1 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,560 Speaker 1: Thank you, mister President, for giving us some time and 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:13,560 Speaker 1: some flexibility in today's agenda to make a very special 3 00:00:13,640 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: and important presentation. A year after Emory's death, her case 4 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: was still unsolved and someone new became interested. Los Angeles 5 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: City Council Member Josehuis from District fourteen. He presented a 6 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: motion to the City Council, which is broadcast on LA's 7 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 1: local government channel. Emory's family lined up behind him with 8 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,480 Speaker 1: a portrait of Emory. This was back in two thousand 9 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 1: and seven. I am presenting a motion to renew a 10 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,840 Speaker 1: fifty thousand dollars reward that we put out a few 11 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: months ago for any information leading to the arrest of 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: the individual or individuals who are responsible for the death 13 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: of a beautiful fourteen year old girl, Emory Munos. Josehisa 14 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:03,040 Speaker 1: asked the LA City Council to renew a reward for 15 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: any information in her case. The family is seeking answers, 16 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: the family is seeking justice. His speech was a plea 17 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: for information, but it also had an underlying message. We 18 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 1: have reason to believe or the LAPD has told us 19 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 1: that the death of Emory Munos might have been related 20 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 1: to raid parties or fly parties. That drop up on 21 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,320 Speaker 1: young people. His speech was a rallying cry for the 22 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: city of Los Angeles to crack down on party crews. 23 00:01:40,560 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 1: The young people who go to these parties are not 24 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: necessarily bad kids. It's any one of our kids who 25 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: go to these parent parties who are allured by the 26 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: excitement of fun and enjoyment. But we have to put 27 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 1: everyone on notice that these parties may and can be dangerous, 28 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: and the city should between more to staff. These from 29 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: my heart Michael Bura Podcast Network, Vice and Elia Studios. 30 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: This is Party Cruz, The Untold Story. I'm Jannas Amilca. 31 00:03:12,800 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 1: I have a few memories of police raiding our parties. 32 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: One time, I remember the lights, music, smoke machine, everything 33 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: shutting off. The entire backyard went dark. Kids started running 34 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: through any exit, trying to hide behind cars on the 35 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,799 Speaker 1: street to avoid getting a ticket. Cops with flashlights were 36 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 1: shining them in our faces, forming in the back to 37 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: clear out the house. I remember running away. I was 38 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: wearing sandals and my feet got wet because of the 39 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: dewey grass, but I never got caught. Even when the 40 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 1: parties didn't get rated, the cops were always in the 41 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 1: back of our minds, and that's because we were on 42 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: their minds. Generation like gang members, is emerging from the 43 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: underground party scene. Oh they don't start violent, but it 44 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: doesn't take them along to get there. The people who 45 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: throw these kind of parties are called party crews, but 46 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: police say they're very similar to gangs. LAPD wasn't just 47 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: shutting down our parties. It was way more than that. 48 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: It felt like they saw our party crews as just 49 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: another version of a gang. It is a La City 50 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: gang that started off as a tag banging gang. They 51 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: are morphing into a traditional Hispanic turf gang. Law enforcement 52 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: officials say they're coordinating on every level to attack the problem. 53 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: For us, dealing with the cops was just part of 54 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 1: being in the scene. Sometimes ten and fifteen cop cars 55 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: blocking off the street. Our first party a bunch of 56 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: cop tames, and of course we would hide the Naud tank. 57 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 1: If the owner of the house was there there, we'll 58 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: give them the tickets. Sometimes, if they were like those 59 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 1: massive warehouse parties, that would be helicopters, they'll take the 60 00:04:57,839 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: amplifiers and the Sarato and then they'll give a D 61 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 1: a citation too. You lose your gear and you have 62 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 1: a court date. Way back before Emery's death, the police 63 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: were already on a mission to shut down flyer parties, 64 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: but the two thousands marked a new era in the 65 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 1: battle between cops and kids. In this episode, I talked 66 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: to the people who try to shut us down. I'm 67 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: Captain j Roberts, James Roberts, I go by Jay. This 68 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 1: is Captain James Roberts. He's currently the commanding officer of 69 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: Rampart Area. Back in the two thousands, he used to 70 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: bust flyer parties. I sat down with him in an 71 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 1: LPD press room. In the tape, you can hear the 72 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: squeaking of Jay's belt which held his gun and a flashlight. 