Dodger Stadium alcohol sales, security staffing, lighting will be reviewed, ex-police chief Bratton says

Former Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton began to assemble a team of security experts to assess the situation at Dodger Stadium.

After coming under heated criticism for his muted response to an attack on opening day that left a Giants fan in a coma, Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on Wednesday hired Kroll Associates, the security consulting firm run by Bratton, to make recommendations on improving safety at the stadium.

Bratton, in an interview with The Times, said the team would be looking at a wide range of issues, including lighting in the parking lots, staffing levels of security personnel and the organization's policy on alcohol sales.

A recommendation to curb beer and liquor sales at games would cause a serious conundrum for McCourt, since they typically account for a large portion of profits at sporting venues.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck on Thursday announced a plan to significantly increase the number of police officers on patrol during games.

"You are going to see a sea of blue. And it's not going to be Dodger blue. It's going to be LAPD blue," Beck said of the beefed-up police presence planned for the team's next home game Thursday.

The chief said that "at the absolute minimum" he would double the 30 to 40 uniformed officers who typically are deployed at games. Beck declined to provide specific numbers, saying his staff was still working to determine how many officers were needed to provide more comprehensive coverage inside and outside the stadium. Along with the higher number of uniformed officers, Beck emphasized that undercover officers would be deployed as well.

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--Joel Rubin

Photo: Suspects sought by the LAPD in the attack on Giants fan. Credit: LAPD

Comments

[Astonished]

The stadium needs to stop selling beer inside the stadium. Yeah, like that's ever going to happen! They also need to start screening for drunks at the gates. If they can take time to search coolers and purses, they can make someone who is exhibiting signs of being under the influence blow into a portable breathalizer. If they are over the limit, they don't get in.

Oh, and since Dodger Stadium and the attached parking lots are PRIVATE property, I sure hope the McCourts are paying the City for all this proposed police man power!!

[Gregory Wright]

Yea, tell stadium management what they already know.

[Joe]

The problem isn't beer sales. The problem isn't lighting. The problem is a porous border and a lack of political spine.

The thugs who committed this crime are the same thugs that make our schools unsafe and our malls unsafe and our neighborhoods unsafe. And these thugs are so accomodating as to adopt a style of dress and personal grooming that makes them instantly recognizable. And still the authorities can't figure out what to do.

My ancestors knew what to do.

[Ed Campos]

"A sea of LAPD Blue"!!!! Excellent!!! I've never liked Dodger Blue. When that play on words first came up it made me think that it was just too hokey. And in this instance those words seemed to have stoked a lot of ignorance and cowardice on 2 "Dodger Blue" fans!

[Streets]

Bunch of crap! 99.9 % of the incidents at Dodger Stadium occur after the game. There is no security to be found when leaving the stadium. Does not take a rocket scientist to figure this out!!!! Beef up security for the fans leaving the stadium.

[sam]

if you all are son concerned about the safety of children and other people,BAN all alcohol in restaurants,or anywhere children attend with their drunk parents or guardians

[Hollywood Dodger Mark]

OHHHHHH no - 60 cops - 50,000 fans! A sea of LAPD Blue - say it ain't so. NY Yanks and Mets have hundreds at their games.

[stewart]

So, which is it, a family oriented sports venue or an over priced and racaus beer bar complete with back alley brawls?

[Jeffrey Waters]

I'm glad they are making these changes. I still recall when the Raiders and Rams were still in town. Along with friends (who were split between Raiders and Rams fans) we attended the annual pre-season game. A female Rams fan was taunted throughout the game. Fortunately, it was not as crass as we see today. But a few rows near us, beer was tossed at Rams fans, food was thrown, etc. The LAPD and security did apprehend these thugs but in the process beer was tossed at them too. Even at the 'SC games the collegiate family atmosphere is slowly deterorating with the same thug element becoming an issue. Dodger Stadium has the thug element present in a very significant way. A lot of the punks that go to sporting events to start trouble do it for the attention since their lives are empty and they have no accomplishments other than "banging". Makes them feel like a man when they are basically nothing but a coward beating up innocent people. Actually what Dodger Stadium should do is enforce a dress code. No off colored caps or jerseys ie black colored caps, no ear rings, no visible tatoos, no white tee shirts, etc. Also, the LAPD should routinely check license plate numbers in the parking lots either at entrance or when vehicles are parked as some of the knuckleheads are bound to be wanted for something.

