A proposal to change the way security is provided to on-location film and television shoots in Los Angeles was met with resistance today from location scouts who said the system does not need tweaking.
The Los Angeles City Council's Public Works Committee heard more than two hours of testimony from Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell as well as retired police officers who provide security on sets. Though the members of the committee did not take any formal action, the three councilmen indicated they do not support the changes proposed by the police department.
Currently, retired LAPD officers help control crowds and direct traffic on shoots throughout the city. Though the officers wear LAPD uniforms, neither the city nor the police department are responsible for the security provided. McDonnell's proposal called for replacing the uniforms of retired officers and giving studios the option of hiring off-duty officers in LAPD uniforms. However, it would be more expensive to hire those officers than the retirees.
"The uniform should be worn by active-duty officers, by people who work for the city and department," McDonnell said. "Our timeline is to move ahead with this and bring the badge and uniform back under the control of the department and the city, and to have people wearing this uniform accountable to the department and the chief of police."
The debate over the uniform brought a sharp response from Councilman Greig Smith, a reserve officer.
"It seems to me like you're saying 'OK, once you walk out that door you're no longer the best of the best and you don't deserve to wear the uniform anymore.' And that's just not the case. With all due respect, I think this is an idea whose time is not here, it's not now, it's not necessary," Smith said.
The department also proposed charging more for active-duty officers who work on movie and television sets on their own time. In addition to paying the officers time-and-a-half, production companies would be hit with a 14 percent surcharge for the off-duty officers.
Such changes could drive production out of Los Angeles, location scouts, retired officers and grips told the committee. "Productions are leaving L.A. fast and furious. It's putting a lot of our citizens out of work and a lot of money that could be coming to our city is going to New Mexico, New Orleans, New York, Detroit," said Rob Mekler with the Motion Picture Studio Grips. "Do not fix it if it's not broken."
