LAPD Blog

With a foggy skyline of downtown Los Angeles looming in the background, Tactical Flight Officer Jerry Camporredondo of Air Support Division (ASD), was interviewed live from the heliport on Telemundo's weekday local morning show, Buenos Dias, on Wednesday, March 27, 2008.  Officer Camporredondo introduced Spanish language television viewers to one of the new LAPD helicopters with the black and white color scheme that mirrors our ground vehicles.  He also provided viewers with a rare insider's view of the daily operations of ASD, their roles during vehicle pursuits, and a brief history of this fascinating Division. 

During the interview, Officer Camporredondo addressed one of the problems the men and women of ASD face on a regular basis: laser beams.  Unbeknownst to most members of the public, pointing lasers from the ground to an airship in flight- be it LAPD helicopters or commercial airliners- is incredibly dangerous, and is also a federal crime.  Laser beams can enter the cockpits of these airships and interfere with the pilots' concentration and line of vision, causing temporary blindness, potentially even leading to a crash.

Just a few weeks before, on Friday, March 7, 2008, Officer Victor Islas of Central Traffic Division was a guest on Buenos Dias.  Officer Islas' interview topic was what a motorist should do when pulled over by traffic police.  The interview was highly informative and educational for the viewing audience of Spanish speakers and involved live simulated traffic stop demonstrations on the backlot of NBC Studios in Burbank.

Additionally, last month, on Tuesday, February 19, 2008, Detectives David Mejia and Ana Melara, both of Northeast Area, appeared on Buenos Dias to dispense advice on how to avoid burglary/theft from motor vehicles with viewers.  These interviews also featured demonstrations with a vehicle containing everyday items of value within view, illustrating the temptation created for a suspect to break a window and burglarize the vehicle.  Personal items included a compact disc wallet, bank statements, an iPod, DVDs, and a gym bag.

What do these interviews, of completely unrelated topics all have in common?  They are timely and informative, indeed, and they are part of the Department's ongoing campaign with Spanish language media outlets. Executed by the Public Relations Unit, Public Information Office, the campaign was established to help bridge the wide gap between the Department and the Hispanic community.  These fact-based segments occur regularly on television and radio, and are shining examples of LAPD public relations in action.