[Larry]

It seems that Dodger management is ignoring the possibility that Dodger Stadium could develop into a situation where fan fun becomes fan pain. Foul mouth fans should be ejected from the stadium. Threats and assaults like spitting on other patrons should be also pursued with legal action. Public drunkenness should be dealt with severely, but unfortunately when it comes to beer, the financial gain for Dodger management seems more important than controlling inebriated fans.

[rhythmMAN]

Well said Joe......

[concerned]

omg it is not the beer sales it is the security having the authority to throw out the drunk people. Come on, cut out the politics and use common sense!

[jenn562]

I don't support a ban on alcohol inside the stadium. I believe there is already a ban on tailgaiting and I think this is where the problem starts. Just look at the beer bottle and trash left behind in the parking lot and you'll see that this is a significan problem. People are hammered before they even come in the gates. There needs to be zero tolerance in the parking lot..drunk fans should not be allowed entry. Also,these aren't your average run of the mill baseball fans. There is an obvious and overwhelming gang banger presence at the stadium, LAPD, Mr. McCourt, and Bratton all need to acknowledge that. If the LAPD were to do a sting for WANTED felons they'd have good luck finding them at Dodger Stadium.

[joe35]

I think they should do away with selling alcohol at public places like sports arena. When you serve alcohol, you're just inviting potential trouble.

[TOTO]

Certain people, especially shrill right-wing radio need to stop making this a race issue or a “border” issue. The thugs who committed this heinous crime are criminals who need to be caged. Did you make it a race issue, when that heavily armed criminal in Arizona shot that Congresswoman? Did we blame a whole group of people or culture for that senseless crime? No? Then don’t blame this crime on a particular race or culture either.

[Bren L.]

Grew up a huge Dodger fan in L.A. and now root against them, can't believe how that happened. Dodger games are more like Raider games now with a bad demographic. I root for the Angles now, better fan base, better owner & location.

[Really?]

You want to prevent thugs from going to the games...Change the colors to Pink & White!

[Javier]

The stadium needs to stop selling beer inside the stadium. All the incidents at Dodger Stadium occur after the game. There is no security to be found when leaving the stadium.
That is why my family no longer go to Dodger Games.

[Seriously]

I have a great idea, how about not opening the parking lots at 6am for tailgating? I was on my way to work the morning of the opener, and they were saying people were already partying in the parking lots.

And first pitch wasn't thrown until 5pm.

I'll send stupid McCourt my $5,000,000 "consulting" bill.

[Tony C]

LA is a very dangerous city. None of this surprises me.
The miles of parking lot make this kind of ambush easy.
The area around Dodger stadium is extremely violent.
Unfortunately, the scum that may have murdered Bryan Stow if he doesn't come of the coma, probably got away with it.

[angel]

wow nothing but racists comments here.

[christopher]

When beer is outlawed, only the outlaws will have beer.

[Dodger fan]

Since you all have opinions, let me give you the facts! The main problem is these wanna be security guards. These guys think they are the FBI. They have no respect for anyone, have no common sense and they all think they can make up rules. So these thugs take offense, and feel disrespected to go along with their ignorant ways. Security makes things worst. Second, is the lack of visual presence with these off duty LAPD officers? They are always in couples talking and not observing. They are laughing all the way to the bank. Instead of preventing the problem, they arrive after the fact.

[maurie]

If these problems occurred at a night club or restaurant what would happen to their liquor licence?

[jimbo]

wahhh