PARKS REVAMPING EX-BUNCO-FORGERY DIVISION AT LAPD; UNIT GETTING NEW DETECTIVES.Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer Buoyed by the reduction in violent crime in Los Angeles Crime in Los Angeles has been a major problem in Southern California and concern for Angeleno residents since the early 20th Century. Crime has steadily decreased since the 1990's but since 2006, crime has increased. , Police Chief Bernard Parks said Tuesday that he has reorganized re·or·gan·ize v. re·or·gan·ized, re·or·gan·iz·ing, re·or·gan·iz·es v.tr. To organize again or anew. v.intr. To undergo or effect changes in organization. the LAPD's old Bunco-Forgery Division to step up enforcement on white-collar crimes white-collar crime, term coined by Edward Sutherland for nonviolent crimes committed by corporations or individuals such as office workers or sales personnel (see white-collar workers) in the course of their business activities. . Renamed the Financial Crimes Division to better reflect the nature of its targeted crimes, the unit will get additional detectives as it gears up to go after white-collar criminals with new expertise and focus, Parks told the Police Commission during a briefing Tuesday. ``We are trying to pay more attention to issues that impact the business community,'' Parks told the commission. Commission President Edith Perez agreed that the new emphasis is justified. ``As violent crimes are going down, it seems to be these crimes are going to be the crimes that are going to increase,'' Perez said. A 1996 report by the LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. found that $19 million was stolen that year through the use of worthless documents. That year there were 838 embezzlement embezzlement, wrongful use, for one's own selfish ends, of the property of another when that property has been legally entrusted to one. Such an act was not larceny at common law because larceny was committed only when property was acquired by a "felonious taking," i. and fraud cases and 1,698 forgery forgery, in art forgery, in art, the false claim to authenticity for a work of art. The Nature of Forgery Because the provenance of works of art is seldom clear and because their origin is often judged by means of subtle factors, art and counterfeit crimes. Capt. Marlin Warkentin, who heads the new unit, said many white-collar crimes are decreasing, although not as much as violent crime. The Bunco-Forgery Division was formed more than 50 years ago to mostly handle ``street bunco and con games con game n. Slang A confidence game. Noun 1. con game - a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property ,'' Warkentin said, but added that financial crimes now often involve sophisticated computer fraud and more obscure laws, such as those governing trademarks. One crime to be targeted with more and specialized detectives is trademark infringement Trademark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attaching to a trademark without the authorization of the trademark owner or any licensees (provided that such authorization was within the scope of the license). in which counterfeit products are made using brand names and bootlegged and unauthorized copies of CDs, films and tapes. Warkentin said the crime is costing manufacturers $200 billion annually in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . ``This is a tremendous illegal business,'' Warkentin told the commission. ``We're becoming much more aggressive with that.'' Where tracking down such crimes was largely left to security firms for the victim corporations in the past, Warkentin said he plans to assign newly trained detectives to specialize in instigating more police investigations of trademark infringement in the future. ``It's our intent to work with the security industry to learn more about these issues,'' Parks said. Commissioner Dean Hansell said the new unit is essential for Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . ``I think the work you are doing is important, with L.A. being the home of both the entertainment industry and the apparel industry,'' Hansell said. In addition, Warkentin said he is building a stronger unit to tackle financial crimes using computers, such as fraud. Another section will handle major fraud cases, which often involve large amounts of money and require time-consuming paper chases by detectives. The unit also will continue to investigate financial crimes against the elderly, crimes often committed by caregivers. Parks said the 100-detective division will get as many as six new detectives this year and he hopes to get up to 20 more in the next budget. The business community would welcome more help from the LAPD in reducing financial crimes, said Nancy Hoffman, executive director of the Van Nuys Chamber of Commerce. ``Obviously, if we could get more officers to help us it would be advantageous,'' Hoffman said. |
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