LAPD to file suit against UCLA fraternities

LAPD to file suit against UCLA fraternities

Police cite assault, nuisance as cause for legal actions

By Phillip Carter

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

Citing the "civil disturbances" of the past seven days, a Los
Angeles Police Dept. officer said in an interview yesterday that
the department is planning a civil lawsuit against several
fraternities on UCLA’s fraternity row, possibly seeking those
houses’ closure.

"After this last weekend, it looks like we’re going to have a
continuing problem," said Capt. Robert Kurth, the commander of the
LAPD West Los Angeles division. "If we have to go in to start
shutting frat houses down because they’re a nuisance to the
community, that’s exactly what we are going to do."

Responding to the possible police lawsuit, Inter-Fraternity
Council President Mike Chao said he has not received word from
either the LAPD or UCLA police about this action, adding that he
felt such an action was not fair or justified.

"There were many students on Monday who celebrated UCLA’s
basketball championship ­ it was not localized only at the
fraternities; the celebration was mostly in Westwood," Chao said.
"The celebration at the fraternities was simply an extension of
that, and it’s interesting that they hold the fraternities
responsible for the problems on Monday."

Chao added that he planned to officially look into the LAPD’s
allegations and fraternity members’ actions in detail.

"UCLA’s Inter-Fraternity Council is going to conduct an
investigation to see if there are individuals from fraternities
involved in Monday’s activities as well as any activities this
weekend," he said.

Kurth said that he had a meeting today with the officers working
on the Westwood incident case, and would be meeting with the L.A.
city attorney’s office regarding the matter.

Though Kurth said the fraternity houses were "where every
problem was over the weekend," he also said these types of actions
might be pursued against apartment owners in Westwood.

"If it’s an apartment building, it’s the same thing ­ the
owner or the one who’s responsible for that property is the one
who’s responsible for ensuring that it is kept orderly and that
people comply with the law (while on it)," said Kurth, who added
that the problematic apartments were the ones which would be closed
by court order.

In order for a building to be closed down, City Attorney
spokesman Mike Qualls said a nuisance-abatement lawsuit has to be
filed in L.A. County Superior Court, either by the city attorney or
an individual. If the suit is successful, the court will order the
building’s occupants to follow certain rules or face
punishment.

Qualls added that if the occupants disobey the court-ordered
rules, they can be evicted, put in jail, fined or have their
building forcibly closed by police.

Neither the City Attorney nor Mayor Richard Riordan’s office
said they would offer comment on the matter because of the nature
of the ongoing LAPD investigation. An official spokesman for the
LAPD also declined to offer comment.

"As a matter of policy, the department does not discuss issues
that may involve litigation at any time soon," LAPD Officer Rigo
Romero said.

UCLA spokeswoman Kay Cooperman also declined to comment on the
matter, saying that though the university recognized fraternities,
UCLA did not have an official stake in this matter.

The LAPD lawsuit comes as part of their investigation into the
block-party turned civil-disturbance in Westwood last Monday after
UCLA’s basketball championship victory, and similar incidents
during successive evenings.

The Monday night celebration took more than 200 LAPD officers in
full riot gear to quell, and resulted in 15 arrests, according to
LAPD Commander Tim McBride. Police used batons, tear gas and rubber
bullets to drive the crowd of 5,000 to 8,000 Bruins out of the
village the evening of UCLA’s victory in Seattle.

Last weekend, LAPD officers were also called in Friday and
Saturday nights in the Westwood apartment area, after receiving
numerous noise complaints.

In addition to seeking to restrain several buildings’ occupants
from excessive noise, LAPD detectives are also using videotapes of
the melees to identify and locate people who assaulted officers.
Kurth said several people have already been identified from the
videotapes and the tapes were now being used by the UCLA police
department to find more.

"We’re pursuing these students with felony charges," he
said.

Kurth added that the LAPD wanted to work with UCLA students to
educate them about what they can and can’t do, and said that he had
tried this week to get in contact with Chancellor Charles Young’s
office, to no avail.

However, Kurth said the department plans to meet with as many
campus groups as possible in the coming weeks to deter future civil
disturbances.

"No one is against them having a good time, and we definitely
want them to pursue their formal education," Kurth said. "But we
want them to do it according to the laws of the state of
California."