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Los Angeles Webster Commission records, 1931-1992
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Banyan Lewis, interview, 1992-08-13
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Banyan Lewis, interview, 1992-08-13
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To:
From:
SHARENOW & CORBIN
IAWYERS
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
MEMORANDUM
PRNILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
Office of Special Advisor,
Richard J. Stone
Leonard Sharenow
Date:
Re:
August 13, 1992
Interview of Los Angeles
Police Department
Commander, Banyan Lewis
File: WEBSTER STUDY/lnteragency Group
Summary of Interview
On August 6, 1992, at 8:00 a.m., Richard Rosenthal, Scott Edelman and Leonard
Sharenow interviewed Banyan Lewis, LAPD Commander, Uniform Services Group,
Headquarters Bureau. This interview was conducted at Parker Center.
This report of interview focuses on the City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations
Organization and its task of preparing the City's response to emergencies.
I \ll9A
C:\DOC\WEBSTER\MEM0.11 -1-
To:
From:
SHARENOW & CORBIN
IAWYERS
A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION
MEMORANDUM
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDENTIAL
ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT
Office of Special Advisor,
Richard J. Stone
Leonard Sharenow
Date:
Re:
August 13, 1992
Interview of Los Angeles
Police Department
Commander, Banyan Lewis
File: WEBSTER STUDY/lnteragency Group
Report of Interview
On August 6, 1992, at 8:00 a.m., Richard Rosenthal, Scott Edelman and Leonard
Sharenow interviewed Banyan Lewis, LAPD Commander, Uniform Services Group,
Headquarters Bureau. This interview was conducted at Parker Center.
This report of interview focuses on the City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations
Organization and its task of preparing the City's response to emergencies.
C:\DOC\WEBSTER\MEM0.12 -1-
I participated in the interview to ask Commander Lewis about the City of Los
Angeles' Emergency Operations Organization ("EOO"). A copy of the EOO's
description, obtained from the Tactical Manual of the Los Angeles Police Department is
attached to this report.
My report involves only the EOO. Richard and Scott will prepare a separate
report with regard to Commander Lewis' activities before and during the riots.
Banyan Lewis has been an LAPD Commander for two years. He has been on the
LAPD for 29½ years. He is 50 years old. He has been in charge of the Uniform
Services Group since March 1991.
With regard to the EOO, Commander Lewis said that the City has had a Master
Plan which "covers and dictates" how the City will respond to disasters. Historically, the
Master Plan has addressed itself to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, etc.
The EOO budget is different from other City agency budgets which have to be renewed
each year. The EOO budget is carried over from year-to-year and surpluses do not have
to be spent in that fiscal year.
Commander Lewis said that within the last two years, there has been close
cooperation between the City and the County with regard to planning for natural
disasters. The County has its own EOO.
C:\DOC\WEBSTER\MEM0.12 -2-
The Mayor is the head of the EOO. The EOO is the umbrella organization for
the EOB and EMC.
The Emergency Operations Board ("EOB") is chaired by the Chief of Police. The
General Manager of each City Department is a member of the EOB. The Chief of
Police's assistant on the EOB is the City's Chief Administrative Officer (Keith Connery).
Under the EOB is the Emergency Management Committee ("EMC").
Commander Lewis is one of the principals on the EMC. A representative of each City
department has a principal on the EMC. Shirley Mattingly is the head of the EMC. The
EMC is the working "arm" of the EOO. The EMC has monthly meetings to plan for
emergencies and to discuss budget. The EOO has a yearly budget of about $500,000.
The $500,000 does not include salaries, but covers equipment, training, seminars, etc.
Employee time comes out of the applicable City Department budget.
Commander Lewis said the EMC had done no planning with regard to riots or
civil disturbances. The last riot was the Watts riot -- 27 years ago. The EMC got out of
the "civil disturbance mode." The City adopted the McCone Commission Report after
the Watts riot. The Vietnam disturbances were considered "protests," not "riots" and not
within the concerns of the EOO.
