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LAPD Lawn Goes Green, Off-Limits

By Eric Richardson
Published: Wednesday, July 14, 2010, at 12:21PM
LAPD Lawn Eric Richardson []

A landscaper rolls freshly installed sod on the nearly one-acre lawn behind the LAPD's Police Administration Building.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The nearly one-acre lawn behind the LAPD's Police Administration Building is looking healthy today for the first time since it was fatally injured by a large tent installed for a November gala.

By mid-day, a landscaping crew was approximately two-thirds of the way finished installing fresh green sod on the park space.

The new lawn is a bermuda grass that should be able to more easily stand up to the use the park gets, says Thom Brennan, commanding officer of LAPD's Facilities Management division. Once installed, the lawn will be fenced off for the first month to allow the grass time to take root.

The park is particularly popular with neighborhood dog owners, and LAPD will be installing "dogi-pots" around the lawn that dispense baggies and accept waste.

The 2nd street space had been open to the public for just two months when a tent was installed atop it for the Police Foundation's "True Blue" gala. While the foundation was quick to accept blame for the lawn damage, an insurance dispute dragged out the process of replacement. Work to replace the dead grass got underway last week.

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Conversation

Guest 1

Guest on July 14, 2010, at 12:28PM – #1

Ummm..dogs peeing on the grass is what killed it even BEFORE the event. I can't believe LAPD is saying yes to letting this be a doggie bathroom.


User_32

J-M on July 14, 2010, at 03:51PM – #2

How about half for dogs and half for humans?


User_32

Tornadoes28 on July 14, 2010, at 04:04PM – #3

I bet the dog walking poopers and pissers can't wait till that opens so they can start creating yellow spots all over the grass.


User_32

Dixon on July 14, 2010, at 08:44PM – #4

Yellow spots on the grass---are you serious? You want a nice green lawn so you can look at it when you drive by. The dog walkers are the only ones out walking on the street and going into the parks. Yellow spots! LOL!!!


Guest 2

Guest on July 15, 2010, at 01:47AM – #5

@Tornadoes28: Downtown dogs are not going away. If this is truly a problem for you, stop complaining and come up with solutions. For instance -- since you're an expert on Japan -- how do the Japanese deal with the problem?


User_32

Megan Blaine () on July 15, 2010, at 12:59PM – #6

My dog, Ollie, and I love the police headquarters. We love it when it's green, we love it when it's brown, we love it with polka-dots.


Guest 3

Guest on July 15, 2010, at 01:51PM – #7

Green space downtown is an impossibility with dogs pissing on the grass.

Seriously, people, as much as some of you need / want dogs, you can't have both.


User_32

DavidAC on July 15, 2010, at 03:19PM – #8

So here's a vigorous argument among a group of inner-city residents concerning the LAPD..

Is it about gang warfare and drive-by shootings? No.

Is it about overly-aggressive policing? No

Racial profiling? No

Riots? No

Its about doggie pee on the LAPD's lawn..

That, my friends, is the smell of progress.. :-)


User_32

Dixon on July 15, 2010, at 04:44PM – #9

Oh,DavidAC, we dog owners aren't arguing about the lawn. We're just planning to show up with our dogs whether anyone else likes it or not. See you at the LAPD lawn, fool.


User_32

J-M on July 15, 2010, at 09:28PM – #10

So, are we to assume the dog peeple would have no problem with our homeless neighbors urinating and defecating on the lawn as well? In the same spirit of fun-loving freedom of course? Only fair, right?


User_32

Megan Blaine () on July 15, 2010, at 11:38PM – #11

J-M Sorry, I'm not understanding your argument. If you don't want our dogs to urinate or defecate on the grass, and you don't want them to go on the sidewalk, where exactly do you want them to go?

Annnnd... The homeless already go where the dogs go.


User_32

J-M on July 16, 2010, at 09:26AM – #12

Megan, I don't have anything against dogs. I just resent the fact that every time a small patch of grass opens up Downtown, it automatically becomes a dog park. I agree there should be dog parks for dogs to do their business, but does it have to be on the grass in the new park? Can't we develop some kind of urban sand box/ gravel park? I would think that developing a dog park would be significantly easier than creating a people park Downtown. My concern is that you'll never see any kids playing on the grass because of the dog poop. I don't think it's that hard to understand. You want a fair deal for your dog and I want a fair deal for the people. There's got to be some kind of middle ground. At the moment, there's no discussion; people just walk their dogs the moment the grass is laid out. Couldn't we agree that part of the park is for dogs and their owners, and the rest is dog-free? And as to my point about the homeless defecating there, you've really seen them doing their business at the police station? Really?? If you have, I'd love a photo to post online at Failblog.org. It seems to be the one park that's off limits for that kind of thing, so my point is that it would be a perfect place to keep as a clean space. The reality of course is that your dog will crap there before I get a chance to enjoy it anyhow, so you win. And, Guest #5, in other places they have lots of parks and green spaces, so it's not as much of an issue as here.


