In a bid to stifle a spate of criminal activity in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is spearheading significant safety measures. According to a report from the Mayor's Office, Mayor Bass has been engaging with the local community and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officials to tackle these challenges head-on.
Her recent efforts included a visit to the Valley, where she joined officers from the LAPD's Van Nuys Division for a ride-along. Designed to provide a deeper understanding of local safety issues, this excursion came on the heels of discussions with community and law enforcement personnel. "Every family deserves to feel safe in their homes and in their communities," Mayor Bass said. "I've directed urgent action in relation to recent incidents in the Valley and this week I've spent time with our local leaders, and have worked closely with LAPD and community members to address safety challenges the Valley is facing and to take aggressive action to urgently work to keep Angelenos safe."
More than just dialogue, tangible action has been taken under Mayor Bass's direction. Her office reports the rollout of initiatives like the Summer Night Lights program, which aims to reduce violence by populating public spaces with youth and family programming. Over the summer months, the program catered to over 100,000 participants across 44 sites.
Furthermore, with the start of the new school year, Bass joined forces with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to implement safety measures around educational institutions. Speaking at Van Nuys Elementary, she spotlighted the installation of speed humps and the implementation of "quick build" street improvements that were put in place to help ensure safer commutes for students, parents, faculty, and staff, as they navigate forums of street travel adjacent to schools.
Improvements within school vicinities include more than 180 intersection alterations at over 40 schools, upwards of 250 speed humps near 92 schools where speeding has been flagged, and reduced 15 mph speed limits in School Slow Zones on over 450 street segments by 190 schools. Additionally, ahead of the academic year, Mayor Bass has expedited the hiring process for crossing guards, with an expected placement of more than 500 across the city, detailed an agreement with the agreement signed by Mayor Bass and LAUSD, highlighting their commitment to maintaining a violence-free passage to and from schools for Los Angeles students.
