In the wake of the Palisades fire, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power officials reported two incidents to police that raised alarm at the facility.
Just after noon Wednesday, Los Angeles Police Department officials said officers were dispatched to Mulholland Drive in Beverly Crest after someone threatened a DWP officer working on a fallen utility pole.
A person in a gray Mercedes-Benz drove up to a utility worker and threatened to cause bodily harm. A DWP employee called 911 and the person left the scene by the time officers responded, police said.
On Tuesday, around 7 p.m., officers were alerted to a man possibly armed with a rifle at the John Ferraro Building, DWP’s headquarters on Hope Street downtown. No details were released about what happened during the incident.
Police searched the area and detained a man matching the description of the suspect. However, officers determined that the man was returning home with dinner and flowers for his wife.
Additional supervisors responded to the call and searched the scene, but no weapon was recovered. No arrests were made.
A DWP spokesperson said: “We can confirm that a threat has been made against an employee.” “We take any threats or incidents seriously and immediately report them to law enforcement.”
A DWP spokesperson called staff “an essential part of the city’s family” and said: “Staff are working around the clock to support the city’s response and their work is critical to that effort. ” he added.
Since the Palisades fire, DWP is one of several city and state agencies to face intense scrutiny and public criticism. The utility provides water and electric service to 4.1 million residents in LA, including the Pacific Palisades.
Late on the first night of the Palisades Fire, firefighters reported difficulty getting water from some hydrants. Utility companies say water systems have been strained by the huge demand from the wildfires, and about 20% of fire hydrants in the Palisades have lost pressure, as has happened in other regions with large fires. said.
DWP also faced criticism over the empty Santa Ynez Reservoir, located in the middle of the Palisades fire area. The reservoir was drained about a year ago for repairs to the floating cover, but it has not yet been completed.
Former DWP general manager Martin Adams told the Times that he believed the reservoir would have helped extend water pressure in the Palisades, but would not have avoided the inevitable pressure drop caused by the wildfires. spoke.
Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.
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