1985
The Los Angeles Police Department's Underwater Dive Unit (UDU) has been in operation since 1957. It was originally assigned to the Criminal Conspiracy section, but in 1990 it was reassigned to Air Support Division. Again in 2000, it was reassigned to the Uniformed Support Division. In 2006, the UDU was moved to Metropolitan Division to increase the unit's logistical support. Department divers have participated in hundreds of recovery operations in its history and are responsible for the investigation of numerous underwater crime scenes, as well as homeland security sweeps and searches. Divers have recovered significant amounts of stolen property, weapons used in crimes, aircraft, and bodies from various underwater locations throughout the city of Los Angeles.
1986
All robbery in progress reports or robbery alarms will be treated as robberies in progress until such time as an officer is able to positively determine otherwise. Procedures are intended to reduce risk to officers, business employees, and bystanders, and to enhance the probability of making a safe apprehension while minimizing the potential for development of a hostage situation.
1986
The full-time Mounted Platoon was established in 1987 as a component of the elite Metropolitan Division and is currently composed of 35 full-time sworn police personnel consisting of 1 Lieutenant, 4 Sergeants and 30 Police Officers. City funds were allocated for the purchase of 40 horses to be used by the officers during the performance of their field duties. Also purchased through funds donated by the Ahmanson Foundation were a fleet of 8 trucks and trailers to transport the officers and their mounts to the various details, and a state-of-the-art police equestrian center appropriately named "The Ahmanson Equestrian Facility."
1987
As the LAPD's first female motorcycle cop, she pushed aside naysayers who thought a woman couldn't handle a bike. Her compensation, she recalled recently, was public support, in the form of smiles and thumbs up signals she got from surprised drivers as she zoomed by them in the smoggy Los Angeles traffic.
1990
Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates and movie actor Robert Stack will play host to next month's 20th annual Los Angeles Police-Celebrity Golf Tournament, billed as the largest celebrity-supported sports charity event in the world. Gates and Stack will join at least 80 Hollywood celebrities and sports stars at the tournament, at Rancho Park Golf Course in West Los Angeles. The event benefits the Los Angeles Police Department's Police Memorial Foundation, from which police officers and their families can receive immediate and long-range assistance in times of death, serious injury or catastrophic illness. On display will be exhibits of police equipment, including a helicopter, computer-equipped squad cars, the Bomb Squad robot, mounted unit horses and canine dogs.
1992
Chief William L. Williams worked his way up from rookie patrolman at age twenty in 1964 to become commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department in 1988. In 1992, William Williams became the fiftieth chief of the Los Angeles Police Department and the first African-American chief of the department.
1996
The best part of the holiday season is the giving, and for years Harbor Division police officers have given away toys and food to local youngsters who might otherwise see the New Year without receiving a gift. 350 families from Harbor Gateway, Harbor City, San Pedro and Wilmington communities will receive toys, food baskets, clothing and goodies bags, distributed by members of the LAPD's Community Relations Office and Harbor Area Volunteer programs. The event includes activities for the children such as a train ride through "Reindeer Forest" and pictures with Santa Claus. Christmas movies, live carolers and plenty of Christmas refreshments will be provide.