The Oaks Homeowners Association
P O Box 29155
Los Angeles, CA 90029-0155

May 31, 2005

Councilmember Tom LaBonge
City Of Los Angeles
200 N. Spring Street, Rm 480
Los Angeles, CA 90012

Via Email and US Mail

Dear Councilmember:

The Oaks Homeowners Association has previously written to you twice regarding the Park Ranger – General Services Dept Consolidation proposal (Feb 2004 & September 2004).  Although we applaud your well-intended Council motion to increase the number of Rangers in our Regional parks, we are unclear of your position regarding the consolidation.  Now is the time for leadership in order to stop or, at least, postpone this senseless takeover by General Services.  We call upon you to stand up and voice the concerns of District 4 citizens.

We are not alone among the community organizations opposing the consolidation.  In fact, to our knowledge, no Neighbor Councils support the consolidation, and many are now strongly speaking out against it.  We know of no community-based organizations that support the consolidation.

Among our top reasons for opposing the plan are:

1. There will be blurring of responsibilities.  The MOU summary of activities indicates 80 activities (of a total of 170 activities) that will have shared responsibilities with both GSD and RAP contributing.  This will require an extraordinary amount of interdepartmental coordination!  It also limits accountability, and greatly reduces the chance of those activities being performed effectively.
2. The City Los Angeles and LAPD operate under a Department of Justice “Consent Decree” currently.  We question whether a newly empowered armed police force working in our parks, without a commission, without a suitable forum for public complaint and oversight, is a wise choice for our Parks and for our City.
3. The uniform that will be worn by GSD officers is not a “friendly” uniform.  The uniform, like that of LAPD, alerts park-users that the police are “just passing through”.  The friendly Ranger uniform have a “live and work here” look.  There is a negative stigma associated with police in a City Park rather than a Ranger in a City Park.  It will be embarrassing to see Police rather than Rangers.  It’s a matter of civic pride.
4. We are not convinced that there will be any cost savings, in fact, we fully expect the opposite.
5. The park-specific knowledge-base that our Park Rangers possess will NOT be wholly transferred to the GSD force.  We currently have a high level of confidence in our Park Rangers’ ability to respond to our needs, especially in Griffith Park.  Years of hand-on experience and history will be lost.

The speed at which the Consolidation is being promoted seems to come in the face of Community opposition.   General Services has been asked many pertinent questions of concern regarding the consolidation, most of which have not been answered satisfactorily.  Until such time when all of the community’s concerns are answered, the consolidation should be put “on hold”.

Sincerely,

Gerry Hans
President, Oaks Homeowners Association
(Day) 818 547-6869

cc:  (via email) Erik Sanjurjo, Rory Fitzpatrict, Matt Levy

ADDENDUM:

List of Neighborhood Councils (of our knowledge) that have voted their opposition to the Consolidation of Park Rangers and General Services, as is currently proposed:

Atwater Village NC
Encino NC
Foothill Trails District NC
Granada Hills North NC
Greater Echo Park Elysian NC
Greater Griffith Park NC
Hollywood United NC
Mid-Wilshire NC
West Valley NC