon" if you can demonstrate that the motorist did so intentionally as opposed to simply not seeing the cyclist. If the swerve is preceeded by verbal threats or honking a horn you can demonstrate that "I did not see him" excuse.
A motorist yelling at a cyclist, honking his horn, and speeding by with very little passing clearance is typically NOT reportable. While these are violations of the vehicle code, no action can be taken against the motorist unless it was observed by an officer.
I will do my best to answer any questions you may post on this forum and I will be monitoring it for your comments and concerns.
Sgt. David Krumer08.12.10 - 10:12 am
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Thank you one and all for the recommendations and clarifications.
I have reported the harassment to bikewise and labikemaps and recommed we all make use of those tools for recording borderline behavior by motorists toward us.
I did not have to take evasive action in this case, and with hit-and runs (not the case in my incident) being far, far more consequential, I accept the LAPD's position about what is and isn't reportable to the LAPD, based on whether there is a clear and unambiguous threat made, or a need to take evasive action.
In a separate incident some years ago, I had to take evasive action two sequential times, putting me on a path toward the curb until the car backed off. That one, I think, meets both the non-contact assault (evasive action was needed) and intent (motorist came at me twice) criteria. I wish I'd gotten that driver's plate number.
Getting back to the non-LAPD-reportable harassment class of incident, I think the location becomes a prime candidate for sharrows and the upcoming safety poster campaign.
Thus I think LADOT should be looking on bikewise and labikemaps for incidents down to this type when LADOT begins picking locations for rollout of sharrows.
Or, to put some spin on it, "Sharrows where it narrows".
OverTheHill responding to a
comment by Sgt. David Krumer
08.14.10 - 2:10 am
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Sgt. Krumer,
Have no fear. We have begun to take battling these problems on our own. No longer will we let cars throw things at us, run us off the road, etc. Many of us will now be fighting back. When a car throws something at us, we will do our best to catch up with the offender and retaliate in various ways we deem necessary.
revolution responding to a
comment by Sgt. David Krumer
08.14.10 - 12:04 pm
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Throwing stuff and running us off the road is a crime and can be reported to the LAPD so there really is no need to take matters into our own hands. If we do than we will be on the receiving end of the law.
Dogbone responding to a
comment by revolution
08.15.10 - 12:21 am
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I have a question. Sometimes reporting an attempted assault seems useless. On Friday night as I rode with other riders down Glendale Blvd., someone who lives in the apartments above Glendale and Echo Park threw glass bottles at us. The bottle came within a foot of me and smashed down right next to me. They were clearly aiming to hit us, and hurt us.
Please explain to me what calling 911 and reporting this would have done? Would the LAPD have knocked on every door in that apartment complex? I didn't see who did it, so there's no way I could identify them. Someone could have seriously injured and mutilated a rider and completely gotten away with it.
Please tell me what a responding officer would have done upon someone calling in and reporting this attempted assault?
danceralamode responding to a
comment by Sgt. David Krumer
08.15.10 - 12:58 am
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obviously if there is no witness as to where the bottles came from there is no way they can investigate. However reporting it either to the police or to an online incident map may be useful for statistical purposes. Its these types of statistics that people will site when trying to push for passage of anti-harassment laws.
I'm bummed to hear that shit happened.
I also saw an orange fly our way on Figueroa.
trickmilla responding to a
comment by danceralamode
08.15.10 - 1:37 am
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Hi Danceralamode,
You are right in that the LAPD will not knock on every door...however keep this in mind:
In a week or two, or maybe next month, if this same person does it again and there is a witness we will have a case...than they can link your incident to thiers as a pattern of conduct and now there will be multiple counts against the suspect.
Don't just think in terms of your specific incident. I would recommend that a report be made even if no action will be taken.
Sgt. David Krumer
Sgt. David Krumer responding to a
comment by danceralamode
08.15.10 - 10:31 am
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You guys refuse to file police reports when this happens though. 3 timea in month I had neard death incidents.
One time involved someone flashing a badge and gun at me and trying to run me off the road, but yet refusing to pull over. Yet you guys still refused to file a report.
Or what about the time I got hit. The girl who hit me, her dad was a police officer with you and your coworkers. The officer that came out to the accident refused to file a police report, told me I need to be in the crosswalk(and refused to speek more about the incident when I pulled out a copy of the law that he was stating incorrectly), at the end of the incident the officer gave the girl his card with these words "have your dad call me, let him know I will say whatever he wants me to about this accident."
