You may recall that in 2016 our work here at MK.Org led to the City of Los Angeles resuming enforcement of a law that had been ignored for more than 15 years which requires security guards, including BID security, who operate on public streets to register with the Police Commission and thus be subject to some public oversight.
In December 2017 I got powerful independent confirmation that the City’s renewed enforcement was due to the work of this blog when Greg Foster, security honcho for the downtown criminal conspiracy known as the Central City East Association, stated in an open and public meeting that such was the case.
And yesterday I received a copy of this June 2017 email from Chinatown BID boss George Yu to City BID analyst Rita Moreno bitching and moaning about the requirement and thereby providing even more confirmation. In fact George Yu sent Rita Moreno a link to this very blog!1 And he introduced the link with the following statement: “Please see link below on what lead up to this.” How’s that for confirmation?!
This was part of a massive dump of material that was obtained from the City Clerk via the California Public Records Act and subsequently shared with me. I’ll be writing about the rest of the material from time to time, and of course there’s a transcription of the entire exchange after the break along with some inconsequential commentary. Why not take a peek, friend?!
Here’s how the whole thing started, and the additional evidence that it was in fact my work that caused the City to start enforcing the registration requirement again:
___________________________________
On Fri, Jun 2, 2017 at 11:19 AM, George Yu <geoyu28@aol.com> wrote:
Good morning Rita,
I know this is not under your purview but wanted to share with you that our BID officers had to attend a mandatory registration mtg at the police administration bldg this Thursday and Friday. Allied Universal is our private security contractor and all officers are licensed and registered. To have each individual officer apply for their own individual BRTC is a ridiculous policy and I never received notice of this from the City. How can we comply if we are not notified?
Please see link below on what lead up to this.
Thank you,
GY
_____________________________
Note that it’s not entirely clear what George Yu means by “BRTC” in this context. In her reply,2 Rita Moreno changes it to “BTRC”, which seems to mean Business Tax Registration Certificate. That’s something that persons who contract with the City of Los Angeles have to have, but it’s certainly nothing to do with BID patrol officers or the Police Commission. So either George Yu is confused or else there’s some aspect of this I’m missing.3
Anyway, in the rest of the exchange, Rita Moreno and George Yu exchange what passes for pleasantries in such circles concerning the issue of whether individual BID patrollies have to get their own tax registration certificates or not, to which the correct answer is a resounding “Who Cares!?” given that the real issue is compliance with LAMC 52.34 rather than some freaking tax certificate. Read the rest of it below if you dare:
Transcription of the entire email chain:
Rita Moreno <rita.moreno@lacity.org>
LAPD Mandatory Registration Mtg for BID Security Officers
George Yu <geoyu28@aol.com> Fri, Jun 2, 2017 at 4:24 PM
To: rita.moreno@lacity.org
I believe Allied Universal is the largest security service provider in the world. The officers are employees, not independent contractors, and are all individually licensed and certified and AUS has their own BTRC as a company.
I have requested AUS respond and will forward as a FYI.
”Original Message”
From: Rita Moreno <rita.moreno@lacity.org>
To: George Yu <geoyu28@aol.com>
Sent: Fri, Jun 2, 2017 3:48 pm
Subject: Re: LAPD Mandatory Registration Mtg for BID Security Officers
Hi George,
I’m new to this issue, but know that Allied Universal is responsible for obtaining the BTRC, which covers the company. However, if Allied considers the Security Officers as independent contractors and treats them as such, then each Security Officer is responsible for obtaining a BTRC.
Thanks for the info.
Rita
On Fri, Jun 2, 2017 at 11:19 AM, George Yu <geoyu28@aol.com> wrote:
Good morning Rita,
I know this is not under your purview but wanted to share with you that our BID officers had to attend a mandatory registration mtg at the police administration bldg this Thursday and Friday. Allied Universal is our private security contractor and all officers are licensed and registered. To have each individual officer apply for their own individual BRTC is a ridiculous policy and I never received notice of this from the City. How can we comply if we are not notified?
Please see link below on what lead up to this.
Thank you,
GY
Rita Moreno
City of Los Angeles
Office of the City Clerk
Neighborhood and Business Improvement District Division
200 N. Spring Street, 2nd Floor #237
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Office (213) 978-1122
Fax (213) 978-1130
Image of George Yu bitching and moaning about something is ©2018 MichaelKohlhaas.Org and is a potpourri of this George Yu and this Chinatown.
- As Utah Phillips used to say about the fact that the FBI was reading his mail “them birds have to learn that stuff somewhere, and it might as well be from me!”
- See below.
- Or, certainly, both.
