WEBVTT 1 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:26.800 Okay, I am six forty. Mister Mokelly here, it's Later with mo 2 00:00:26.960 --> 00:00:30.760 Kelly. We're live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. We got the latest on 3 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:36.119 the protests and the fallout from all around the country. We have an update 4 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:42.399 on LAUSD's pledge to protect workers. Here is the update. They're not protecting 5 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:49.479 workers. And also LA County Supervisor Catherine Barger, representing District five will join 6 00:00:49.520 --> 00:00:52.920 me. She will be calling in at the bottom of the hour as we 7 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:57.479 talk about La Metro, the City of Los Angeles and this overlap into La 8 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.520 County and what's wrong and what needs to be done to get it right. 9 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:07.439 That's Supervisor Katherine Barker at the bottom of the hour. And there's this. 10 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:14.560 Lamarada Theater for the Performing Arts has been celebrating their presentation of Jersey Boys, 11 00:01:14.599 --> 00:01:18.719 The Story of Frankie Valley in the Four Seasons. Lamarada Theater is one of 12 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:23.239 the best Broadway style houses in southern California, as reported in the Los Angeles 13 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:29.560 Times. Sunday, May twelfth is the final performance of Jersey Boys, the 14 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:34.319 Story of Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons, and we're giving away a pair 15 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:38.159 of tickets tonight tonight. It's been one of the hottest shows of the spring 16 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:42.439 and it is coming to an end. You can try to get some of 17 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:48.480 the few remaining tickets at Lamarada Theater dot com. That's theater tr dot com. 18 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:52.799 Or you could just keep listening to Later with Mo Kelly for your chance 19 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:57.959 to win that is coming up tonight. And let me circle back to the 20 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:04.760 protesters there. There will be consequences for your protests. There will be consequences 21 00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:07.599 for protesters. If you think that you're doing something right now that is not 22 00:02:07.639 --> 00:02:12.680 going to come back and bite you in the ask later on you are incorrect, 23 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:19.000 it may be suspension, it may be expulsion, and depending on your 24 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:23.400 role and behavior, may be criminal charges. Let's go to UCLA for a 25 00:02:23.400 --> 00:02:30.479 moment. UCLA they're trying to find out about the counter protesters. Specifically, 26 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:36.759 they want to know who they were, the people who are maybe throwing fireworks 27 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:39.919 into the encampment, the people who had weapons of some sort, who were 28 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:49.080 trying to engage in fights and escalation. UCLA detectives are now scanning hundreds of 29 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:54.199 images of that night in question in an attempt to identify the attackers. The 30 00:02:54.240 --> 00:03:00.840 attackers they intend to use technology that captures facial images and compare them to other 31 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:05.919 photos on the internet and social media to put names to faces. If this 32 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:13.560 sounds eerily reminiscent of what was done for the January sixth, yes, it's 33 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:17.000 exactly the same. And thank goodness, they didn't have social media when I 34 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:22.120 was in college. There was no facial recognition. There were no pictures on 35 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:29.039 social media to compare. And of course everyone in college, every single student 36 00:03:29.560 --> 00:03:32.240 has a social media profile. They do why because they have to take a 37 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:36.240 picture of everything. Look at me, I'm having lunch. Look at me, 38 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:38.000 I'm getting in the shower. Look at me, I'm going to the 39 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:42.439 park. Look at me, I'm walking my dog. There are pictures everywhere 40 00:03:42.439 --> 00:03:46.039 of you doing everything. And you know what, if January sixth is any 41 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:52.120 indication, I'm quite sure these counter protesters or protesters in general, even though 42 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:57.879 you think you're hiding your identity, you probably took pictures, You probably posted 43 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:02.879 some video somewhere, and you probably are just leaving breadcombe crumbs a Hansel and 44 00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:06.639 Gretel style right back to you, and they will be able to figure out 45 00:04:06.639 --> 00:04:11.360 that you were one of the people engaging in the illegal behavior. Again, 46 00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:18.480 there will be consequences for your protests anonymity and privacy. They are illusions. 