Boston Marathon blasts prompt LAPD to beef up sports-event security
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Monday his department will increase officer deployments at sporting events in response to explosions that killed at least two and injured nearly two dozen others at the Boston Marathon.
Beginning with the Dodgers-San Diego Padres baseball game Monday evening, Beck said the additional police presence would include deployment of bomb-squad personnel, dogs and other “precautions geared to preventing a similar event.”
“We will be increasing deployment at all scheduled sporting events in the near future,” Beck said. “I’ve already been in contact with the Dodgers about this.”
PHOTOS: Explosions at Boston Marathon
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said it, too, would step up patrols.
“While the cause of the explosions this morning at the Boston Marathon are still under investigation, our vigilance has been raised,” Sheriff Lee Baca said in a statement.
“The heightened alert of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department includes increased patrols to create a more visible presence where people congregate, such as government buildings, shopping centers, athletic events, and public transit,” he added.
Beck said the LAPD’s thoughts and hearts go out to all the victims, their families and the Boston Police Department.
He said an officer from the LAPD’s victorious Baker-to-Las Vegas women’s running team completed the Boston Marathon and was safe. But he said other people from Los Angeles could have well been among those participating or present to watch the contest, but he had not been contacted about any injuries or deaths related to the incident.
The LAPD had planned to increase the number of officers at the Dodgers-Padres game anyway, anticipating it would draw more people after a brawl last week in San Diego left Dodgers pitcher Zach Greinke injured.
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