LAPD: Hollywood 'party buses' can get out of control

Separate shootings and an accident involving "party buses" that cruise around Hollywood, taking passengers to nightclubs, underscore efforts by Los Angeles police to make sure the partying doesn't get out of hand.

LAPD Capt. Bea Girmala of the Hollywood Division said the party buses come from the San Fernando Valley, South Los Angeles, South Bay cities and even from far away as Riverside and San Bernardino counties. In some cases gangs have been involved.

"They literally come from all over. A lot of drinking takes place on these buses before they make it to the door of the venue," Girmala said.

The buses usually come in around 10 or 11 p.m. the trouble starts after midnight with assaults, public drunkenness and other unruly behavior, Girmala said.

Even with 40 additional officers added to patrol the area in 2009, the influx of party buses adds to a taxing environment for the officers.

"I use every single one [of the officers] and we've seen a decrease in crime in that area overall. But drunk people who don't want to listen lead to conflicts," Girmala said. "Liquid courage in these people makes for a difficult situation for police."

Girmala said a task force was formed over the last year to address the growing problems with party buses. She said police have gotten cooperation from many of the club operators who turn away partiers who have engaged in excessive drinking or appear underage.

She said there had been two successful crackdowns on party buses involving the Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Culver City and Inglewood police departments as well as the California Highway Patrol and Public Utilities Commission, which regulates the bus operators.

The first was in October and resulted in about half a dozen vehicles being towed. In November a second operation resulted in about a dozen vehicles being impounded, including buses and limousines, for various violations including occupancy vehicle code violations.

"It sends a very powerful message," Girmala said.

Four people were shot early Sunday after a fight among patrons on a party bus, Officer Karen Rayner said. The suspect remains at large. The shooting occurred shortly after 3 a.m. near Cahuenga Boulevard and Franklin Avenue, she said.

Hours earlier, Namar Burton, 22, of Murrieta was severely injured when he was run over by a party bus, said Sgt. Murrel Pettway of the LAPD's West Traffic Division.

Burton had been a passenger on the bus as it stopped at various clubs, Pettway said. About 11:25 p.m., the bus was driving east on McCadden Place and Burton was trying to catch up so he could reboard.

It was unclear how Burton ended up under the bus, police said.

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-- Andrew Blankstein

Comments

[ELVISNIXON.com]

ICE and Border Patrol agents need to investigate these illegal aliens violent activity.

[Mary]

Why do you right away assumed that they're illegal aliens? How do you know? Plus I don't think they have the money to be going bar/club hopping all night? To get into clubs is not cheap. I wish they had these buses during my party time back in the mid 80's-90's so we wouldn't have to drive. Is too bad that now these young party goers don't appreciated it and instead are getting drunk and causing problems.

[stewart]

The Public Utilities Commission is a wee bit like going down the yellow brick road to see The Wizard of Oz, lotta smoke and mirrors with some guy operating the fire and smoke machine?
They are there to take the money but when it comes to enforcement?
Well, let me invite you to go to take a stroll down the Craigslist jobs section and google Chauffeur, or Limousine, when there tell me how many TCP numbers you observe at those ads?

(The PUC Special Orders require TCFP numbers on each an every document that has anything to do with livery, including the name of the company placing ads and the accompanying TCP number.)

Try me?

[Jose]

Hey Elvis, I think you commented to the wrong article. I've read it a few times and do not see anything related to "illegal aliens violent activity"

[Sabrina]

What is it with people who automatically assume all criminal activity is that done by either racial minorities or illegal aliens? There are plenty of whites who are troublemakers, too.

[Lankston]

Party buses save lives, no one says anything about the clubs selling clients bottles of alcohol and drinks and clients coming out driving drunk. At least on the Party Bus these clients are not behind the wheel drunk. Party Buses are fun and clients have fun aboard them like they are suppose too. Party Bus companies ck IDs if anyone one the Party Bus is under 21 no one is allow to drink. So everyone drinking is of legal age. No one talks about the number of underage drinkers in Clubs every week. I don't think it's fair to give Party Buses a bad name. It's the people not the Party Buses, no one can control some one running beside a Party bus he's not even on why was he doing that he obviously did not get alcohol on the Party Bus he wasn't on it, a shooting on a bus, it's actually has nothing to do with Party Buses all we just provide a service. It's the people not the Party Buses and the last time I checked anyone over the age of 21 can legally drink Party Bus companies like clubs can not control people, we try to make it safe for others by driving them.