47 00:04:18.519 --> 00:04:23.360 If you think that just because you covered your eyes and wrapped some sort of 48 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:28.360 garment around your face that no one knew who you were, you are wrong. 49 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:33.639 Why because you probably posted the video somewhere which links back to you stop 50 00:04:34.079 --> 00:04:39.040 filming your crimes. There will be consequences. If you thought that you were 51 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:44.040 just going to camp out in the center of UCLA's campus or Pomona or UCI 52 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.800 wherever, and there wouldn't be any consequences, that people wouldn't know your name, 53 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:49.600 that you wouldn't get arrested, that there wouldn't be sanctions, that you 54 00:04:49.639 --> 00:04:56.160 wouldn't be suspended, you wouldn't be expelled. Well, you would be wrong. 55 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:00.560 And Yere's the thing I have been consistent. I may not agree with 56 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:08.439 the reasons for somebody's protests, but my stance regarding protests had never changed. 57 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:15.319 If you were willing to accept the consequences of your protest, then okay, 58 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.800 going back to Colin Kaepernick. If you're willing to end your career, so 59 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:23.000 be it. If you're willing to risk losing your job, so be it. 60 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:26.399 If you feel that strongly. Then do what you need to do within 61 00:05:26.759 --> 00:05:29.439 legal reason. I don't want you to do anything which is going to bring 62 00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:34.720 harm to someone's property or someone's person. But if you're willing to suffer the 63 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:40.720 consequences, then go right ahead. And the consequences here for these protests, 64 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:47.480 like it or not, will probably include suspension, expulsion, and possibly incarceration. 65 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:51.680 It's later with mo Kelly KFI AM six forty. We're live everywhere on 66 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:59.439 the iHeartRadio app psych. If you thought LAUSD was going to actually protect people's 67 00:05:59.560 --> 00:06:02.839 jobs in education, you would be wrong. You fell for it. Let's 68 00:06:02.839 --> 00:06:08.399 see if they'll fall forward again. You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on 69 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.399 demand from KFI AM six forty. And if you didn't know, I am 70 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:18.920 the son of two music educators and general educators. My mother taught vocal music 71 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:25.759 and also English, a father taught instrumental music and other subjects. I am 72 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:31.480 pro education, without exception, without apology. At this point, what I 73 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:38.519 see going on in LAUSD and around the country more generally, but specifically, 74 00:06:38.560 --> 00:06:44.079 what I see going on in LAUSD, I cannot in good conscience recommend to 75 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:46.839 a young person, Hey, you ought to go into education. You ought 76 00:06:46.839 --> 00:06:53.199 to become a teacher, because the way I see how teachers and educators and 77 00:06:53.639 --> 00:07:02.040 those people in professions associated with educations, school workers is abominable. And every 78 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:08.439 single year I hear story after story of teachers having to pay for their own 79 00:07:08.439 --> 00:07:13.720 supplies, having to do for themselves, not making enough money given usually they 80 00:07:13.720 --> 00:07:18.079 have advanced degrees, they have master's degrees, they have teachers credentials, and 81 00:07:19.079 --> 00:07:27.920 we as a society, as a state LAUSD, don't respect the contributions of 82 00:07:28.560 --> 00:07:33.439 educators. We go round and round about whether they're being paid enough, whether 83 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:40.480 there are enough teachers for a certain number of students. Classes are overcrowded, 84 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:46.040 they don't have enough one on one attention. The books are inferior. The 85 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:51.360 textbooks are inferior, the facilities and supplies are inferior. It's the same discussion 86 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:58.600 again and again and again. And there was this huge street rally yesterday during 87 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:03.319 the LA Board of Education meeting, school union leaders spoke out against expected budget 88 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:09.319 cuts again, budget cuts that are already affecting decisions at individual schools, where 89 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:15.399 administrators are making plans that will likely cut employee hours or student programs. We 90 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:22.920 keep