73 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: Who can afford it? So Jay was ready for our interview. No, 74 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: but I mean I actually had filed the party related stuff, 75 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,799 Speaker 1: and in front of all the back he had pulled 76 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: out all the files that he had related to flyer parties. 77 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: As a team, I would have never had the chance 78 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:23,240 Speaker 1: to interview or talk to an officer like this. Unequal footing. Now, 79 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: all these years later, I'm sitting across from someone who 80 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 1: patrolled the scene that was a part of I was curious, 81 00:06:31,279 --> 00:06:34,719 Speaker 1: how did he remember this? Time. I don't think party 82 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 1: crews were attracted any attention had they not been wildly 83 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 1: successful with hundreds of people showing up. Busting parties ended 84 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: up being a major part of his job. It was 85 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: a big deal and I had a big role in it. 86 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,239 Speaker 1: Jay used to work as a sergeant at the Foothill Division, 87 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 1: which serves the Northern Valley, the Pacoima to Hunga area. 88 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: He says they'd get a lot of phone calls from 89 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 1: the community. Were forty three thousand party related calls in 90 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 1: the city of la for two thousand and three. Leading 91 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: that was that Foothill area. It had three thousand, four 92 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 1: hundred and four party calls. We were the party capital 93 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: of Los Angeles. And in the early two thousands, his 94 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: division would respond to these phone calls by going out 95 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 1: to parties, knocking on the door and say, hey, you 96 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: need to turn your music down. Here's your warning slip. 97 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: And then if I have to come back, I'll have 98 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: to impound some sound equipment or you know, write somebody 99 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: a ticket. The black and white police cars that were 100 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: sent out to do this, they were referred to as 101 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: party cars. Literally, it's like the opposite of a party bus. 102 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 1: These cars were trying to prevent parties, but they weren't working. Well, 103 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 1: you'd never come back because you know, the person who 104 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: called the police in the first place is so frustrated 105 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: because nothing was done, and they won't call back. But 106 00:07:57,080 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: if it did call back, by the time we got 107 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: back around it was two in the morning, the party 108 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: was already over, so completely ineffective. Jay remembers one party 109 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: in particular in two thousand and four that he says 110 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: sparked a change in his division. It's a birthday party 111 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 1: for a kid ended up being a flyer party to 112 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,160 Speaker 1: put flyers out. The party was on a Saturday, and 113 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: two kids were shot, you know, and I think they 114 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: were in their twenties, one from Panorama City and went 115 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: from Somar. That sort of began, at least as far 116 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: as the LAPD went, a shift in how we dealt 117 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: with just allowed or unlawful parties to begin with. We 118 00:08:38,559 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: had a press conference afterwards with the city Attorney's office saying, Okay, 119 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:43,959 Speaker 1: here's the deal. You know, we're now going to respond 120 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 1: to these And it was my job at the time 121 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: to do something about it. So they switched it up. 122 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:56,680 Speaker 1: They had to develop new strategies, to assess parties, like 123 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 1: sending undercover cops to check them out. A couple plane 124 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:06,200 Speaker 1: clothes cops in a plane car. Two low key assess, 125 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:11,920 Speaker 1: low p talk to whoever, no uniform, no scary cop presence. 126 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: And if the party had to be shut down and 127 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 1: it moved to another place, they were in the loop. 128 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 1: They were party goers too. Office, there's an everyday close 129 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: with a regular car. They just needed to blend in period. 