An “emergency meeting” in South Los Angeles on Sunday will offer details and an opportunity for residents to raise concerns about a recent spike in homicides affecting their community.
Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson — whose Eighth District had the highest homicide rate this year with 43 people killed — organized the meeting in the wake of an especially deadly August in which a total of 39 people were killed citywide, bringing the total this year to 185 as of the end of last month.
The meeting will be held at Hamilton United Methodist Church, 6330 South Figueroa St., from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and also feature Councilman Curren Price and Rep. Karen Bass.
The residents were asked to bring their concerns and suggestions to the elected officials, as well as hear from a panel of police officials and people who work in the community on public safety issues.
Harris-Dawson said that “as someone who lives in this community, I had noticed the increase in activity in early August.”
He said he has met with police, gang intervention workers and Mayor Eric Garcetti “about an appropriate response to the killings.”
“I now need to hear from the community — how they’re affected and what kinds of strategies they think will be most effective,” he said.
The violent crime surge, which followed several years of falling crime rates, has prompted the Los Angeles Police Department to deploy back-up police to areas experiencing the most violence.
City officials like Garcetti have also urged police to build stronger relationships with the community and work with community groups, leaders and clergy.
— City News Service