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Tag Archives | Burbank Police Commission

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Camphor trees along Keystone Street near Verdugo Avenue near John Burroughs High chool stadium project Burbank July 15, 2011

City Buzz

By on Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Burbank police commissioner resigns The Burbank Police Commission’s most controversial and perhaps its most dedicated member is stepping down at the end of tomorrow’s police commission meeting. Jim Etter sent a letter of resignation late yesterday to Police Commission Chair, Elise Stearns-Niesen, Mayor/City Council member, Jess Talamantes, Burbank Police Chief and Deputy Chief, Scott LaChasse and Tom Angel. No, Etter is not going into hiding or moving out of town as some of his detractors would prefer. At the request of Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, Etter has accepted an appointment to the... Read More →

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Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- A smiling Bob Frutos says thank you to his supporters for his city council campaign at Caminiti's Restaurant on West Burbank Boulevard Burbank April 14, 2011

City Buzz: Bob Frutos, police commission drama, BPD cases and more

By on Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Bob Frutos plans to stay involved in city matters Bob Frutos lost on two fronts recently: a city council seat in a very tight race with Emily Gabel-Luddy and last week, the city council-majority (including Gabel-Luddy) refused to re-appoint him to the Burbank Police Commission.  Nevertheless, Frutos is still smiling and touting the need for change in Burbank. Frutos provided some details for his sunny viewpoint  in answers to a couple of e-mail questions I sent him over the weekend: 1. Change was at the heart of your city council campaign. You... Read More →

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Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- (l-r) Police Commissioner Jim Etter, Chair Bob Frutos, at the Police Commission Community Forum at the Buena Vista Library in Burbank April 20, 2011

City Buzz: BPD lawsuits, investigations, and controversies

By on Tuesday, May 17, 2011

BPD cases and lawsuits Where is ex-Burbank Police Chief, Tim Stehr? Some reports say he’s planning to continue on a loooong European vacation for at least three months, perhaps more. On the other hand, a reliable source tells me Stehr is due back in the Southland next weekend. Stehr’s vacation has resulted in an expensive delay in the discrimination and retaliation case of Burbank Police Officer Cindy Guillen-Gomez. The City Attorney’s Office got a stay order one day before Guillen-Gomez’s trial was to start. I’m hearing Stehr’s getaway cost thousands of dollars –maybe as much as $30,000 in... Read More →

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Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Police Commissioner Jim Etter at the National Night Out kick-off event in Burbank, August 3, 2010

City Buzz

By on Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The Burbank Police Commission is under siege. The first target is the outspoken Jim Etter, but it appears to be part of a carefully crafted plan by City Hall insiders and their minions to divide and utimately muzzle the commission. The Semichorus blog has an interesting post about the Etter attack with some background on some of the players involved. A while back, rumors were flying fast and furious about a “certain” city councilman who wanted to disband the present police commission and install ALL new members of his choosing. Sounds outrageous?... Read More →

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City Buzz

By on Sunday, August 22, 2010

A full house at the public forum After all the hoopla, debates, agenda re-writes, and months of delays, the first public forum held by the Burbank Police Commission in recent memory went off with only a few minor glitches. First, additional chairs had to be brought out to accommodate the crowd that showed up last Wednesday night, August 18, in the Community Room of the Community Services Building on Third Street, across from the Burbank Police and Fire Headquarters. More than 100 people were packed into the Community Room. A large number... Read More →

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Photo: FLLewis/Media City G-- David Starr Jordan Middle School, 420 South Mariposa Street in Burbank

City Buzz

By on Sunday, August 15, 2010

City budget cuts terminate after school program Monday, August 16, is back to school day for the Burbank Unified School District. For some David Starr Jordan Middle School students and their parents, there might be more than the usual degree of anxiety that goes along with the first week of school. Recently, I got an e-mail from a very upset parent who felt blindsided, earlier this month, when notified about the dumping of an after school program at Jordan: “I only found out when we picked up the back to school packet.... Read More →