130 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:31,960 Speaker 1: They would provide intel, like if a party moved locations 131 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,040 Speaker 1: to avoid the cops, would it be a young undercover cop. 132 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 1: How would you like go under the radar of a well, 133 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: would it would be somebody would baby face? Yeah, somebody 134 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: you know that could pass. We have twenty something cops, 135 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: We had young cops. They could do that. But you're right, 136 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: they did have to belue legitimate. Were they people up like? 137 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: Were they Latinos? Like? Were they in Pacoima? I would 138 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: undercover cops. Yes, absolutely, I would say the fifty percent 139 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,800 Speaker 1: of our officers were Latino. Most of the guys in 140 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: that detail, we're Latino officers. It was the beginning of 141 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: what LAPD referred to as the Party Suppression Team the 142 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: PST for short, Having parties, even really big, out of 143 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:23,520 Speaker 1: control ones is a normal part of teenage life. But 144 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: whether the cops show up and slap you on the 145 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: wrist when the neighbors call, or create entire teams devoted 146 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: to targeting your parties clearly has a lot to do 147 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 1: with where you live and who you are. And when 148 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: it came to us Latin X teams in LA, these 149 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:44,079 Speaker 1: undercover cops would actually go out and assess when our 150 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: parties were dangerous and when they were in their opinion, okay, 151 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 1: we'd go out and we'd have undercover units that would 152 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: just look and if it was just a key signor 153 00:10:55,640 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: birthday party, family barbecue, make contact, you know, say hey, 154 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: can you guys keep the music down, you know, make 155 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 1: sure you're mindful of your neighbors. And then they'd say, hey, 156 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,760 Speaker 1: we got one over here. Let's respond over here, and 157 00:11:07,840 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 1: the black and whites will respond and they would deal 158 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: with it in whatever way, whether it be you know, 159 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:17,240 Speaker 1: we got here too late, there's already three hundred people 160 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: here and we need to shut it down. They even 161 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 1: started coordinating with Los Angeles schools. I appeared in front 162 00:11:22,720 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: of the school board to educate them on what a 163 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: flyer party was they're just clueless as to what the 164 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: kids are doing, so just putting on their radar. When 165 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 1: you see this strangely written you know, graphic, and somebody 166 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: slaps it up on the school wall or bulletsin board, 167 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: or leaves it underneath the windshell wipers of all the 168 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 1: cars in the high school parking lot, you'll know what 169 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:53,920 Speaker 1: this is. Officers were scouring the internet too. Remember in 170 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: the early two thousands, party promotion was also happening online. 171 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: We would also start to monitor or the internet. Back then, 172 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: it wasn't so much social media, but it was the Internet. 173 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: Cops would monitor sites like drunken Faded dot com and 174 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: club events dot com. Social media was pretty new at 175 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: the time. My Space was a big player. They searched 176 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: online with keywords like underground parties, rave and flyer parties. 177 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 1: And they also monitored the phone numbers listed on the 178 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: back of the flyers, the info lines that were updated 179 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 1: with directions on the day of the party. We started 180 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 1: calling in the lines, We started finding out when the 181 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,640 Speaker 1: parties would be, We started showing up, We started nimping 182 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: him in the bud and they started, you know, getting 183 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: more evasive, and so you know, cat and Mouse. Cat 184 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: and Mouse kids got really creative avoiding the cops. You know, 185 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: when you're at a party, you're in the backyard and 186 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: the police coming and the music cutsdown. I kid you not. 187 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 1: We would always start seeing happy birthday. This is Max, 188 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 1: a Flyer partygoer in the sangyearbro Valley. Our senior producer, 189 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,480 Speaker 1: Sophia polisa Are spoke to him on the phone. We'd 190 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,719 Speaker 1: always think happy birthday. It's so stupid, right, what is 191 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: that would work? No? It never worked, It never worked. 192 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: Oh my god. We'd always think happy birthday when the 193 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,720 Speaker 1: police walked in, like it was some stupid birthday party 194 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:25,439 Speaker 1: and not a freaking flor party. It wasn't black and white. 195 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 1: This is Jay again talking about the party suppression team. 196 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,560 Speaker 1: There were party crews that were loosely associated groups of people. 