Written by Philip Hodges<\/p>\n
The Los Angeles Police Protective League \u2013 the labor union for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) \u2013 warned residents that they\u2019d better \u201cbe able to protect themselves,\u201d because of long police response times resulting from being understaffed.<\/p>\n
According to the Police Protective League President Jamie McBride, in the West LA division on Thursday morning, there were only three patrol cars covering 65 square miles and 200,000 residents. He thinks there should be at least seven, two-man units patrolling the area.<\/p>\n
In an interview with the local CBS affiliate, Bride told reporter Randy Paige, \u201cThe citizens need to know they need to be able to protect themselves<\/strong> because if they call 911, we can\u2019t guarantee we\u2019re going to get there in time to help you<\/strong>\u2026West Los Angeles, at the minimum, should have seven patrol units, two-man units working.\u201d CBS2 reported<\/a>:<\/p>\n California is known for its stringent gun control laws. As a \u201cmay issue\u201d state, local authorities can judge whether or not to issue concealed carry permits to applicants. Obtaining a concealed carry permit is easier in the more rural counties compared with larger urban areas such as San Francisco and Los Angeles. Some areas are considered \u201cno issue<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n In the bigger cities, one must demonstrate \u201cgood cause\u201d<\/a> to the sheriff or police chief in order to carry a concealed gun. Citing the Second Amendment or appealing to self-defense is not sufficient. It has to be proven that the applicant\u2019s life is in imminent danger. And even then, it\u2019s still up to the sheriff or police chief.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the first time local authorities in California have called on their residents to arm themselves because of police downsizing. In San Bernardino a few years ago, city attorney Jim Penman stated in a city council meeting that residents will need to \u201clock their doors and load their guns<\/a>\u201d because of police budget cuts. When asked to clarify, he told the Los Angeles CBS affiliate, \u201cLet\u2019s be honest, we don\u2019t have enough police officers. We have too many criminals living in this city. We have had 45 murders this year\u2026that\u2019s far too high for a city of this size.\u201d<\/p>\n