LAPD - West Traffic Station

If a loved one, a family member or you have been arrested by or are being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), West Traffic Division, it can create a lot of questions. Facing such a situation, one may want to know the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense if police deny an own recognizance (OR) release. It is also common to ask what evidence is needed to convict one for the crime that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime.

We at Greg Hill & Associates believe it is good to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement. It can be worthwhile to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the area’s demographics, the most common types of crimes the department investigates and just a bit about the area’s history to make one’s communication with law enforcement more meaningful, more savvy and perhaps, more respectful. This can lead to a better outcome than if one lacks such perspective.

This article is presented with this goal in mind.

The LAPD West Traffic Division is responsible for enforcement of traffic laws, investigation of traffic accidents and preventing traffic-related crimes in the Hollywood, Olympic, Pacific, West Los Angeles and Wilshire districts to ensure the smooth flow of traffic within its jurisdiction.

The LAPD West Traffic Division typically defers to the California Highway Patrol for traffic enforcement duties along the freeway in its area, as well as in certain surface streets close to the freeway. There is some overlap in traffic enforcement along such surface streets.

Such crimes can include DUI, hit and run, reckless driving and speeding, as well as such infractions as driving while using a cell phone and driving without the use of a seat belt. The traffic divisions of the LAPD (there are four for the County of Los Angeles) also often operate DUI check point stops.

What many have found, and we certainly have, is that a police officer may initiate a traffic stop for what is initially believed to be a simple traffic ticket, for example for an inoperable taillight or expired registration. However, after the stop, the officer develops a reasonable suspicion that the driver may have violated other laws or is involved in something far more serious than an infraction and so the officer requests additional officers to help him and / or prevent a problem. The seemingly low-level, routine traffic stop can then progress and change into an arrest for something very serious.

The Hollywood Division covers 17.2 square miles with the approximate borders of Normandie Avenue on the east, West Hollywood on the west, Mulholland Drive on the north and Beverly Boulevard on the south. The communities served include Hollywood, Mount Olympus, Fairfax District (North of Beverly Boulevard), Melrose District, Argyle Avenue and Los Feliz Estates. Approximately 300,00 residents reside in these areas. The Hollywood Area attracts tourists from all over the world that visit the Chinese Theater, the Hollywood Sign, the Melrose Avenue shopping district and the Hollywood Bowl.

The Pacific Division includes Venice Beach and LAX. Tourists visit this area more than any other area in the western region of the United States. This is due to LAX being one of the busiest airports in the world. The area covers 25.74 square miles in size and has over 200,000 residents. These areas include Venice Beach, Oakwood, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, Palms and Westchester.

The Wilshire Division includes an area with a population of 251,000 people and encompasses 13.97 square miles. The population swells to approximately 500,000 throughout the day due to colleges, businesses and tourists located in the Wilshire Area. The area includes the Beverly Center, CBS Studios, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Farmers' Market, hotels, the Grove Shopping Center, the La Brea Tar Pits, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Petersen Automotive Museum and the Wiltern Theater.

The West Los Angeles Division includes an area with a population over 228,000 people, however, during the day, the population swells to over 500,000 with commuters, students and businesses. The area includes 65.14 square miles and 748 street miles, bordering the cities of Beverly Hills, Culver City and Santa Monica. The area attracts many visitors to locations such as consulates, studios, malls, golf courses, UCLA, theaters, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Museum of Tolerance, the Skirball Jewish Center and the Pacific Ocean.

The LAPD West Traffic station has 116 sworn police officers and an undisclosed number of civilian support personnel assigned to it. Most cases arising in the West Traffic Division area are brought at the Airport, Santa Monica or Metropolitan Courthouses, but some are also brought at the Clara Shortridge Foltz criminal courts building (CCB) at 210 West Temple Street in downtown Los Angeles . Cases that may be filed at CCB instead of at the Airport, Santa Monica or Metropolitan Courthouses would be cases such as felony hit and run, vehicular manslaughter (for example, of a pedestrian) and felony DUI.

Our office has handled over 250 DUI cases, dozens of hit and run cases, as well as many other traffic-related offenses in our 25 plus years of practice.

For more information about being arrested and possibly facing a criminal case, please click on the following articles:

Below is the Google Map to the LAPD West Traffic Station.