having the same discussion, why is there never money or enough money set 91 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:28.959 aside for the education of our children and the people who are entrusted with educating 92 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.039 them. Why is this always an issue. We've already had the discussion of 93 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:37.279 what happened to the state lottery. Why that isn't enough? We know that 94 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:46.759 California lags behind most of the country in quality of education on the secondary school 95 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:52.919 level. What is it that has to happen before we make the connection between 96 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:58.320 quality of education and quality of society. There's a correlation, there's a causal 97 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:05.200 relationlationship. A better educated society, better society, better educated society, or 98 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:15.080 more well to do, better financial outcomes, better job prospects. All these 99 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:20.080 things are connected. And we wonder why La City, La County may be 100 00:09:20.200 --> 00:09:24.320 going to hell in a handbasket, and we never stop and think, hmm, 101 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:31.519 what about education? What role does education play in that scenario? How 102 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:37.720 much of a variable is that? And I admit I have not been in 103 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:41.480 school for a number of years. I did work as a tutor for a 104 00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:48.559 number of years in I'll say in the past ten fifteen years for another number 105 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:52.480 of charter schools and magnets, But I have not been in the educational system 106 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:56.559 for quite some time. I can't tell you exactly what it is like, 107 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:05.600 but I can read the thing, the statistics of how unfairly teachers are treated, 108 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:09.440 how poorly teachers are paid. And I remember when we were going through 109 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:16.679 the strikes, how these promises were made about how teachers were going to be 110 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:20.639 paid and they were going to be protecting jobs. And I look at LAUSD's 111 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:26.519 cravallo. He doesn't seem to remember a lot of those promises made. He 112 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:30.919 says, quote, there are over one hundred and ten districts right now that 113 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:37.960 are facing teacher layoffs, layoffs, layoffs. He says, this is not 114 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:43.480 a scare tactic. This is what we know. LA School officials have projected 115 00:10:43.679 --> 00:10:48.720 general fund revenue for next year of nine point one four billion. Spending for 116 00:10:48.799 --> 00:10:54.320 next year is estimated at ten point eight nine billion. The district cannot sustain 117 00:10:54.480 --> 00:11:01.240 such a deficit indefinitely, according to officials, Well, we need to make 118 00:11:01.799 --> 00:11:07.200 a decision whether we're going to increase the revenue or we're going to cut things 119 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:13.799 which are not connected to the educational component. Because we always talk about there's 120 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:20.559 never enough money for more teachers, there's never enough money for better salaries for 121 00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:26.840 teachers. There's never ever enough for the bare minimum for our kids. I 122 00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:31.919 cannot, in good conscience recommend anyone who has gone through the trouble of going 123 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:37.159 to undergraduate and getting a graduate degree and a teaching credential. I cannot, 124 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:43.960 in good conscience recommend them becoming a teacher in today's workplace. I just I 125 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:46.240 can't. I can't. And I look at you, to Waller Sharp, 126 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:48.519 and you are an administrator, as at a school, you are much more 127 00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:54.879 closely connected to these issues. You know what teachers are needing every single day. 128 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:01.519 You know what they're wanting, what they're lacking. The same story every 129 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:03.639 day, every week, every month, every year. It's the same thing. 130 00:12:05.360 --> 00:12:09.480 And at no point do I feel as if the State of California or 131 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:18.399 LAUSD has made the affirmative promise to change. Since the end of the strike, 132 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:20.519 one thing that we've noticed, especially with a lot of our pair of 133 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:26.559 professionals who are trying to enter the teaching field, is that once they made 134 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:31.240 all these promises, they made it damn near impossible to get your credentials. 