LAPD brought buses for arrested drivers and a fleet of tow trucks to an overnight street takeover in Los Angeles. ABC7 reported that vehicles were impounded.
The operation took place at about 3:20 a.m. September 5 at South Figueroa Street and West Alondra Boulevard, in Harbor Gateway.
A public complaint about that intersection was submitted to the City Council at 4:10 a.m. that morning. “We shouldn’t be wide awake at 4am listening to these takeovers,” the writer wrote.
Councilmember Tim McOsker had already singled out the same corner in an August 19 motion. His office described repeated burnouts and blocked streets there and proposed stronger enforcement alongside changes to the roadway.
Repeat Engagements
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Police and deputies drew praise for quick responses in an August 26 public submission that asked for street-calming measures and vehicle impounds.
Vehicle impounds of up to 30 days, where legally permitted, are among the options McOsker wants city departments to examine. His motion also seeks ways for LAPD to coordinate with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol when takeovers cross jurisdictional boundaries.
California law already allows those holds for specified offenses, including speed contests and reckless driving. Owners can challenge an impound at a storage hearing, and the statute provides for early release in circumstances including stolen vehicles and dismissed charges.
Towing and storage charges generally fall to the registered owner under that law, although the owner is not liable when the case ends in acquittal or dismissal.
The Other Bill
McOsker also wants people who damage public infrastructure to pay for repairs, including restriping crosswalks and fixing curbs or signs.
Speed humps are among the engineering tools cited in the motion. For this intersection, it asks city departments to evaluate physical changes, identify funding, and consider adding projects to the Capital Infrastructure Plan.
The City Clerk scheduled the motion on September 4 for the September 8 City Council meeting.