Mayor, Police Defend New Training Center

Responding to criticism about the soaring cost of a police training center that is under construction in Granada Hills, Mayor Richard Riordan and top brass at the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday defended the facility and noted that the City Council has approved all of its budget increases.

“The commitment to training is integral to the safety of the officers and the community,” said LAPD Deputy Chief David Gascon, the chief of staff for Chief Bernard Parks.

Gascon’s comments came in reaction to criticism from Councilwomen Jackie Goldberg and Laura Chick, who blasted the fact that improvements to the facility have increased its cost from $7 million to nearly $29 million.

The 43-acre facility at the base of the Van Norman Reservoir will include three shooting ranges, a paved track for high speed pursuit training and a simulated city scene where police can train to respond to bank robberies and hostage crises. The center is expected to be completed by next year.

But Chick called the facility a “Taj Mahal” and Goldberg said some of the money spent on the facility could have been used in police stations to build new locker rooms for female police officers, some of whom must change in hallways or closets.

Riordan and Gascon agreed that the city should spend more money to improve police stations. In fact, Gascon said Parks has already agreed to build 40 new lockers for female officers in the Rampart Station within 60 days, using $300,000 in bond money.

But Gascon also defended the LAPD, saying the department has kept the City Council informed about the construction schedule and the rising cost of the center.

“As this has progressed through the years, we have tried to keep them updated on the progress,” Gascon said.

A Riordan aide also questioned why Goldberg and Chick had not noticed the cost of the center earlier, since it is the council that approves the city’s annual budgets.

“Why weren’t these questions asked when the council was approving these things?” said the aide, who asked not to be named.

Riordan also sees the training center as a money-maker, saying the city can charge other cities to use it to train their police.

“There is no question that the facility is not only an important tool for training but is also a valuable asset for taxpayers,” said Noelia Rodriguez, Riordan’s spokeswoman.