Rent-A-Retired Cop
Makes Things Worse
Oh, no! It's another film day in the neighborhood.
That means more traffic, more congestion, more chaos.
Luckily, though, an ex-cop is working with the filming crew to help everything run smoothly.
Right?
......er, wrong. This is what I encountered when I drove home from the gym. The left lane suddenly sported a red traffic cone in it.
Just beyond that cone and right in front of the entrance to the parking garage was another red cone. It was in front of a white motorcycle with super ex-cop lounging on it.
......er, wrong. This is what I encountered when I drove home from the gym. The left lane suddenly sported a red traffic cone in it.
Just beyond that cone and right in front of the entrance to the parking garage was another red cone. It was in front of a white motorcycle with super ex-cop lounging on it.
Notice that there is not enough room between the cone by the bike and the lane line for a vehicle. It is necessary to swerve into the lane next to the left lane.
The car above pulling into the lane next to the far left lane could have been mine. I did not have quite enough room to squeeze between the truck and the cone, so I was forced to merge into rush hour traffic.
If the cones and the rent-a-retired cop on his bike (parked at a right angle to the curb) had not been there, I could have just taken the left hand lane directly to the entrance of the garage.
I parked and then stopped to ask the former police officer why the cones and his bike were blocking the lane leading to the garage.
He explained that his job was to protect the filming equipment on the other side of the garage entrance. He told me to go away and let him do his job.
Is he doing his job? Look at the photo above. He just watches while a car leaving the garage hopelessly tries to merge into the traffic.
Shouldn't he get off his bike and help? If he really wants to protect the equipment, why doesn't he stand up and direct traffic around it instead of just sitting and relaxing?
The car above pulling into the lane next to the far left lane could have been mine. I did not have quite enough room to squeeze between the truck and the cone, so I was forced to merge into rush hour traffic.
If the cones and the rent-a-retired cop on his bike (parked at a right angle to the curb) had not been there, I could have just taken the left hand lane directly to the entrance of the garage.
I parked and then stopped to ask the former police officer why the cones and his bike were blocking the lane leading to the garage.
He explained that his job was to protect the filming equipment on the other side of the garage entrance. He told me to go away and let him do his job.
Is he doing his job? Look at the photo above. He just watches while a car leaving the garage hopelessly tries to merge into the traffic.
Shouldn't he get off his bike and help? If he really wants to protect the equipment, why doesn't he stand up and direct traffic around it instead of just sitting and relaxing?
Why doesn't he move his cone and his bike to the other side of the garage entrance? Is his ridiculous-looking bike even necessary?
Oh, my mistake! I should have pointed the camera up a little higher to show the ex-cop's big rear end resting on his white bike. You can still make out the license number, though.
Check out the matching helmet.
Thanks for nothing, ex-cop. You parked your bike and placed your cones in a way that only made things worse. Then you just sat and relaxed while rush hour traffic backed up right in front of you.
Say, you sure do look cool sitting side-saddle on that snow-white bike, though. Do you have white boots to go with it? I hope so! It would be a super hot look for you on filming day.
Oh, my mistake! I should have pointed the camera up a little higher to show the ex-cop's big rear end resting on his white bike. You can still make out the license number, though.
Check out the matching helmet.
Thanks for nothing, ex-cop. You parked your bike and placed your cones in a way that only made things worse. Then you just sat and relaxed while rush hour traffic backed up right in front of you.
Say, you sure do look cool sitting side-saddle on that snow-white bike, though. Do you have white boots to go with it? I hope so! It would be a super hot look for you on filming day.
21 comments:
ugh!!! i hate filming days!
today they were filming My Sister's Keeper in my building on the third floor. every time they would begin shooting the retired cops would stop the traffic on 5th street to prevent any noise from disrupting the shot.
and right before any filming took place the director would yell at the top of his lungs "ROLLING!!! QUIET PLEASE!!!!"
I work for a bookkeeping company and you could just imagine how distracting that gets after 5-6 times.
The amazing thing today was the lack of any consideration for the residents entering and leaving the garage. The guy just rested on his bike and did absolutely nothing but make things worse.
Once I walked down a sidewalk with Ruby where filming was taking place. One guy asked if I could walk a little faster so they could start filming. Trust me, that's not a good question to ask me. I'm pretty sure he regretted it.
I wonder if the retired cops outside your building actually had the permit to stop traffic.
jonathan and i were walking down 4th street this morning en route to the same parking garage. there was a film shoot going on and we were shlepping heavy laundry baskets, carry on bags, back packs etc.
and some director barked at us to walk faster so that they can film whatever the heck they were doing.
I tried to avoid walking by the 'bank' as much as humanly possible. I did get my hair cut, so I had to get near some of the stuff going on. Yeah, they gave me an odd look, but heck.. I'm trying to use legitimate services in the area, not mess with their blessed filming schedule.