135 00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:35.720 All of the things that you must now have to become a credentialed sub a 136 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:39.240 credential teacher are now that much further out of reach for people who are or 137 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:43.399 otherwise qualified. We have one pair of professional who was sharing with us today 138 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:50.840 that she actually left the field of teaching in kindergarten because they were not only 139 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:54.399 were not paying enough as a teacher, but every single craft, every single 140 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:58.639 idea that she wanted to come up with, had to come out of her 141 00:12:58.679 --> 00:13:03.559 own pocket. Said, now y'all go back to being a paraprofessional where you 142 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:05.320 all at your school. You not only pay more, but there is more 143 00:13:05.320 --> 00:13:11.840 creative input and there is more developmental guidance within what we do. Every single 144 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:15.600 teacher I work with, they're like, I have to get a second job 145 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:20.039 because teaching alone isn't enough. People I know in LAUSD who used to teach 146 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:22.559 dropped out and said I can't hack it. Not only just the bad kids, 147 00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:28.679 but just the bad treatment of teachers. Well, and more good news. 148 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:33.120 We'll be joined next segment by La County Supervisor Catherine Barger, who will 149 00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:39.480 give us her state of LA and La County. But before she joins us 150 00:13:39.519 --> 00:13:43.120 on the line, got to remind you. Lamarade Theater for the Performing Arts 151 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:46.039 has been celebrating their presentation of Jersey Boys. The Story of Frankie Valley and 152 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:50.440 the Four Seasons. Lamarade Theater is one of the best Broadway style houses in 153 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:54.399 southern California, as reported in the La Times Sunday, This Sunday, Bay 154 00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:58.120 twelve is the final performance of Jersey Boys, the Story of Frankie Valley and 155 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:01.919 the Four Seasons. And we're giving away a pair of tickets tonight, Not 156 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:05.279 right now, but sometime tonight. You better keep listening. In fact, 157 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:07.639 it's one of the hottest shows of the spring, and it's coming to an 158 00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:13.559 end unfortunately, but you can get a pair of tickets tonight here on later 159 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:18.639 with mo Kelly later on this evening. But up next is La County Supervisor 160 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:28.399 Catherine Barger, representing District five. That's next when mo Kelly one Kay five 161 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:35.840 six FI. We are live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app. Catherine Barger is 162 00:14:35.840 --> 00:14:41.639 the La County Supervisor representing the fifth District. The fifth District covers Ventura Kerrent 163 00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:46.480 in San Bernardino County lines and includes portions of twenty cities, sixty three unincorporated 164 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:50.320 communities, and fifteen neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles. It is my 165 00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:54.879 pleasure to welcome Supervisor Barger to later with mo Kelly. Supervisor Barger, A 166 00:14:54.919 --> 00:14:58.159 pleasure to speak with you this evening. How are you. I am great. 167 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:01.840 It's great to be with this evening as well. It's difficult to separate 168 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:05.799 the fortunes of Los Angeles, the city from Los Angeles to county. Just 169 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:09.399 about every issue which plagues the city of La plagues the county from crime, 170 00:15:09.799 --> 00:15:15.200 homelessness, to illegal immigration and more. From where you sit, what is 171 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.360 at the top of the list of what's staring La County in the face and 172 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:24.320 must be addressed. Well, obviously you know the whole issue surrounding the homeless 173 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:28.000 population. And I've said this and I believe that we're not going to build 174 00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:33.120 our way out of what's going on unless we address the mental health crisis on 175 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:37.440 our streets as well as the drug abuse that's taking place. And we're seeing 176 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:41.919 it firsthand, not only with what's going on at the metro with the increased 177 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:46.600 violence, but also what we're seeing happening on our streets