197 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: There were people in it for the money. There were 198 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: tag bangers that were associated that sometimes didn't get along 199 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: with the cruise. The cruise you know, where everything from 200 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 1: just good kids and trying to have fun all the 201 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:48,559 Speaker 1: way over to criminal enterprises. You know, that was also 202 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:52,320 Speaker 1: what made it difficult. How do we figure out what's 203 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,719 Speaker 1: going on here and deal with it appropriately? You I 204 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,080 Speaker 1: mentioned criminal enterprise. I wanted to know, like what you 205 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: mean by that. Well, it's it's illegal to charge. It's 206 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: illegal obviously to sell, you know, alcohol, illegal to sell 207 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: nitrosotic side balloons, and that's the level I'm talking about. 208 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:17,760 Speaker 1: Once there's money involved. I'm curious, like, how would you 209 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: or like people on your team make the distinctions between 210 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: like whether a party was violent or not, Like, how 211 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: would you decide that if there was the presence of 212 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: gang members or a clear commercial enterprise. If it was 213 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:38,640 Speaker 1: you know, ten kids getting together that call themselves a 214 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 1: party crew and weren't charging anything, we'd still probably shut 215 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: it down because because it's well, I take that back, 216 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 1: it would depend. That's that's that fine line right there. 217 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: If there was no no commercial end to it, it 218 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: would depend, you know, when you see it. Somebody asked 219 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: the definition of poor graphy once to somebody and their 220 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 1: answer was, I can't define it, but I know I 221 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: want to see it. It was you knew you could 222 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: feel it whether this was going to be a safe 223 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 1: environment or a dangerous environment. I was going to mention, 224 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: like gang members also go to kas Like they're also 225 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: like going to wedding you know, they're part of the community, 226 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: and so that's not to say there there there aren't. 227 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: You know, these elements weren't a part of other parties. 228 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 1: You know, there were plenty of you know, family gatherings 229 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: that weren't fine, and then there were other family gatherings 230 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: for that reason that didn't go fine. I wanted him 231 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: to know from my own experience as a team that yeah, 232 00:15:44,480 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: the parties could get out of control, but the cops 233 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: showing up and the way they went about it, that 234 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 1: could feel violent too, at least like my experience, Like 235 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: there was a lot of parties, There were a lot 236 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: of parties, they got broken up, and it was like, 237 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: really it was like a scary on both though scary 238 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: because they were shootings, but there was also scary because 239 00:16:03,240 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: the police would storm in there, Like I don't know, 240 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 1: like it's scary, Like it's scary for a fifteen year 241 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: old helicopters, Yeah, to like hide in a closet. It 242 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:13,840 Speaker 1: is like kind of it's scary now that I'm an 243 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: adult and I can understand the danger is that we 244 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: were in, but like as a child, it's scary right now. 245 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: Out of all the new strategies, the biggest change that 246 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: the party Suppression Team made was to site people right away, 247 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 1: don't knock on the door and warn them. Instead, give 248 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: people a ticket for loud music or selling alcohol without 249 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: a license right away. Jay says his team wanted to 250 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:43,480 Speaker 1: find the parties and shut them down before they could 251 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,440 Speaker 1: get big, especially before a helicopter gets sent out. This 252 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:50,920 Speaker 1: sort of more strategic, surgical way of dealing on a 253 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 1: more low key way wouldn't involve tons of police cars 254 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 1: and a big presence and a helicopter with a night 255 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: sunlight over. That's how things were dealt with when things 256 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:05,439 Speaker 1: had gone bad already. In this model, we try to 257 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 1: avoid that. We're not just gonna warrant anymore. We're going 258 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: to say, hey, this is illegal and unlawful and there's 259 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 1: a high potential of violence. Here's your ticket right now, 260 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:20,040 Speaker 1: or this thing's shut. That's what changed. In two thousand 261 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 1: and four, Jay says, the party Suppression Team was seen 262 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: as a beacon of success. Jay remembers presenting their strategy 263 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,359 Speaker 1: to Alihiti higher ups. I made a presentation at that 264 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: meeting and that became part of the citywide response. The 265 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 1: recommendation that if you have a problem with regard to 266 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: flyer parties, rave parties, crew parties. This is a best practice. 