LOS ANGELES PORT POLICE MARK CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION WITH
COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE AT NEW HEADQUARTERS
Mayor Villaraigosa and Port of Los Angeles Officials Unveil
Community Complex with Ribbon Cutting and Public Tours
SAN PEDRO, Calif. — July 23, 2011 — Kicking off the 100th anniversary of the Los Angeles Port Police, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Port of Los Angeles officials today introduced the Los Angeles Harbor area community to the new Los Angeles Port Police Headquarters, located at 330 Centre Street, between 3rd and 5th streets in San Pedro.
“The Los Angeles Port Police have served with distinction for an entire century not only the Port but the surrounding Harbor Area community,” said Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “This new Port Police headquarters memorializes this century of service, while also ushering in a new era of public safety for the Harbor community by bringing in the latest top-notch technology and specialized maritime training.”
“Our police force is committed to keeping the Port and surrounding harbor communities safe,” said Los Angeles Harbor Commission Vice President David Arian. “This new facility raises our profile in the community and makes our police force more accessible to everyone we serve.”
“What better way to cap a century of dedicated service – 1911 to 2011– than with a brand new, state-of-the art police headquarters?” added Port of Los Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D. “This new facility will provide an additional assurance of safety and security to our community, our customers, the Port of Los Angeles High School next door, and the downtown San Pedro business district.”
Members of the community were able to preview the new headquarters, which will be fully operational later this year. As part of the Port Police’s centennial celebration, the Port of Los Angeles — which separately celebrated its centennial in 2007 — offered tours of the new building, complete with historic Port Police photos to commemorate 100 years of service. Because the building will serve as a primary emergency center for the Port and surrounding areas, officers held an emergency preparedness fair with booth information from various City agencies, specialized vehicle displays, first aid kits, and flashlights.
The 50,000-square-foot, three-story building was under construction for three years and total cost was approximately $60 million. Prior to its demolition in 2008, the former building on the site housed administrative offices for Evergreen Shipping Line. The new headquarters replace a 4,000-squarefoot space the Port Police now occupy inside the Port of Los Angeles Administration Building, originally designed for 30 officers. The Port Police force has grown to approximately 150 officers and is expected to grow to about 200. An estimated 200 staff and visitors are expected to occupy the building.
The complex features a public counter, administrative offices, conference/training classrooms, emergency call and dispatch center, secure interview/interrogation rooms, physical training/fitness equipment, indoor firearms training facility, and temporary lockup facilities.
Pending Gold Certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) the Los Angeles Port Police Headquarters was designed as an Essential Services Facility (ESF) and may serve as a center for disaster relief in the event of an emergency, with grid-independent power sources and hardened infrastructure.
About the Los Angeles Port Police
As one of few police forces in the nation dedicated exclusively to 24-hour port activities, the Los Angeles Port Police are responsible for patrol and surveillance of the Port of Los Angeles and neighboring Harbor Area communities. As California peace officers, the Port Police enforce federal, state and local public safety statutes as well as environmental and maritime safety regulations. Highly regarded among specialized law enforcement agencies, the primary goal of the Port Police is to maintain the free flow of commerce and produce a safe, secure environment that promotes uninterrupted Port operations. Founded in 1911, the Los Angeles Port Police are celebrating their centennial in 2011.
About the Port of Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles is America’s premier port and has a strong commitment to developing innovative strategic and sustainable operations that benefit the economy as well as the quality of life for the region and the nation it serves. As the leading seaport in North America in terms of shipping container volume and cargo value, the Port generates more than 830,000 regional jobs and $35 billion in annual wages and tax revenues. A proprietary department of the City of Los Angeles, the Port is self-supporting and does not receive taxpayer dollars.
The Port of Los Angeles – A cleaner port. A brighter future.