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City Buzz

By on Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Burbank City Council approves new budget and utility fee hikes Last night the Burbank City Council green-lighted a $785 million budget for fiscal year 2010-2011. The tally  4-to-1, with only Councilman David Gordon voting against the budget. As with past budget debates, Dr. Gordon was the lone member of the council fighting to try to “keep utility rates down.” I have watched this recent debate, week after week, and I do think the four other council members believe they are doing what is in the public interest. I disagree with them, and support Dr. Gordon’s position that... Read More →

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City Buzz

By on Monday, May 31, 2010

A final exit for actors Dennis Hopper & Gary Coleman Photo:  Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times — A frail Dennis Hopper gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, March 26, 2010 A legendary Hollywood  “Bad Boy” Veteran actor and co-star of the cult classic motorcycle/road film, “Easy Rider” (1969), Dennis Hopper, died last Saturday, May 29, at the age of 74, after a battle with prostate cancer. Hopper reportedly passed away at his home in Venice, California surrounded by family and friends. Hopper appeared in over 100 films. He lived... Read More →

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Burbank City Buzz

By on Wednesday, April 28, 2010

It’s a wrap for Burbank Mayor Gary Bric Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Mayor Gary Bric read a statement about the lawsuits and investigations swirling around the Burbank Police Department at the September 29, 2009 city council meeting.  Mayor Gary Bric is off the hook… somewhat. Last night, Bric presided over his last Burbank City Council meeting. Over the past months, Bric has improved in his job. The soon-to-be-ex-mayor still needs work in some areas, like when it comes to handling the public comment sections of the meeting. The... Read More →

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Burbank City Buzz

By on Saturday, March 20, 2010

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Controversial court ruling involving one of the lawsuits swirling around the Burbank PD A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge dismissed Burbank Police Officer Jamal Childs as a plaintiff from that explosive discrimination lawsuit filed against the Burbank PD last May by five of its minority officers. On Thursday, March 18, Judge Joanne O’Donnell ruled the statute of limitations had expired on Childs’ claim. Hmm, Childs has been a Burbank Police officer for five years. It’s not like his complaints date back 20 years or so. Well no... Read More →

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The Burbank City Council, Police Commission, and the case against petty squabbles

By on Thursday, December 10, 2009

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank City Hall at East Olive Avenue and North Third Street. Last Tuesday night’s Burbank City Council meeting was like a marathon, it went on and on, but for a good reason. The city council had a busy agenda filled with issues and concerns on December 8 and that packed the chamber at city hall.  The controversy over declawing domestic cats brought out the largest crowd and got the city council bombarded with over 100 e-mails. During a public hearing on a proposed city ban on the... Read More →

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Burbank Police Commissioners get fired up!

By on Thursday, October 15, 2009

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Police and Fire Headquarters at Third Street & Orange Grove Avenue. Burbank Police Commission meetings at police headquarters are getting more and more interesting. Last night’s meeting brimmed with drama including verbal fireworks and one commissioner abruptly walking out in a huff. The way I see it, these are the growing pains of commissioners who are struggling to break out of an old sedentary model and leave a “do nothing” reputation behind, or as new Commissioner Ray Adams put it,”… beef up our strength…be more valuable to the community.” To this I say, right... Read More →

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Burbank Police Commission gets down to business

By on Thursday, July 16, 2009

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove The Burbank Police Commission’s July meeting yesterday at the Burbank Police and Fire Headquarters was very difference from the previous month. In June, the commission voted to adjourn before conducting any real business because of a cloud of uncertainty hanging over newly appointed commissioner, John Brady. In a controversial move, the Burbank City Council voted to remove Brady from the police commission citing his probation for  a DUI as the reason. Nevertheless, the human rights activist showed up at yesterday’s commission meeting and sat with a small... Read More →

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