that those that are 178 00:15:48.679 --> 00:15:54.240 acting out and I've been told antedotally and I believe it that meth combined with 179 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:58.399 mental health, you see a lot of aggression and a lot of paranoia facing 180 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:03.000 individual on our streets. Yes, there is a lot of overlap with these 181 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:06.799 issues when we talk about crime, homelessness, and mental health. But you 182 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:08.519 mentioned Metro, so let me go there. Days ago, I saw that 183 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:12.919 you spoke out regarding the state of Metro, how you wouldn't feel safe writing 184 00:16:14.039 --> 00:16:17.720 it, solo, I said, when I read your remarks, if Supervisor 185 00:16:17.799 --> 00:16:22.000 Barker is saying this publicly, I can only imagine what she's been saying privately. 186 00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:23.480 Let me put it in my terms, what the hell is going on 187 00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:29.279 with Metro On the administrative side, Hey, I said it last year. 188 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:36.679 I've been very public with my concerns about the fact that this board needs to 189 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:41.960 take action as it relates to safety of our passengers and also the people that 190 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:45.679 work there. This has been like a pot of water on a stove that 191 00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:52.159 has been simmering and now is boiling over. We are seeing on our buses, 192 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:59.320 on our light rails, on our subways, individuals that are attacking and 193 00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:04.960 in one case murdering somebody, an innocent bystander that was merely taking the Metro 194 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:11.240 home. And then yesterday, a couple of days ago, a transit officer 195 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:17.720 was attacked and ended up killing They ended up killing an individual that was aggressive. 196 00:17:17.799 --> 00:17:23.960 So I mean this is as a result of wanting to take the public 197 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:30.480 safety side out, put ambassadors in, and when I talked to our ambassadors, 198 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:34.160 they say the one tool they need is public safety in order for them 199 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:40.000 to do their job. There's a political aspect to this. I heard Eli 200 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:45.440 Mayor Bass say recently when she was giving her public budget proposal that La Metro 201 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:49.200 is safe. Why is it? How is it? She's making those public 202 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:53.519 statements and they are in stark contrast to what our own I see what you've 203 00:17:53.640 --> 00:17:57.319 seen and what you've said. I have the utmost respect for the mayor. 204 00:17:57.400 --> 00:18:00.839 But when I look at the stats there were one hundred and sixty assaults on 205 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:07.279 our public trans operators in twenty twenty three and over seventy percent increase in the 206 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:12.119 number of assaults committed in twenty nineteen, it tells me that it is getting 207 00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:18.039 worse. It is not a simple matter. Security services are provided by a 208 00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:22.319 complicated web of agencies. We've got, you know, our transit security officers, 209 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:26.119 We've got the Sheriff's Apartment, LAPD and Long Beach. But there is 210 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:32.319 no question in my mind perception becomes reality, and I personally have had an 211 00:18:32.359 --> 00:18:37.480 experience at one of our garages that truly scared me to death, and I 212 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:41.160 bought it up at the Metro meeting. I will continue to voice my concerns. 213 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.960 I believe we need to let law enforcement dictate what is needed to keep 214 00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:52.079 our transit system safe instead of instead of us telling them what they need to 215 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:56.400 do or what they cannot do, which I believe is in start contrast to 216 00:18:56.440 --> 00:19:00.359 what needs to be done the issues of the Metro apart and parcel of the 217 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:03.119 larger issues in Los Angeles. In Los Angeles County, we have the World 218 00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:06.880 Cup, NBA All Star Game, the Olympics, all on their way to 219 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:11.160 Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. I mentioned Mayor Bass, she's the chair 220 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:14.440 of the Metro Board of Directors. She's made it clear that she wants LA 221 00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:17.759 and the Metro to be ready to meet the moment. You said we need 222 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:22.160 law enforcement to dictate what they need to make our public transportation