LA County DA plans Labor Day picnic at MacArthur Park after promising to return if it was safe
Is MacArthur Park safe for a picnic? LA DA says yes
LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman says he plans to bring his family, friends and colleagues to MacArthur Park for a Labor Day weekend picnic, making good on a promise he made in June if the park became safe enough.
LOS ANGELES - Back in June, during one of the highly publicized multi-agency raids targeting drug crimes at MacArthur Park, DA Nathan Hochman insisted law enforcement would continue their efforts to "clean up" the area.
At the time, Hochman promised that he would take his family on a picnic at the park during the Labor Day holiday if the situation had improved. Now, Hochman says he plans to make good on that promise.
"Labor Day weekend picnic plans, they are going well," Hochman told FOX 11. "My family, myself, along with many of my colleagues in the DA's office, friends, will be celebrating a picnic this coming weekend in MacArthur Park."
What we know:
Since June, LAPD Crime Mapping statistics show officers have responded to at least 130 incidents at MacArthur Park, many involving drug and alcohol offenses.
In addition to responding to 911 calls and conducting regular patrols around the park, Hochman said LAPD has added random patrols targeting drug crimes. Aside from responding to 911 calls and regular daily patrols around the park, LAPD has added "random" patrols, approximately every week, targeting drug crimes.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 13 arrested in federal drug bust at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles
What they're saying:
Hochman says that he wants to make this point: while the park is not perfect, it is safe enough that he is willing to bring his family and coworkers for a picnic.
"If by having a picnic on Labor Day weekend in MacArthur Park [we] can keep the spotlight on MacArthur Park to both show progress with public safety but continuous need to keep our vigilance high, hopefully that is the point for this picnic to be," Hochman said.
People who regularly spend time at MacArthur Park told FOX 11 they have noticed some improvements.
On the south side of the park, FOX 11 saw joggers, families with strollers and ducks in the lake instead of homeless people bathing. One park-goer said an area that had previously been filled with people using drugs was noticeably different.
"It's better. It's so much better," the park-goer said.
However, problems remain. FOX 11 also observed visible drug use in other areas of the park, including near locations where free needle and pipe giveaways are allowed.
What's next:
Hochman hopes that a picnic in the park will showcase the improvements, while also highlighting that there's a lot of work to be done, but that the park is worth the effort.
The Source: Information for this story came from an interview with DA Nathan Hochman. Interviews were also done with park-goers.