C:\DOC\WEBSTER\MEM0.12 -3-
Starting in March, 1991, because of the King beating and the Latitia Harlan
sentencing, the LAPD began to do some planning for riots. The City EOO did not do
any such planning. Commander Lewis said that the EOO was like an "ostrich" in that it
did not believe that riots would occur and that any that did occur could be handled by
the LAPD within its accepted procedures. There was never any direction by the Mayor
or his staff to have the EOO plan for riots.
Starting in March, 1991, the LAPD did "brief' the EMC that it was doing some
riot planning. Commander Lewis said that the briefings were general ( no details were
given). He recalls that the LAPD advised the EMC that the LAPD was doing training
for civil disturbances. Commander Lewis said that minutes of the EMC meetings were
kept, but they are not verbatim. The City's administrative office keeps copies of the
minutes and the person to contact there would be Bob Canfield.
Commander Lewis was asked whether the EOO or the EMC considered the
possibility of civil disturbances during or just after an earthquake. He said that it never
came up because it would have been considered a police responsibility.
Commander Lewis said that the EOO never asked the LAPD specifically as to
what planning they were doing because of the Rodney King trial.
C:\D0O WEBSTER\MEM0.12 -4-
He said that the LAPD would not necessarily keep the EOO informed as to what
it was doing. This would have been intentional so as to prevent the "spreading of plans"
to other Departments.
Commander Lewis has a copy of the EOO Master Plan. He can provide us with a
copy if we do not already have one. It is two loose-leaf books and a supplement.
Terrorist activity is another subject that the EOO would not concern itself with.
This was considered a responsibility of the LAPD.
When the rioting started, Chief Gates called Lewis and told him to activate the
LAPD's EOC, which is located in the Parker Center basement. At that point in time,
the City's EOO Master Plan goes into effect. Since the "incident leader" was the LAPD,
the LAPD took charge of operations.
Lewis said that the EOO adopted the attitude that the LAPD has tried to foster,
i.e., that it is capable of handling all civil disturbances and that it does not need
assistance.
Commander Lewis made a point of stating that the number of incidents rose
"dramatically" right after Mayor Bradley's speech on April 29. Commander Lewis
believes there was a "cause and effect" between the speech and the spreading of the
C:\DOC\WEBSTER\MEM0.12 -5-
I -
riots. I believe that reflects the sentiment of many of his LAPD colleagues. Commander
Lewis believes in a "high profile" with regard to planning for potential rioting. He
believes the Mayor should have gone on television and said that "maximum" law
enforcement would be present to stop any disturbances.
When the City's EOC was activated, each City agency, such as Water and Power,
Transportation, Fire, etc. sends its representative to the EOC, pursuant to the Master
Plan.
I had previously interviewed CHP personnel. The CHP had been assigned to
guard the Fire Department. The CHP were very positive as to how that worked out. I
received a different perspective from Commander Lewis. Commander Lewis said that
the Fire Department sent its trucks en mass to the LAPD staging area at 54th and
Arlington. The CHP had told me that the operation went smoothly in that a CHP squad
escorted the LAFD as it left the staging area. According to Commander Lewis, there
was "mass confusion," and it was a bad idea to have the LAFD in that location. He said
the LAFD should have had its own separate staging area.
Commander Lewis said there was a recently executed memorandum of
understanding ("MOU") with the LASO and the CHP that provides that the CHP's
mission during a riot will be to protect the Fire Department. The request is to be made
form the LAPD to the LASO who will then notify the CHP.
C:\DOC\ WEBSTER\MEM0.12 -6-
Commander Lewis said that other persons familiar with the EOO would be
Shirley Mattingly and LAPD Lieutenant Bruce Ward, who is Lewis' right-hand man and
an "expert in the EOO process."
A member of the State OES attends EMC meetings. Also, a member of the
Army Corps of Engineers sometimes attends EMC meetings.
C:\DOC\ WEBSTER\MEM0.12 -7-
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T11E BMERGENCY OPIRATIOBS ORGANIZATION
Description of EOO Divisions:
The Emergency operations organization (EOO) is a special purpose
organization established to coordinate and direct the City's
resources toward controlling disasters and other eme~gencies.
