Ed Fuentes

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Watching 1st Assistant LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell is 9th District Councilwoman Jan Perry, who along with 34th District Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard joined an array of dignitaries at the 8th Annual Public Safety Appreciation BBQ held today at Ernst & Young Plaza (7th and Fig).

According to the Downtown Center Business Improvement District, an estimated 2,500 people arrived to dine on BBQ sandwiches provided by Arnie Morton's, along with fixin's from California Pizza Kitchen and Levy Restaurants.

The proceeds will go to the Los Angeles Police Department Memorial Foundation, and the obligatory photo with the line-up of dignitaries holding the big check is below.

But enough PR flackage... Just as important to the publisher of blogdowntown was how the flow of people attending the BBQ seemed smoother than last year, when a long line had lunch-goers on the steps of the plaza and food ran out. This year, new DCBID director of Marketing & Communications Heidi Nixon had the amount of food doubled, and added an extra line to improve crowd flow. To her relief, it all worked as supplies only began to run out 15 minutes before the 2pm stopping time.