Or what about the time I was ran off the road into the curb and fell. The car followed me into a parking lot, 2 people got out of their car and came after me. When you guys came out, I still had the guys there. Your coworkers responded that they would do their best to find the guys(they were 2 parking spaces over), maybe it wasnt enough that i had a recording of the guys, and pictures of them and their vehicle.
So YES! I will be taking justice in my own hand when riding. You and your coworkers have never showed ME 1 ounce of respect as a cyclist.
revolution08.15.10 - 10:47 am
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"someone flashing a badge and gun at me and trying to run me off the road"
INCIDENT #1
This is a brandishing report at the least and depending on the circumstances of them "running you off the road" perhaps more. This is reportable.
INCIDENT #2
"The officer that came out to the accident refused to file a police report"
As you indicated it was an accident. You did not say that you had injury...under these circumstances this is not reportable. The officer should not have made a report. There should have been an exchange of information between you and the other party. With regards to the officer making the statement that he will say whatever the other party wants...you can make a complaint against the officer.
INCIDENT #3
"The car followed me into a parking lot, 2 people got out of their car and came after me."
Need more info as I do not know what exactly "come after me" means.
If you would like to make a report for incident #1, a complaint for incident #2, and/or provide more info on incident #3 I will be happy to assist you. If you can not make it to the bike summit please contact me at 35128@lapd.lacity.org and I will do my best to address your concerns.
Sgt. David Krumer responding to a
comment by revolution
08.15.10 - 11:28 am
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Yeah, it sucked and, ultimately it put me in a crappy mood so I bailed after Echo Park, but obviously not a reflection of the most awesome ride ever. Props to you for the beautiful cacophony.
danceralamode responding to a
comment by trickmilla
08.15.10 - 11:34 am
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Incident #1. You guys refused to even come out. And told me I could not come in to file a police report either.
Incident #2 I did have injuries. There was damage to my bike. The other party refused to exchange info and tried to leave the scene.
Incident #3 You do not know what come after me means? Come on! Go back to school then! They CAME AFTER ME! I busted a nut first. Then they both busted a nut. COME ON. DON'T BE STUPID!
Your publicity does not work! We know you will not follow through with what you say.
Maybe if you worked as hard with your coworkers to get them to follow the laws, you wouldn't have to come on to an internet forum(aimed at young adults) and try and stand up for a huge police department,
GTFO!
revolution responding to a
comment by Sgt. David Krumer
08.15.10 - 12:10 pm
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this is so RAD!!! we are finally going to see the Hummer vs rida report!!
fixie4life08.15.10 - 12:25 pm
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Maybe because I'm not a "young adult" (and I don't think this site is aimed towards young adults, it's aimed at cyclists, no matter age--and many people on this site are 30 and up, and that's definitely not young adult), anyhow...maybe because I'm not a young adult, but I don't know exactly what "come after me" and "bust a nut" means either. What exactly happened is what Srgt. Krumer is asking. Because your vague idioms don't mean anything in the context of an event.
For example, did the guys get out of the car, then walk towards you in a threatening manner? Is that what you mean? Or did they rush over to you attempting to hit you or throw things at you? Seriously, what does "bust a nut" mean? Please tell us the actual actions that happened. "They attempted to assault me by throwing bottles at me." or "they came up to me and put their face in inches of my face while yelling at me and verbally threatening to injure me."
I'm not doubting your story but if how we can know what happened if you're being so vague?
Srgt Krumer is trying to help you, and he's trying to educate his co-workers on how to help cyclists. But you have to remember there are like 9000+ LAPD, he needs your help. If you have an incident with an officer that does not follow protocol, you need to report it. Email Krumer and tell him the details so that he can follow up and make sure that officer is investigated or whatever they do.
If we want the LAPD to change how they interact with us, we have to be part of that process--not just complaining on the forums, but telling them what's happening in the rank and file.
danceralamode responding to a
comment by revolution
08.15.10 - 12:47 pm
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I don't agree with most of what you said, but it was well put. Thank you.
revolution responding to a
comment by danceralamode
08.15.10 - 12:55 pm
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I see occasionally LAPD officers on bikes in my neighborhood -- writing tickets, stopping cars -- and it always gets my respect.
I support greater deployment of LAPD officers on bikes. I think the first motorist who tries to harasses a cyclist who turns out to be an LAPD officer on duty will get a proper surprise.
OverTheHill08.16.10 - 7:58 am
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I don't get why the LAPD cyclists ride on the sidewalk. It's such a horrible and unsafe place to ride... they make me laugh!!!
Antranik responding to a
comment by OverTheHill
08.16.10 - 8:51 am
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