They weren't as bad as that motorcycle guy. He looks cranky!
Urban Memo, at that point you and Jonathan should have slowed down to a crawl. Some of these filming people think they are doing god's work on earth, but in reality most of what they are filming is just crap.
Meekorouse, the guy was cranky and obviously lazy too. I observed him off and on for two hours and I never saw him leave that bike.
Maybe it's like a security blanket for him, and he just can't function without it. Wait a minute, though. He wasn't functioning well with it!
Bad Cop...No Donut. I mean "ex-cop".
Glad you exposed this lazy dumb ass.
And I know that they get paid quite nicely too.
I would of called the cops on him..lol
And Urban Memo next time do what I do and give them the international sign- the middle finger and squat down to tie your shoe lace. They can shout and yell all they want, but they can't touch you.
My friend likes to honk his horn when he passes by location shoots to piss them off!
Thanks for exposing one of my pet peeves... I don't mind the filming Downtown (this is Los Angeles after all), but I can't stand the complete lack of respect for people who actually live here. Anyone have any idea what the unholy racket on Sunday night on Bunker Hill was? It looked like someone filming a music video, but the volume of the playback was insane (windows closed) and late (at least until midnight).
Retired or not, officers wearing uniforms are still subject to personnel complaints. Get the officer's name and serial number (NOT badge number) and use the complaint form on lapdonline.org.
In order to do this work, these officers must have the permission of the police department because they work in uniform and badge. If an officer is discourteous or clearly not engaged in public safety, they need to be brought to the attention of the department.
Last week, there was a shoot that had blocked all but one lane of Sixth Street between Broadway and Spring on a weekday causing a 15-20 minute delay for anyone getting off the 110 and heading through Downtown east on Sixth. A review of their permit indicated clearly -- "must keep two lanes open to traffic". Presuming they had been doing that all day, it is not unreasonable to estimate that inconsideration affected tens of thousands of people. Actions like that completely negate any positive benefits filming brings to a community.
Know your rights as a member of the public to complaint about the behavior of people who wear the city's seal in the course of their work. If everyone starts complaining about film cops, the situation will need to be addressed by the city.
Thank you, anonymous, for this valuable information. It's good to know that those wearing the uniforms and badges of the police are still responsible for police standards.
I'd like to make clear that this was a retired police officer. I have great respect for the officers of the LAPD Central Division, most of whom work hard and under trying conditions.
I realize that cops (just like teachers) are underpaid. That probably means that their retirement pensions (just like mine) are meager. Quite possibly this guy is working with film crews because he has to.
However, he clearly was insensitive to the local residents (just look at the photo where he stares at the car trying to get into the traffic lane). He also did not care that his bike and cones positions made it difficult to enter the parking structure.
He used his bike for a chair and just relaxed while the street jammed up with traffic and the residents struggled to get in and out of the parking building.
If he's going to go out there and work, then he should do so in a manner that gives credit to his uniform. Otherwise he makes all cops look bad.
Another great tactic with police officers is to quote from the law they have sworn to uphold:
LAMC Chapter 1 Section 12.22 A 13
Infrequent Use of Property for Commercial Filming (Amended by Ord. No. 170,516, Eff. 6/18/95.)
Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this article to the contrary, property in all zones may be used for the purpose of infrequent filming of commercial motion pictures and still photographs, provided that a permit therefor has first been obtained from the City Council, or whomever the Council by order, resolution or ordinance may delegate such authority. The City Council, or whomever the Council by order, resolution or ordinance may delegate such authority shall adopt such rules and regulations concerning the issuance of said permits as may be necessary to assure that filming will be conducted at such times and in such a manner as to cause a minimum of interference with the enjoyment and use of adjacent property, and consistent with public health, safety and general welfare.
Why don't you give the city of Los Angeles a call. They are the ones who gave these Filmmakers a LANE CLOSURE!!!!!
Most of the time your primary person to talk to should be the Location Manager. He or she may be more open to and effective in getting the cop to move.
Those film makers that go beyond their limits and the cops that facilitate this are doing a disservice to the industry. Film and TV have used downtown for decades, think Perry Mason. The city is actively regulating the off duty officers as of a about 6 months or a year ago.
Hopefully for all of our sakes the film world and the newly flourishing loft communities can maintain a the compromise and balance that is necessary for everyone.
Anonymous, I'll remember about talking to the location manager. However, a really good location manager should be able to spot an employee who is doing nothing but sitting on his bike all day long. The manager also should be able to spot a filming-induced obstacle to entering the parking garage.
It seems in this case that the problems started from the top on down (down being the lazy ex-cop).