safe. I 223 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:26.880 would ask this question, humbly, what is it we don't know at this 224 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:30.359 point which would make it safe. In other words, let me be flippant 225 00:19:30.359 --> 00:19:33.839 for a second. I could respectfully we have Metro ambassadors, but it doesn't 226 00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:40.119 seem like Metro ambassadors are the problem or even approaching the solution. So why 227 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.440 is it we keep nibbling around the edges. That's not being flippant, that 228 00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:48.640 that is a fact, that that is true. The ambassadors serve a purpose, 229 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:52.480 but safety is not their purpose. And you know, let me be 230 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:56.039 clear, we are not going to be able to arrest our way out of 231 00:19:56.079 --> 00:20:00.640 the safety crisis. But there are things that we are are doing and the 232 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:03.680 mayor has been supportive and in fact, when I brought into motion a couple 233 00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:07.039 of weeks ago at Metro, she supported it. And that is you know, 234 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:11.640 fairgate hardening. Right now, we have a porse system where anyone can 235 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:18.200 walk on and that's both on our heavy and light rail stations, and implement 236 00:20:18.559 --> 00:20:22.960 latching fair gates upon exit right now, again people can come in and out. 237 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:30.000 There is no way to stop individuals and that are not paying the fairs 238 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:33.480 to get on our Metro and are living on the Metro. And let me 239 00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:37.440 be clear, not all criminals are ferravadors, but what we're seeing is the 240 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:42.480 far evators are committing the crimes. So we need to address the fact that 241 00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:48.640 people getting on our system are not paying and they are opportunists in some cases 242 00:20:48.680 --> 00:20:52.599 where they are robbing people. But there are also those that are unhoused homeless 243 00:20:52.960 --> 00:21:00.480 that are getting on our train and are having psychotic episodes that are impactings. 244 00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:03.759 Supervisor Barker, could you make it clear for me, I know the most 245 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:11.039 recent incident and involved a Metro security either contract employee or security employee. What 246 00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:17.119 type of security does Metro employ presently, so it's a blend. We've got 247 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:21.440 the transit security officers which are armed and that was the case that I mentioned 248 00:21:21.559 --> 00:21:26.640 the most recent case where an individual attacked and in the end with shot. 249 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:30.880 We have Transit Ambassadors which are unarmed and they are the ones that are in 250 00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:33.720 green shirts that typically will kind of help direct you to where you're going. 251 00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:41.440 We also have the Sheriff's Department LAPD and Long Beach who are doing a phenomenal 252 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:47.519 job under the circumstances. And Metro has outsourced security to these three agencies for 253 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:52.119 over thirty years, so we know what they can do, but it makes 254 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:59.920 accountability difficult. It's a very blended system. So I'm looking to our CEO 255 00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:07.400 working with the fifty personnel over at Metro to bring us a plan that makes 256 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:11.799 sense and is going to in fact for tech not only our employees, but 257 00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:15.119 also the writers that, by the way, have no choice. I mean 258 00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:17.759 I have a choice whether to get in my car or not. There are 259 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:22.960 individuals that are transit dependent that have no choice. I mean Murda. Murda 260 00:22:22.039 --> 00:22:26.400 who was murdered. The sixty seven year old grandmother that was stabbed in the 261 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:32.480 throat had no choice. She was coming off of work early morning and dependent 262 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:36.319 upon our transit system to get her home. If you're just tuning in, 263 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:40.720 my guest right now is La County Supervisor Catherine Barker, who represents the fifth 264 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:42.400 District. We'll have more in just a moment. Keep it right here. 265 00:22:42.440 --> 00:22:48.160 It's Later with mo Kelly. You're listening to Later with Moe Kelly on demand 266 00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:52.799 from KFI AM six forty. On the line with me is my guest, 267 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:57.559 Supervisor Catherine Barger, who represents the fifth District of Los Angeles County. And 268 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:03.839 Supervisor Barger our feelings and facts. Then people will use facts and statistics to 269 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:07.599 represent or misrepresent the state of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. I hear 270 00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:12.799 conflicting information about crime is down depending on if his violent crime versus property crime. 