LAPD Issues ‘Knocks and Notice’ at Tent City

By ALEXANDRIA BORDAS | Reporter

Over the past two weeks Los Angeles Police Department officers Jimmy Lavenson and Jon Iniguez have taken the initiative to further address the growing “tent city” homeless encampment at Will Rogers State Beach by conducting sunrise sweeps known as “knocks and notice.”

Lavenson and Iniguez have been combing the beach every morning at 5:45, going tent-to-tent to talk to the homeless campers.

The officers started by issuing warnings to all beach dwellers by approaching their tents, announcing their presence and issuing final notices to permanently move off the beach.

If in the following days the homeless hadn’t cleared out, the officers issued misdemeanor arrests and swept sites that were abandoned.

“We knew we had to handle it ourselves at this point since the issue wasn’t getting better, it was actually getting worse,” Iniguez told the Palisadian-Post. “We are going to be there every morning telling them to move off the beach and citing them with a court date and fines.”

Two homeless people were arrested and three were cited on the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 12. Those cited will have to appear in court and pay their fines or they too will be arrested and could face jail time.

Iniguez said most of the individuals were cooperative, but a few of the homeless people got upset.

“They can’t leave their stuff lying around like that and they know that, so we helped them clean everything up and moved them along,” Iniguez said. “The broken bottles and stuff like that are really dangerous, which is why the beach camping problem needs to be fixed.”

Palisadian Bruce Schwartz is impressed by the recent efforts of Lavenson and Iniguez.

“This is community policing at its best and it needs to be commended locally and beyond the Palisades,” Schwartz told the Post.

He added, “They are going above and beyond and have the right attitude. It’s one thing to do the bare minimum by responding to residents’ calls and it’s another thing to take pride in working with the community, which is what Jimmy and Jon do.”

Iniguez said consistency is key and the more they conduct the “knocks and notice” the less likely the homeless dwellers will continue camping out.

“They will all communicate with each other that we are putting our foot down and slowly this homeless network will be broken up,” Iniguez said.