West L.A. Gains Officers, New Chief

The West L.A. Community Police Station has been reinforced after losing 26 officers in December, when they were reassigned to the new Topanga (Canoga Park) and Olympic (Koreatown) Community Police Stations. According to Rueben De La Torre, Commanding Officer of the West L.A. Patrol Division,17 officers and one sergeant have been reassigned to the station. ‘We’re back to about 75 percent of what we lost,’ he told the Palisadian-Post.   West L.A. has had 13 captains in the past 14 years and the high turnover rate has caused some worry in Pacific Palisades. De La Torre, though, is unconcerned. ‘It’s a good thing because they’ve been promoted,’ he said. ‘Like any corporation, people move up the ladder.’ In February, Captain William Eaton was reassigned to the Van Nuys area after serving for 14 months, and the subsequent Captain, James Craig, stayed for eight days before leaving for a position in Portland, Maine. De La Torre, who served as the interim captain, explained that the structure of the station is much like having a president and a vice president (which is his current position). Even with the captain leaving, De La Toree maintains there is stability because of the second in command.   His command includes the day-to-day operations, the sergeant’s task force and bicycle operations. The captain oversees detectives, community relations, narcotics and vice. With the promotion of Captain Evangelyn Nathan to the No. 1 spot at the station, De La Torre said, ‘I envision that we’ll be here 12 months if not longer.’ Nathan assumed her new position last Sunday, coming from the Wilshire Division where she had been the commanding officer for the patrol division.   Since joining the LAPD in 1981 after graduating from Cal State at Dominguez Hills, Nathan has worked a variety of patrol, investigative and specialized assignments. She is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and two leadership training institutes. Nathan is a 2006 inductee to the L.A. Captain Police Revolver and Athletic Club Hall of Fame, and has a Master Gardener certificate through UC Extention. De La Torre assured local residents that even though Pacific Palisades is geographically isolated, the police are concerned about this community. He is currently investigating the possibility of creating a sub-station at the Palisades Recreation Center, where it would be easy to install a computer, a desk and chairs.   ’It’s an excellent opportunity and would be good for the neighborhood,’ he said. ‘People could make a [crime] report or just stop by and talk. It’s all part of my plan to beef up the Palisades. I’m not comfortable having one unit here.’ Currently, the Palisades has a patrol car 24 hours a day, with shifts from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 5 a.m., but occasionally the car is out of the community.