271 00:23:14.160 --> 00:23:15.599 Let me move all that out of the way. You are someone who 272 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:22.359 is inside Los Angeles County that matrix. What is the state of Los Angeles 273 00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:25.759 County as it relates to crime? Are we moving in a worse direction or 274 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:30.480 a positive direction? You know, I truly do believe the pendulum is swinging 275 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:37.960 back toward understanding that that law enforcement is a vital component to keeping our community 276 00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:42.759 safe. So I'm seeing Sheriff Luna, I'm seeing you know, the new 277 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:49.039 cheap over, the acting chief at LAPD recognizing that quality of life begins with 278 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:56.920 public safety. So I do have hope, but make no mistake if we 279 00:23:56.000 --> 00:24:00.960 do not invest in the mental health and recognize is that we don't have the 280 00:24:00.039 --> 00:24:04.640 capacity to hospitalize individuals that need it right now. We need to build an 281 00:24:04.759 --> 00:24:08.720 infrastructure that is going to address what's plaguing us right now, and that is 282 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:12.240 the lack of mental health services to get these people to help they need. 283 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:17.720 And then also substance abuse treatment. I mean, I truly do believe that 284 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:23.640 that decriminalizing substance abuse use has created this problem. And it didn't happen overnight. 285 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:27.559 It did not happen overnight. This has been slowly, slowly percolating up 286 00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:33.039 and now we are seeing it hit the streets and hit the quality of life 287 00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:37.119 of each and every one of us that can't walk their child to school, 288 00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:41.119 can't get our public transit system. You know, it is in fear of 289 00:24:41.680 --> 00:24:45.319 being being out late. I don't like driving late at night because you know, 290 00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:48.000 I wonder if someone next to me going to shoot. I mean, 291 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:52.119 this is not the society that I grew up in, nor is it something 292 00:24:52.200 --> 00:24:57.119 that I'm going to tolerate. You've mentioned mental health and substance abuse more than 293 00:24:57.160 --> 00:25:02.599 once, but that is directly connected to the homelessness issue. That is something 294 00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:07.319 which is also often discussed. But it doesn't seem like eyeball tests that we're 295 00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:11.599 making any headway. Are we making any headway? We are, but not 296 00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:15.519 to the level that I believe is satisfactory. I mean, if you look 297 00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:19.920 at if you ask people how they identify the homeless on the street, they're 298 00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:22.440 going to say those are the most disruptive. Those are the ones that we 299 00:25:22.720 --> 00:25:26.960 have to provide the services for, and many of them is going to be 300 00:25:26.039 --> 00:25:30.279 involuntary. I mean, they do not want it involuntary. They do not 301 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:34.000 want it, but the reality is they need it, and it's a danger 302 00:25:34.599 --> 00:25:38.400 to themselves and it's a danger to others. And I use that criteria as 303 00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:45.079 it relates to the gravely disabled. We need to build a system that is 304 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:48.680 going to keep them out of our jails, which right now seventy percent of 305 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:52.440 the people in our jails are suffering from some sort of mental illness. I 306 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:56.960 don't want to criminalize the people that want to keep the status quo are criminalizing 307 00:25:56.440 --> 00:26:03.160 the very people that they say need need understanding and help. So my goal, 308 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:04.880 and I'm going to continue to fight for it, is to build a 309 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:11.599 mental health infrastructure within LA County, working with our federal partners, because we 310 00:26:11.720 --> 00:26:15.880 need a federal waiver in order to build that capacity in our hospitals and building 311 00:26:15.880 --> 00:26:19.119 infrastructure that's going to support what's needed. Right now, before I let you 312 00:26:19.160 --> 00:26:22.640 go to Supervisor Barker, thank you for the spending this time with me this 313 00:26:22.839 --> 00:26:26.359 evening. I made the point on my show a few days ago that not 314 00:26:26.559 --> 00:26:30.559 only has society in a violence and criminality sense, change, I think we 315 00:26:32.119 --> 00:26:36.440 as citizens have changed. I make note of the fight which was caught on 316 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:41.519 video between the LA Dash bus operator and a homeless person tying all these things 317 00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:45.960 together. And I was amazed and also disappointed and disenchanted with how no one 318 00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:49.160 tried to intervene, no one tried to help. I think that there's something 319 00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:52.440 that we have we've lost in our community. You said that this city is 320 00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:56.359 not what it once was, or this county is not what it once was. 321 00:26:56.680 --> 00:27:02.000 I also wonder have we as people and sit and read changed and abrogated 322 00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:06.200 our responsibility to our fellow man and woman. So I have two responses to 323 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:08.599 that number. One twenty years ago, if I saw someone laying on a 324 00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:12.240 sidewalk, I've called nine. When one now as a common occurrence, people 325 00:27:12.359 --> 00:27:15.319 walk by and don't even think twice about it. So that tells me that 326 00:27:15.359 --> 00:27:18.920 we've become desensitized to that. But on the ladder, when you talk about 327 00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:23.200 people not getting involved, far too often you hear about a good smart and 328 00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:29.079 getting involved and ending up costing his or her life. I get it because 329 00:27:29.079 --> 00:27:32.440 I'm one of these people that likes to jump into action and think I can 330 00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:36.480 save the world. I take a step back now because I recognize that you 331 00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:40.599 don't know what's going on with that individual, and you could be the victim. 332 00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:42.880 It's important to call nine when one. It's important for us to work 333 00:27:42.920 --> 00:27:48.799 with our law enforcement officers to make sure they have the support and the number 334 00:27:48.839 --> 00:27:52.720 of people they need on the streets in order to protect us. But that 335 00:27:53.000 --> 00:27:56.319 I think is playing more in the role of people's fear about the fact that 336 00:27:56.440 --> 00:28:00.160 getting involved could cost them in their lives. And we've seen that. How 337 00:28:00.200 --> 00:28:03.680 many times do you turn on the news and heard about a vit smarton that 338 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:07.960 was trying to help somebody and ended up being the victim. So you know, 339 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:11.359 it's a slippery slope, and I give grace to those that are there. 340 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:14.920 I mean, I know I would want to jump into action. That's 341 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:19.920 just in my DNA, And you know, I think twice now, Supervisor 342 00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:25.319 Barger, is there any good news that you'd like to report? There is 343 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:27.400 good news. The good news is that I got reelected for four more years 344 00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:33.160 and I'm not going to let down my voters that expect me to be a 345 00:28:33.240 --> 00:28:38.039 voice of reason, common sense and to continue to fight to make sure that 346 00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:42.440 we have a system not only at Metro but also within the county. Because 347 00:28:42.440 --> 00:28:45.759 as a Metro board member, my job is to make sure we have a 348 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:48.440 state transit system. But as an LA County Board of Supervisor member, my 349 00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:52.079 job is to make sure that our mental health system is in fact operating to 350 00:28:52.119 --> 00:28:56.200 the degree that needs to and that people are getting the services that they need. 351 00:28:56.799 --> 00:29:00.880 Supervisor Catherine Barger is the LA County Supervisor representation in the fifth district. 352 00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:03.400 This was our first conversation and Supervisor Barker, I sure hope it's not our 353 00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:07.759 last. Thank you for opening this line of communication, and let's stay in 354 00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:11.519 contact and make the city and also county better than what it presently is. 355 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:15.880 You got it. I look forward to many more conversation with you to solve 356 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:19.319 all the world's problems. Amen to that. It's later with Mo Kelly CAF. 357 00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:25.319 I am six forty. We're live everywhere on the iHeartRadio app, phone, 358 00:29:25.559 --> 00:29:29.400 car radio, smart toaster. We don't care how you listen, just 359 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:34.880 that you do KF I'm KOST HD two Los Angeles, Orange County, live 360 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:37.359 everywhere on the d