LA Gets Gang Advice, Responds "Duh!"

Yesterday, stumping former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani stopped by Monterey Park to meet with the Governator and local law enforcement leaders to talk about how to tackle LA's now world-renown gang problem. After the meeting, Giuliani, whose reputation as a crime fighter preceeds him, said California needs to have a "coordinated effort" to battle its gangs. Oh, and that the city needs to be "more organized" than the gang bangers.

No offense, Rudy, but tell us something we don't already know. New York City's historic crime reduction deserves to be commended, but comparing the crime problems of the two cities is like comparing (big) apples and (vanished) oranges. Much of New York's crime issue was a crack and organized crime issue. That city's last rampant street gang problem was of the Ken Wahl variety. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that NYC has a police force larger than Canada's whole freakin' army.

And in case you didn't notice, the same police chief (Bratton) who spearheaded your incredible crime drop has been up to his eyeballs in it since arriving in LA, holding court over a dramatic increase in gang violence since taking the reigns. Don't get us wrong, because we'd appreciate any help in tackling what has become the greatest crisis (other than traffic) facing the city today. But how about giving some real advice? Like how to stifle the prison leadership that's calling the shots for most of these gangs? Or breaking the gang stranglehold on area public schools? Or figuring out a way to hire some more cops? Somehow, ticketing jaywalkers just doesn't seem like it's going to cut it here.