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WRAP UP from page 1 ............................................... Press Conferences in LA and Inland Empire than it was last year and 31% less than it was three years ago. These budget cuts are damaging our Divisions ability to provide basic public safety in South Gate." League Regional Representatives i~: the Los Angeles Division worked with local officials to "Cities and counties are the only group that has organize a highly successful press confer¢.n'ce suffered mid-year cuts," said Chief Bratton. "And Tuesday at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's the galling thing is, the cuts to our programs were Headquarters in Monterey Park. Seventy-five of cuts of funds that the constitution says belongs to Los Angeles County's 88 cities were repre- city services. It's not even state money." sented. Shedff Lee Baca spoke first: "Legisla- tors went home last Friday to take holiday break. But public safety can't take a vacation. It's a 24! 7 job, driven by a round-the-clock necessity." Other speakers included Burbank Police Chief Tom Hoefel, Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, William Bratton, Police Chief in the City of Los Angeles and Robert Todd, Police Chief in the City of South Gate. (Chief Hoefel also serves as Chair of the Los Angeles Police Chiefs' Association, which helped the League and Sheriff mobilize chiefs to attend the event.) They spoke about the importance of public safety and how the lack of a VLF backfill City officials gather before e "quilt" of local services at would cripple their ability to protect the public, an Inland Empire press event. Seven television stations covered the event, as well as the Los Angeles Times and other print and radio media. On Wednesday the Inland Empire Division held a highly successful press conference on a soccer field in San Bernardino. Spread out on the field was a "quilt" made from the shirts of 532 public employees, meant to symbolize the police, fire and other positions that will be lost unless more funds are allocated to cities and counties. A fork lift was used to ensure that photographers and TV stations were able to get good aerial shots of the Burbank Chief Tom Hoefel addresses reporters flanked by (L-R) L.A. Co. Fire Chmf Freeman, L.A. "quiJt". Co. D.A. Cooley, L.A. Co. Sheriff Lee Baca and L.A. CityPolice ChiefBratton. City officials from over a dozen cities attended the televised gathering. Speaking at the event were In a new~ release immediately following the League President Ron Loveridge, Division Presi- press conference Chief Robert Todd said, "South dent Janice Rutherford, San Bernardino Mayor Gate has reduced the number of police officers Judith Valles, Ontario City Manager Greg by 15% and we are preparing to make additional Devereaux, San Bernardino City Firefighter and cuts. Our police department budget is 13% less CPF President Richard Lewis, San Bernardino Continued on Page 5 PAGE 4/PRIORITY FOCUS Visit the League's Official Web Site--www.cacities.org