The EOO Divisions constitute those resources believed necessary
to successfully overcome the conditions of a local emergency .
The Emergency Operations Organization is comprised of the
following Divisions:
*Airports Divi5ion
*Animal Regulation Division
*Building & safety Division
*Fire Suppression & Rescue
Division
•General Services Division
•Harbor Division
*Personnel & Recruitment Division
•Police Division
*Public Welfare & Shelter Division
*Public Works Division
•Recovery & Reconstruction DiVi$iOn
•Transportation Division
•Utilities Division
AIRPORTS DIVISION. The Airports Division is subject to
the control of the Department of Airports. The General
Manager of the Department of Airports, or if so designated by the
General Manager, the Airport Manager, is the chief of this
division. The chief is responsible for airport security and
prepares operational plans tor controlling gr0und operations and
management of aircraft and other h~zards during a local
emergency. The chief coordinates e~ergency activities with
airport tenants, the Federal Aviation Administration, other
concerned federal agencies, and other Emergency operations
Organization divisions.
ANIMAL REGULATION DIVISlON. The Animal Regulation
Oivision is subject to the control of the Department of
Animal Regulation. The General Manager of the Department of
Animal Regulation is chief of this division. The chief ~rranges
for the care and control of animals during emergenciesi including
rescuing, sheltering, controlling, and providing emergency
veterinary services.
BUILDING AND SAFETY DIVISION. The Building and Safety
Division is subject to the control of the Department of
Building and Safety. The Superintendent ot Building and Safety
is chief of this division. The chief has the duty to determine
potential hazards to persons and property, issue abat~ment
notices , investigate and determine damages to buildings and
TACTICAL MANUAL, LOS ANGBLBS POLICZ DBPARTKBHT
structures, give advice regarding the condition of buildings and
sites and the use of applicable safety measures, and supervise
volunteer structural engineering personnel who are registered
volunteer disaster service workers (they may serve as deputy
building in~pectors). The chief develops and recommends to the
City Council legislation relative to structural damages and
necessary modifications of current structural standards.
FIRE SUPPRESSION AND RESCUE DIVISION. The Fire
Suppression and Rescue Division is subject to the
control of the Fire Department. The Chief Engineer and General
Manager of the Fire Department is chief of this division. During
a local emergency the chief has the authority to direct Fire
Suppression and Rescue Division personnel in controlling all
explosives and hazardous materials, petroleum and chemical
pipeline accidents, demolition of buildings, fire suppression and
rescue operations, and radiological defense.
QENERAL SERVICES DIVISION. The General Services
Division is subject to the control of the Department of
General Services. The Ceneral Manager of the Department of
General services is chief of this division. The chief develops
plans for the activities of the division and tor the following
sections:
• supplies Section. This section is under the direction
of the Purchasing Agent. The Purchasing Agent procures
and is the custodian ot the special equipment and
property which may be obtained from any source for the
use of the Emergency Operations organization, and
assembles information concerning available equipment
and operators normally under the control of outside
agencies.
* Communications Section. This ~ection is under the
direction of the division chief or designee. The
chief, or designee develops plans for and provides,
restores, and maintains emergency communications
services for City Council controlled departments and
offices, and liaises with other City departments
providing their o--wn communications services to the City
and its citizens. During a local emergency the section
head has the responsibility to direct City and
volunteer communications personnel to perforM section
duties.
TACTICAL KlJrOAL, LOS AHGB~BS POLICB DBPARTJdlff JAXUARY, 1992
(
* Maintenance section. This section is under the
direction of the division chief or designee. The chief
or designee develops plans for the maintenance of all
city owned equipment and facilities, has charge of,
develops plans for, and arranges for the safety of
occupants of City controlled buildings, and liaises
with other publicly and privately owned agencies which
supply such services. The section head also develops
and maintains an inventory of City transportation
vehicles available from the division for the movement
of heavy equipment.
