Candidate for
Council Member; City of Los Angeles; District 8

The issue of public safety is a difficult one for most city officials... but not for Bernard Parks! His experience as an L.A.P.D. officer, Chief and an F.B.I graduate makes him well suited to handle what he calls, "The most important issue facing our city today: public safety".

Parks highlights public safety because it doesn't just involve crime. It also involves other aspects of city life. "When there's a drop-off in public safety", he says, "we aren't comfortable walking the streets and business people aren't comfortable bringing their stores into the community." Parks adds, "A poor public safety agenda not only leads to a loss of countless lives. It also leads to a loss of economic opportunities."

The Parks Plan "Prevention, Intervention, Education..."

A big part of Parks' stance on public safety centers on providing the best learning and living environment possible for children... and intervening, when necessary, to prevent today's bright-eyed youths from becoming tomorrow's troubled young adults.

If it means donating dozens of dictionaries to Crenshaw High School... he's done it! If it means supporting Measure L, his initiative to secure funding for libraries... he's done that too! No deed is too big or too small, when it comes to the Parks Plan.

Much of the first phase of the plan starts in the home. Parks calls on families to be responsible for their children and on residents to become activists and take control of their communities.

Step 2- Rehabilitation: Because the prison community is rapidly released into the mainstream community each day... there's also a need to fix these broken lives, before they return to society.

Here's what he's been pushing for, since he's been in office:
-Rehabilitation Programs For At-Risk Youths & New Parolees (including intern programs, school programs and mental and physical health programs)
-Expanding After-School Programs- to keep kids in shape and out of trouble.
-More Police Patrols In The Most Dangerous Neighborhoods in Our Communities- to make violent criminals think twice about violating the law.

If the philosophy is successfully and consistently applied, society's problems like homelessness can be met on the front end instead of on the back end, when it is often too late.

The mentally ill are a big part of the homeless population. By preventing mentally-ill youths from being neglected, by intervening to ensure they receive proper care and by educating authorities and the public on mental health issues, we can make an impact on the homeless situation.

Economic Development

A revolutionary Councilmember with an evolutionary vision, "There is no substitute for having the ability to earn a good living in the area you live in," Parks says. "It builds self esteem, it helps keep money in our area and it means less time on the road for commuters." Parks has also kept an eye on exactly what kinds of businesses are coming to the area. With one of the highest child obesity rates in the state, the Eighth District can no longer afford the ongoing expansion of fast-food restaurants.

Parks has groundbreaking ideas on the issue of economic development. For far too long, the Eighth District had been content to have fast-food chains overconcentrate the area. So, Parks has partnered with fellow Councilmember Jan Perry to establish a Fast-Food Ordinance, which raises the restrictions on such businesses, while providing healthier options for constituents.

"Stop Playing the Waiting Game!" To flourish economically, the Eighth District can't depend primarily on the city or state to fund its developments and job creation projects. Simply put, Parks means business! In 2010, the L.A. Chamber of Commerce released a study that showed his district was the only one in the city to show increases in job creation.

"Building Community, Building Families ..."

It's Parks' type of "Economic Community Building" that goes hand-in-hand with "Family Building". In addition to crime reduction and economic health, jobs from new developments in the district have made it possible for working families to earn a livable wage.

Housing- "Home Ownership Brings Pride to the Community!"

Parks won't be satisfied with improving public safety, education and employment for Eighth District residents. He also wants to protect their homes. He teamed up with Councilmember Eric Garcetti when Countrywide wrongly tried to evict some constituents from their homes. Countrywide retreated, and, fortunately, the families were able to stay put. Parks also wants to keep older houses standing, so they can help create a community as new schools, parks and libraries are built.

Senior Citizens: "The Hidden Treasure of Our Community..."

Parks says, "They shouldn't be stowed away in some home. They should be very visible in the community. We have a lot to learn from our seniors." That's why he's working on programs to display their skills and expertise throughout the district. Parks also wants to increase their leisure activities.

The Parks Plan on Transportation

As Parks says, "Public transportation should be timely, clean, safe and accessible." But, once again, there is a lot of work to do on the issue. For a long time, the Eighth District was the only part of the city not linked to major transportation vehicles. But, with Parks' work on the Expo Line and Crenshaw Line, those issues will soon be a thing of the past.

Public Service

"In the end," Parks says, "It all comes back to public service." He's very comfortable having the community be his boss! He looks forward to continuing what is now his 46th year of public service. The same philosophy he followed as an officer still holds true. "People demand very simple things from their elected officials," Parks says, "When they need the services they pay for, they want them performed correctly and they want them in a timely manner." "I can still do that", he insists. "Awareness Is Key"- "There are still too many people who don't know who to contact to get their sidewalks fixed, their trees trimmed or their garbage picked up", Parks says. "I pledge to continue to make every service readily available, and I will keep making sure people know how to get access to them."