I always see the film shoots going on downtown. I had family come in from out of town, and they thought it would be fun to check out a shoot. We came up to one of those "Rent a cops" and asked him if there was any way we could check out what was going on inside. Its one of those closed bank buildings on Spring St. He got off is bike, walked us inside the building and pointed out who the main actors were, and then handed us off to one of the assistant directors. She was from Detroit, and gave us a little more info on the shoot, and let us hang out for about 5 Min. Well, that's all they would talk about on the rest of their trip. "The Cop that showed us the film shoot" He really made my day. Yes he then got back on his bike.
Why dont we just shoo all filming out of our city, and yoall you uneducated complainers can make up the economic deficit that is left in its absence. There is something called a multiplier effect....roughly it can be explained like this> a film crew comes in....they shoot....they pay for a support crew...that entire crew buys lodging, food, and transpo....all that money trickles down to you and me. WITHOUT FILMING WE ALL WOULD LIVE IN POVERTY> AND IF YOU DONT LIKE FILMING THEN DONT LIVE HERE. I understand that it is an inconvienece at times, but for the one or three days it affects you, can you really complain...cause it keeps our hiways paved, our streets clean, our city budgets as full as possible.
Anonymous Said, please re-read my post about filming. The whole focus was on one lazy employee. I in no way attacked the filming industry nor did I even attack that particular film shoot. I don't disagree with anything you said.
It's too bad that the filming money doesn't pay for classes to improve reading skills. Such classes would help you greatly. In the absence of such classes, try reading things more than once and try reading things very slowly, stopping to look up words you don't understand.
You'll save so much rant time!
Give the poor guy a break. You have no idea how long he had been working and how much longer he may have to stay. 16-18 hours is not uncommon. These guys get paid the same rate as an active officer gets and still have to provide their own uniforms, motorcycles and insurance. Wearing a mandated uniform (no matter how hot it gets) and wearing boots that are not made to be on your feet for hours on end. Having to wait to be relieved to go relieve themselves and usually the last ones to eat. They get the brunt of complaints and frustration from citizens. Most people doing this job could get a bit cranky at times. But yes, they should be polite IF the person they are dealing with is being polite.
When it comes to the lane closure it is done according to the permit that was issued by the city.
If you look closely at the photos you will see that there is a reason that the cone and the officer are positioned where they are. The filming equipment is very near the driveway on the other side. If the traffic was allowed to back up there it would have blocked exiting the driveway. If the bike was not there someone would probably drive over the cone to push their way through.
If you think your neighborhood is being over used for filming call your city council person and FilmLA who is the company that works with the city to administer and issue permits.
Sympathy? He's being paid, right? It's his choice to wear that uniform and to go out and work.
IF the person talking to him is polite? Hey, he's wearing the uniform and he's being paid. He should be polite and helpful.
Gee, I never thought anyone would defend an employee who just sits and relaxes. No, I don't think that he and his bike are appropriate where they are.
Oh, I'd like to break the guy......er, give the guy a break.
Anyone who's worked on film shoots knows that $50.00/hr rent-a-cops serve absolutely no purpose. They cannot control crowds. They cannot issue tickets. They cannot arrest offenders. They sit on their toy bikes waiting to be the first in line at the chow wagons. Productions companies need to wiseup and hire professionals.
FilmLA has come to know and LOVE me I'm sure, because I call and give them a healthy spanking often when they are out of bounds (setting up early or late, etc).
I don't mind the filming, when the crew is properly respectful. I've had crews nicely ask me to wait and I'll wait. I've had crews ask me rudely to wait and I'll wait, until they try to set up the shot for a 2nd time and then I just walk.
It is my understanding that Los Angeles Municipal Code Sec. 80.03.1.
limits these "officer's" duties soley to crowd and traffic control.
I came by this information after filing an internal affairs complaint against one who tried to intimidate (he didn't "try"-he sacred me) me for complaining about a film shoot/street closure.
The investigating officer lied to me and claimed she had mailed the results of my complaint. When I figured out she was lying, I started to research this myself.
After a couple of letters to the police commission I got the results about 6 months after. They lied about everything and failed to sight the municipal code. Basically the "officer" and the person who sent him after me were committing crimes. The Van Nuys police department sat on the complaint until that statute of limitations was up and nothing could be done to the "officer".
I called to complain and they yelled at me and said there was "something wrong with the law I was quoting" even though I got the information from a Sargent at LAPD Personnel Group.
Watch these "officers." They can get really nasty and the Los Angeles Police Department lies for them and covers up for them.
This is so common there is a name for it. "Don't come between a pig and his slop." Basically, don't get in the way of the money they make to sit around and do little or nothing. Don't complain, etc.
I hope others have better luck than I have with this issue.
Film shoots can get ugly enough without these guys out to get you.
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