HARBOR DIVISION. The Harbor Division is subject to the
control of the Harbor Department. The General Manager
of the Harbor Department, or if so designated by the General
Manager, the Port Warden, is chief of this division. The chief
is responsible fer port security and prepares operational plans
for the control, anchorage, and movements of ships to avert
collisions and hazards during a local emergency. The chief is
empowered to evacuate any vessel that is a peril to the port, and
when practicable, move mobile equipment at the waterfront and
jeopardized vessels, or those which may impede rescue or salvage
operations or accelerate a local emergency. The chief
coordinates emergency activities with concerned federal agencies
and with the other Emergency operations organization divisions.
PERSONNEL AND RECRUITMENT DIVISION. The Personnel and
Recruitment Division is subject to the control of the
Personnel Department. The General Manager of the Personnal
Department is chief of this division. The chief maintains
records of all Emergency Operations Organization personnel and
liaises with governmental and private agencies providing or
administering medical services during a local emerg~noy.
This division is the recruiting center for the Emergency
Operations organization, and establishes a plan for using
qualified City personnel by any of the E'mergency Operations
Organization divisions during a local emergency. The other
Emergency Operations Organizatioridivision chiefs will render
services requested by the chief of this division in the
recruitment ot personnel. The chief, with assistance from the
Emerg~ncy Operations Office, will develop a program for the use
of volunteers during a local emergency. The program will contain
procedures for:
TACTICAL MANUAL, LOS ANGELES POLICE DBPARTXBHT JANUARY, 1992
0
* Recruiting volunteer forces through the media.
* Registering volunteers as disaster service workers in
the state workers compensation program.
• Dispatching volunteers to command posts or other
locations.
* Liaising with the City council for dispatching
volunteers to assist with recovery operations on
private property.
• Developing any other procedures necessary to implement
Chapter 3 of the Los Angeles Administrative Code, LOCAL
EMERGENCIES.
POLICE DIVISION. The Police Division is subject to the
control of the Police Department. The Chief of Police
is chief of this division. During a local emergency, the chief
has the authority to direct Police Division personnel to enforce
all laws, preserve life and property, and maintain order.
PUBLIC WELFARE AND SHELTER DIVISION. The Public
Welfare and Shelter Division is subject to the control
of the Department of Recreation and Parks. The General Manager
of the Department of Recreation and Parks is chief ot this
division. The chief arranges for housing and shelter facilities
for persons rendered homeless as a result of a local emergency,
and conducts the City's fallout shelter management program. The
chief arranges for the services of the American National Red
Cross, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and other
governmental agencies as needed, to furnish food, clothing,
shelter, registration, information service, and rehabilitation to
individuals affected by a local emergency.
PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION. The Public Works Division is
subject to the control of the Department of Public
Works. The division chief is selected from among the Board ot
Public Works membership. The chief develops plans for, has
charge of, and arranges !or street repair and maintenance, street
lighting, sewers, storm drains, channels, bridges, waste and
debris removal, placement of barricades, and engineering
investigations requested by any of the Emergency Operations
Organization divisions. When requested by the Fire Suppression
and Rescue Division, the chief has functional supervision ot
personnel performing rescue work.
RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION DIVISION. The Recovery and
and Reconstruction Division is subject to the control
of the Planning Department. The General Manager of the Planning
Department is the chief of this division. The chief coordinates
the development of recomlllendations for a City plan, and policies
and assists all divisions in the d8Velopment and implementation
of operating procedures relating to post-emergency recovery and
reconstruction.
TACTICAL MANUAL, LOS PGILEB POLICZ DBPARTKml'l' JAKUllY, 1tt2
---------- - - -------
• • • t •
TRANSPORTATION DIVISION. The Transportation Division
is sUbject to the control of the Department of
Transportation. The General Manager of the Department of
Transpor~ation is chief of this division. The chief develops
plans for the maintenance ot traffic control devices, travel
routes to l:>e used during emergencies, barricade placement as
necessary or as directed by the chiefs of Police and Fire
suppression and Rescue Divisions, direction and control of
traffic, and coordination with all other agencies supplying
common carrier services.
UTILITIES DIVISION. The Utilities Division is subject
to the control of the Department ot water and Power.
The General Manager and Chiet Engineer of the Department of Water
and Power is chief of this division. The chief develops plans
and arranges for cooperation with other municipally and privately
owned public utilities, excluding privately owned communications
systems.
