L.A. Says Thanks

Some officers talked somberly about community policing. Others spoke gratefully of higher morale. A few even pledged to redouble their efforts to protect and to serve. As for Los Angeles Police Officer Tim McCarthy, well, he needed just two words to sum up his reaction to a citywide celebration of Police Appreciation Day: “I’m stuffed.”

And no wonder. Local merchants put on quite a feast for McCarthy and his fellow officers in the Newton and Central divisions, complete with made-to-order sushi, steaming platters of Mexican and Chinese food and several gooey cakes. All that food may have made the bulletproof vests feel just a bit snug, but no one was complaining.

“It’s a sign that the community really does care about its officers,” Officer Terry Cammack said as he headed for the dessert table. “A little kudos from time to time doesn’t hurt--especially if it comes with good food.”

Across the city, community leaders showed their appreciation for the often-beleaguered LAPD with barbecues, speeches and award certificates. They boasted of safer parks and stronger partnerships. They talked of gang-busting efforts and of midnight patrols. And, repeatedly, they said thanks.

“We really organized this to get morale up and show [the police] they have tremendous support in the community they weren’t seeing,” said Nicole Segal, co-chairwoman of a raffle and buffet for the West Los Angeles station. “Everything you read [about the LAPD] is so negative. We thought if our morale was down, theirs had to be nonexistent.”

Not exactly nonexistent, officers said, but definitely in need of a boost.

LAPD veterans said they still get thumbs-up signs, cheers and even an occasional bouquet of flowers from citizens. But they also catch more flak than they think they deserve. So they welcomed Friday’s events as a rare chance to bask in near-unanimous praise.

“Just like anybody, police officers want to be wanted,” Sgt. Arthur Holmes said as he grabbed a burger from the Chamber of Commerce’s noontime barbecue for Hollywood Division staffers. Gesturing to the buffet table--which featured 1,250 homemade cookies and trays of Korean salads--he added: “This is above and beyond the call of duty. It makes you feel like going out and doing your job that much more.”

But excessive zeal can sometimes backfire--as officers on patrol along Van Nuys and Sepulveda boulevards found out this week.

Eager to crack down on vandalism and illegally posted signs, the officers didn’t hesitate to move in when they saw Flip Smith tying something to a light pole. Under questioning, Smith admitted he was guilty--guilty, that is, of festooning the Valley with 400 blue ribbons to symbolize support for the LAPD on Police Appreciation Day. “[The officers] didn’t even know this day is for them,” said Smith, a Van Nuys businessman.

They surely do now.

Det. Rob Palmer, an eight-year veteran who works out of Hollywood, said he was cheered to see so many blue ribbons around town--not to mention such a good spread at the barbecue. “It makes you feel you must be doing something right,” Palmer said.

Some of the day’s most heartfelt salutes came from children who consider police officers bona fide heroes--and who have probably never heard of Rodney King’s beating or any of the other incidents that have tarnished the LAPD’s reputation in recent years.

In Cypress Park, students from Aragon Elementary School celebrated the day with a tour of the Northeast Division station that included an up-close inspection of a squad car and a demonstration of how officers stun bad guys with Tasers. Asked what they considered the day’s highlight, the students echoed officers who had gobbled up free food citywide.

“The best part of all,” said 10-year-old Martin Romero, “was the doughnuts.”

Times staff writer Kim Sanchez and correspondents Dade Hayes and Michael Krikorian contributed to this story.