Sometimes when you re driving down Hollywood Boulevard early in the evening, you ll come across a movie premiere with it s accompanying searchlights reaching high into the usually overcast sky.
A more regular sight, however, are the search lights beaming down from the infamous Los Angeles Police Department s helicopters that fill the night sky.
Often living in L.A. feels like living in a war zone. A friend has often compared it to spending a night in Belfast, Northern Ireland during the 1980 s and 1990 s.
Regularly helicopters beam down their lights with accompanying loudspeaker usually blaring, This is the Los Angeles Police Department. Surrender now, or some other heartening phrase.
With L.A. s beautiful weather, I often spend time outside, eating, socializing, relaxing. It s difficult to relax, though, when you re at a backyard barbecue and the helicopters drown out your conversation. Or when your at dinner on a restaurant patio and the loudspeaker makes your companion mute.
Although crime has been on the decline for almost two decades it seems to permeate our everyday lives. Dozens of police cars arrive at every crime scene. Car chases are regular news fodder. News helicopters for all seven L.A. channels follow every possible newsworthy arrest.
One day the searchlights of the police will outshine the movie premieres.