JAJfOD.Y, 19t2
' .
TII · pgopcY OPSllTIOHS MABTBR PLAN
The City of Los Angeles Emergency operations Master Plan provides
a basis for the conduct and coordination of operations and the
management of critical resources during disasters and major
emergencies. The Emergency Operations Master Plan establishes a
mutual understanding of the authority, responsibilities,
functions, and operations of all city departments during such
emergencies. The !Jnergency Operations Master P)a~ can be used in
conjunction with the Department's Tactical Manual. The~
Plan provides a complete description of all pertinent city
department functions during a disaster or major emergency,
whereas the Tactical Manual focuses priMarily on police
operations. A copy of the Master Plan is located at each
• .. geographic division ..
The Master Plan includes information on the following topics:
• Emergency Operations organization (EOO)
• Emergency Operations Board (EOB)
* Emergency Operations center (EOC)
* Declaration of a Local Emergency
• Mutual Aid and Military Assistance
• War Emergency Plan/Civil Defense Warnings
* Disasters and other Emergencies
Including: Fires
Rescue
Major Medical
Hazardous Materials
Landslides, Floods, Dam Failure
Earthquake
Tsunami/Coastal Inundation
Aircraft Accident$
Transportation Accidents
Air Pollution
civil s urbances
Terrorist Act vi
TAC'l'XCAL IIAWAL, LOB UIG.LB8 :POLICI DBPU'fttD'l' JlltfllY, 11t2
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Description
Interview of Banyan Lewis, Los Angeles Police Department Commander of the Uniform Services Group, about his recollection of the civil disturbance and the role that the City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations Organization played in quelling the violence, 1992 August 6.
Asset Metadata
Core Title
Banyan Lewis, interview, 1992-08-13
Tag
OAI-PMH Harvest
Format
14 p.
(format),
application/pdf
(imt),
Interviews
(aat)
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/webster-c100-32458
Unique identifier
UC11449672
Identifier
box 20 (box),web-box20-001-01.pdf (filename),folder 1 (folder),webster-c100-32458 (legacy record id)
Legacy Identifier
web-box20-001/web-box20-001-01.pdf
Dmrecord
32458
Format
14 p. (format),application/pdf (imt),Interviews (aat)
Type
texts
Tags
Folder test
Inherited Values
Title
Los Angeles Webster Commission records, 1931-1992
Description
Chaired by former federal judge and FBI and CIA Director William H. Webster, the Los Angeles Webster Commission assessed law enforcement's performance in connection with the April, 1992 Los Angeles civil unrest. The collection consists of materials collected and studied by the Commission over the course of its investigation. Materials pertain to both the Los Angeles incident specifically, and civil disturbance, civil unrest control, and policing tactics in general.
Included in the collection are the following: interviews with LAPD officers, law enforcement personnel, government officials, community leaders, and activists; articles, broadcasts, and press releases covering the civil unrest; various tactical and contingency plans created for disasters and emergencies; reports, studies, and manuals about civil unrest control and prevention; literature about community-based policing strategies; emergency plans and procedures developed by other cities; and after-action reports issued once the civil unrest had subsided. Also featured are items related to the internal operations of the LAPD both before and during the civil unrest, including activity reports, meeting agendas and minutes, arrest data, annual reports, curricula and educational materials, and personnel rosters.
See also the finding aid (https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/2266).
See also The Los Angeles Riots: The Independent and Webster Commissions Collections (https://scalar.usc.edu/works/the-los-angeles-riots-christopher-and-webster-commissions-collections/index).
Related collections in the USC Digital Library:
? Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department, 1991 (see also the finding aid: https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/2251)
? Richard M. Mosk Christopher Commission records, 1988-2011 (see also the finding aid: https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/393)
? Kendall O. Price Los Angeles riots records, 1965-1967 (see also the finding aid: https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/979)
? Watts riots records, 1965 (see also the finding aid: https://archives.usc.edu/repositories/3/resources/83)
Thanks to generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the USC Libraries are digitizing this collection for online public access.
Coverage Temporal
1931/1992