WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2018
AN AMERICAN PRINT MEDIA PUBLICATION
‘There Were No Turf Wars!’
Column
One
Local and Fed Agencies say, together, they’ve delivered big hit to Compton violent crime Story and photos by Jim Forbes
COMPTON, CA—“We actually had a safe city for the last 3 years,” Compton City Councilwoman Janna Zurita reflected. “When you look over at the table and see all the weapons that have been
confiscated, that makes for a safer Compton.”
Z
urita spoke at a press conference noting the conclusion of a 3-year collaboration of city, county and the federal governments, that resulted in thousands of arrests, hundreds of guns confiscated along with significant caches of explosives and drugs.
And as the councilwoman, was flanked by approximately two-dozen law enforcement officers, from street cops to undercover officers to prosecutors, she asked for a round of ap-
plause, in appreciation of what is occurring in the city of her birth. It was September 2015 and many of the same people stood before the community proclaiming a determina-
Sheriff Jim McDonnell (R) and Compton Councilwoman Janna Zurita were among the 2 dozen City of Compton and law enforcement officials heralding Compton’s reduction in violent crime.
Deputies Who Helped Save Baby Boy’s Life Reunite with Child and His Parents
Some of the 445 firearms seized over the past three years by LASD, ATF, DEA and the FBI.
Photo courtesy of LASD photographer Jaime A. Lopez. Lakewood Station Deputies Alissa Farrington (l) and Tyler Milton (r) are reunited with 9-month-old Steven Hanna, whose young life they saved last month. LAKEWOOD—Two deputies activated -- to a hospital. During the who helped save a 9-month-old boy’s trip, the baby was resuscitated and relife in Lakewood were reunited with sumed breathing on his own. the child Monday and thanked by his Hospital staffers were waiting for grateful parents. their arrival and the baby was rushed Steven Hanna’s parents brought inside. At the reunion Monday mornhim to the Lakewood ing, Milton held Steven sheriff’s station to see in his arms. “They come deputies Tyler Milton “I was happy to and Alissa Farrington, follow me. I told see the baby alive and whose boss, Sheriff Jim healthy and smiling and them my son playful,” he said. McDonnell, was on hand to witness the reMilton recalled dying, my son seeing union. a driver going On Aug. 27 about through red lights and dying.” 10:30 p.m., Milton saw thinking the motorist a car being driven errat- Rescued baby’s father might be drunk or drivically and made a trafing a stolen car. fic stop on southbound “Mr. Hanna got out Lakewood Boulevard near the Artesia of the car, and he was crying, and he (91) Freeway. The visibly distraught was pretty hysterical,” Milton said. driver got out of the vehicle holding “And that’s when I saw the baby; and his son, who was limp, unresponsive the baby’s eyes were open, but he and not breathing. He recalled Mon- wasn’t breathing, he wasn’t responday morning how frantic he was to get sive. So, I got on the radio ... and let help for his son. “They come follow everybody know that I had a baby not me. I told them my son dying, my son breathing, and I started CPR right dying,” the father said. away.” Milton radioed for help and began Farrington said she heard the raCPR, and Farrington quickly arrived dio call and went to the scene. to assist. The deputies coordinated “I got there first,” she said. “I see with other personnel to get the baby him in the middle of Lakewood Bouto a hospital for medical treatment. levard giving CPR on the baby, like in Milton took the baby into his arms the middle of the street. And he was and administered CPR as Farrington like, ‘we gotta go,’ and I was like, ‘OK, drove them -- with lights and siren let’s go.”
CA REPORTS FIRST WEST NILE DEATHS
Nia Franklin Wins Miss America Crown By Stacy M. Brown The genius, intelligence, beauty and spirit of Black women, which continues to transform the world, shined brightly again Sunday as Nia Franklin became the first Miss America in the post-swimsuit era. “It took a lot of perseverance to get here,” Franklin, the freshly crowned beauty queen, said after her win. “I want to thank my beautiful family, my mom and my dad, who is a survivor of cancer.” An opera singer, Franklin is a native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and earned her master’s degree in music composition from UNC School of the Arts, according to her biography as reported by CNN. She moved to New York after being accepted at the Kenan Fellow program at Lincoln Center Education in Manhattan. During the competition, Franklin described how music helped her find her identity. n NIA FRANKLIN, see page 8
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tion to reverse the trend of violence and crime that has paralyzed Compton for decades. “What was initially announced as the Violence Reduction Network, today continues as the Public Safety Partnership. The name alone tells you how far we’ve come since September 2015,” reflects Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell. Funded by the Obama Justice Department, Compton was designated as one of 10 cities nationwide in serious need of intervention. The realities had outgrown the resources of local agencies to handle alone, whether it be manpower or specific expertise. And so LASD Compton Station began working with the FBI; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Marshall’s Service and the Justice Department through the U.S. Attorney’s office. “Often times you have turf battles between the different agencies, the federal agencies and the locals that everyone seems to know about,” acknowledges Compton’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Michael Thatcher. But all sides of the equation agree, that hasn’t happened in Compton these last three years. Capt. Thatcher says it’s a matter of respecting each other’s complementary expertise. “We all know the lanes we usually operate in, what each agency brings to the table and what their specialty is.” Sheriff McDonnell adds that’s not by accident but because of reality and necessity. While locals and feds may work together sporadically in many locales, there’s a lot more familiarity in Compton because of its needs. “We train together, we work together and unfortunately we have enough natural and man-made disasters here, we’re not changing business cards when we meet at an event. We know each other, and we’ve developed that long-term relationship and it’s working out well.” And as a result: ATF seized 300 of the 445 weapons confiscated as well as 80 pounds of explosives, U.S. Marshall’s took into custody more than 200 fugitives and wanted criminals, the FBI conducted wiretaps directed at violent gang members engaged in n TURF WARS, see page 2