President-elect Donald Trump's star on the Walk of Fame has a new lease on life after an attention-seeking vandal destroyed it last month, making it possibly a ripe target for more vandalism as his inauguration soon approaches.Before James Otis was charged with felony vandalism last week for taking a pickaxe and sledgehammer to the star, Otis announced that he wanted to sue the president-elect over the star because it is a strain on civic resources from the undue attention it draws. "[It's] costing the city money," he said without any hint of self-awareness. TMZ is now reporting that the LAPD have beefed up their patrols in the area in order to give Trump's star "Secret Service-like protection," including "2 officers on foot patrol in the area 24/7."
However, the area around Hollywood and Highland is already one of the most crowded areas in Los Angeles due to the heavy tourist presence, and the LAPD says they already have officers in the area 24/7. "We have foot beats there on a daily basis that patrol that area," Officer Irma Mota told LAist, refuting the TMZ report. "But they're not standing by it and giving it additional security."
"The police have a regular presence at the Hollywood & Highland location due to heavy tourist traffic," Ana Martinez, producer for the Hollywood Walk of Fame, told LAist in an email. "No special requests have been made in regards to security."
When asked for comment, Dustin DeRollo, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Protection League (the LAPD's union), told LAist that he had not seen the report, but acknowledged that it would be further strain on what they say is an understaffed LAPD, who were "overwhelmed" by the anti-Donald Trump protests.
The TMZ report also mentions that private security in the area will be more vigilant at the star and that a security camera will now be fixed on the star. Not quite "Secret Service-like," but reasonable.