User_32

Dixon on July 16, 2010, at 09:44AM – #13

"your dog will crap there before I get a chance to enjoy it anyhow"

J-M, would you really enjoy the park (other than admiring the uniform green) anyway? I mean, would you nap there or picnic there or sunbath there? I doubt it. You're just in love with the concept of a nice, suburban-green expanse of grass.


User_32

J-M on July 16, 2010, at 11:45AM – #14

I guess we'll never know, because I'll never have that option...


Guest 3

Guest on July 16, 2010, at 12:19PM – #15

Owning dogs in a location without green space is cruel by definition. And dog owners living downtown view Elysian Park -- loads of space for a dog to run and shit, away from restaurants, bars, etc. -- as too far to walk, too close to drive. I want to club dog owners when they let their dogs piss on fire hydrants, posts, etc. in front of where people are eating outside. There's such a lack of common sense and courtesy downtown with pet ownership. And to fallback on naming / blaming impoverished, often mentally ill homeless people as justification for your dog excrement? You should be ashamed.


Guest 4

Guest on July 16, 2010, at 05:53PM – #16

So what guest #15 is trying to say is that the "impoverished, often mentally ill homeless people" are no better than dogs because, like dogs, they don't know any better...and it's up to someone to make them stop relieving themselves in public.


Guest 5

Guest on July 17, 2010, at 03:34AM – #17

none of you have ever lived in new york city, have you?


Guest 3

Guest on July 17, 2010, at 12:21PM – #18

# 16 If that's the way you want to read # 15, you're probably just another pet owner in denial that your dog (an extension of you) contributes to the lack of downtown's green space.

# 17 There are other cities in the world.


User_32

DawnC on July 17, 2010, at 03:46PM – #19

There needs to be more clarification and enforcement about where dogs should (and shouldn't) be allowed to relieve themselves. If there were signs posted with fines I think that would certainly help. Having the BID enforce the law would also be great. What are the policies in other cities? The one major difference I can see is that in LA it hardly ever rains so the urine doesn't get washed away by nature. Rinsing down sidewalks is problematic because of water shortages. There must be some kind of creative solution. I like seeing people walk their dogs downtown. To me, it makes the city seem safer and friendlier. I think it's great that so many Downtown buildings allow dogs when it's hard to find other places in LA that do. If we get creative about the solution we can find one that works for everyone.

The Arts District has secured a small piece of land for a dog park, there must be some options for other areas of Downtown.


Guest 4

Guest on July 17, 2010, at 09:40PM – #20

The BID can't enforce anything and most of the time they don't even bother trying. They're all window dressing.


Guest 3

Guest on July 18, 2010, at 04:38PM – #21

Since LA has no problem spending money on cops, cop buildings, cop cars, jailing people, guns, ammunition, etc., I'd rather have cops walking around downtown than impotent "Purple People." No offense, guys, I mean, many of you are awfully cute to look at and all since you get to ride your bike every day but why aren't there LAPD foot patrols downtown? Get the cops out of their cars and get them on the pavement as a routine beat.


Guest 6

Guest on July 19, 2010, at 03:32PM – #22

Have any of you taken a close look at the sidewalks downtown. I won't let my dog walk on them.

This my friends is due to 50 years of dirty people and no maintenance, not the dogs.


Guest 6

Guest on July 19, 2010, at 03:45PM – #23

I think we are putting the cart before the horse! shouldn't we be trying to stop the homeless, the catering truck operators and the parking lot employees from urinating and defecating in our doorways?

Personally, I am far more offended by human waste than k9.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm also offended by the beer cans, needles, and used condoms.


Guest 7

Guest on July 19, 2010, at 08:15PM – #24

#19: ...and this isn't one of them. in comparison to SF, NYC, CHI, the quality of life in DTLA is a disgrace. we need to dump the ineffective villaraigosa and find a mayor bloomberg to turn this place around. in the meantime, watch your step.



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