267 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,480 Speaker 1: This on how to deal with them. This party suppression 268 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 1: team concept and the idea that you assess parties for 269 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: their violence potential. Our department policy changed in two thousand 270 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: and seven to allow for that immediate sighting or arresting 271 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,959 Speaker 1: upon the first response if the situation warranted it, whereas 272 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,000 Speaker 1: before it was always a warning and it was so 273 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:11,399 Speaker 1: effective that it became a thing and was adopted citywide. 274 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: That's after the break. This program will provide you with 275 00:18:35,119 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: basic information to assist you in your duties. Identify flyer parties, 276 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: understand the drug and alcohol use common at flyer parties. 277 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: By the end of two thousand and four, LPD created 278 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 1: a training video for the entire department on how to 279 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,919 Speaker 1: handle flyer parties based on the Party Suppression Team. These 280 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,879 Speaker 1: are clips from the video. The most effective tool that 281 00:18:56,920 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 1: can be used by law enforcement in the policing of 282 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 1: flyer parties is rapid response. What started small with just 283 00:19:04,400 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: the Foothill Division woodspread. These are a few of the 284 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,920 Speaker 1: points that should be considered from the Foothill Party Suppression Plan. 285 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 1: Maintain zero tolerance for loud or unlawful parties. Gather intail before, during, 286 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 1: and after parties have been identified, identify, assess, terminate, deploy 287 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: a party suppression team or a party car. We obtain 288 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 1: the training video through a public records request. Watching it 289 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: reminds me of how much we are being watched and 290 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 1: studied and how we had no idea, or at least 291 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 1: I had no idea. Inside these locations and during the party, 292 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 1: promoters go the distance to provide a stimulating mix of drugs, alcohol, 293 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:56,480 Speaker 1: and music that encourage it dancing, competition, and promiscuity. The 294 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: video features greeny footage from fire parties with the this 295 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: blurred out, and pictures of flyers. One of the parties 296 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 1: had the name Reggaeton versus Hip Hop Part three. The 297 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:12,440 Speaker 1: video also showed partygoers inhaling NAZ from balloons. Nitrous oxide 298 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: stations are set up to feed the crowd with a 299 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 1: mind altering substance that can create a volatile situation. Actually, 300 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: NAS was a big part of the training video. You 301 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: can arrest someone for nitros oxide as long as they're 302 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,880 Speaker 1: possessing it with the intent to consume. When I see 303 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:31,640 Speaker 1: stuff like this, I can't help but think, but they 304 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: become part of the permanent record, traces of my teenage years, 305 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: examined and filed away by their nature. Flyer parties include 306 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 1: elements that create a fertile environment for violence. They become history, 307 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: at least one version of it, one version of us. 308 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:59,439 Speaker 1: We took an interest because that may have been the 309 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:05,800 Speaker 1: most island a year of flyer or raved parties in 310 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 1: our history. I mean, there seemed like they were going 311 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 1: every month, somebody was being shot or injured. BERNARD'SI. Parks 312 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 1: was a chief of the LPD in the late nineties. 313 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 1: He was the chief during the Rampart Scandal, the investigation 314 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: into an anti gang unit in the Rampart Division that 315 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 1: was accused of massive corruption. He later became a city 316 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: council member. He represented the eighth district for over ten years, 317 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 1: which serves South la. We had of what appeared to 318 00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 1: be almost every weekend, even though they may not have 319 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: been a shooting, there were these activities that were unsupervised 320 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: and people were taking advantage of abandoned houses, of abandoned buildings. 321 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,440 Speaker 1: In two thousand and four, the same time Captain J. 322 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:54,399 Speaker 1: Roberts was setting up the Party Suppression Team, council member 323 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,199 Speaker 1: BERNARD'SI Parks put out a motion to create a party 324 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 1: task force. According to the motion, thirteen people died from 325 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:07,399 Speaker 1: gunshot wounds at flyer parties in La County. He wrote 326 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,960 Speaker 1: that quote party crews advertise wet T shirt and g 327 00:22:11,119 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: string contests or hot women, or that quote parties act 328 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: as nightclubs, though without fire codes, security checks, and dorman 329 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 1: asking for idea. During our interview, the only time Bernard 330 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: really got excited was explaining to me how he would 331 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: go after party crews by citing people for things like 332 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:38,640 Speaker 1: putting up a flyer. People use other people's properties, such 333 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 1: as city lighting poles and telephone poles to advertise something 334 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:49,120 Speaker 1: that they're getting a financial benefit, which is illegal. And 335 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: then the other issue is is who cleans them up 336 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: when the party's over. No one, and so it's not 337 00:22:56,760 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: like they go and post them and then go tear 338 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: them down after the party. I never knew that you 339 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,840 Speaker 1: couldn't put a flyer on a city pole or a 340 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 1: lamp a lamp post, So all those concert posters I 341 00:23:09,800 --> 00:23:15,920 Speaker 1: see off the freeway are like they're illegal. It wasn't 342 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 1: the first time illegal raves or underground parties were brought 343 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,880 Speaker 1: to the attention of the city Council. In nineteen ninety six, 344 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: council Member Richard Aracon filed emotion ask him for a 345 00:23:27,840 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 1: few things, including recommendations on how to crack down on 346 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:36,440 Speaker 1: illegal parties. Then in two thousand and four, Bernard filed 347 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:41,320 Speaker 1: his motion and base of the files we found that 348 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 1: was the last time flyer parties were brought up in 349 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 1: the city Council until three years later two thousand and seven, 350 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,199 Speaker 1: the year that Jose we Said brought Emory's case to 351 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 1: the council. Joshi said is someone you may have heard of, 352 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: especially if you live in La Breaking New La City 353 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,640 Speaker 1: Council and Jose Weezar has been charged with a thirty 354 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 1: four count federal grand jury indictment alleging wide ranging political corruption. 355 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: Not the most popular Angelino anyway, long before we saw 356 00:24:14,920 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: it made headlines. In two thousand and seven, he brought 357 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:21,040 Speaker 1: the motion to the City Council asking for them to 358 00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: renew the reward for fifty thousand dollars for any information 359 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: in Emory's case. He also asked the city council to 360 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,920 Speaker 1: crack down on flyer parties and party crews. This is 361 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 1: part of his motion, which was read to the room 362 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: by his Chief of Staff, Joseph Abila, at a public 363 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 1: safety committee meeting. The Los Angeles Police Department believes that 364 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 1: Emory is one of many young people who died as 365 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:50,040 Speaker 1: a consequence of the violence that surrounds flyer or rave parties, 366 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,159 Speaker 1: as they're sometimes known. Over the last few years, police 367 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:55,439 Speaker 1: have made attempts to crack down on these parties by 368 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 1: enforcing state and local criminal laws, but unfortunately, hundreds of 369 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: young adults continue to and these parties. Again a reminder 370 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 1: that there was and is no actual evidence that we 371 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 1: know of of Emory's murder being directly tied to a 372 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 1: flyer party. LPD responded to we sat his motion with 373 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:21,040 Speaker 1: various ideas to combat parties. They suggested working with the 374 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: Los Angeles School District to make pamphlets for parents and kids, 375 00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: and even lesson plans for high school health classes on 376 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 1: the dangers of flyer parties, including substance abuse. They also 377 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:39,840 Speaker 1: suggested looking into stricter penalties for promoters who violated the law, 378 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,880 Speaker 1: or making them reimburse the city for any costs if 379 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 1: police had to intervene. The city attorney looked into it 380 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 1: and ultimately reported that there were already enough laws on 381 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,800 Speaker 1: the books and that LPD just needed to use them 382 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 1: to stop the parties and all the problems that come 383 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,760 Speaker 1: with them. There is a responsibility on the part of 384 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 1: owners to secure vacant properties. That's on the books, and 385 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:07,120 Speaker 1: the finds associated with that are actually the maximum allowable 386 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 1: under the municipal code one thousand dollars and or six 387 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 1: months in jail. But what I heard in these recordings 388 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: of committee meetings is that it wasn't so simple. I'd 389 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 1: like to see that. At the same time, the caution 390 00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:24,760 Speaker 1: is that when you start talking about homeowners having events 391 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 1: where money changes hands, if people are often a certain 392 00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: it's in the same neighborhoods having charity fundraisers, They're having 393 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,159 Speaker 1: all sorts of events where people are making contributions, and 394 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:37,560 Speaker 1: that's allowed to do that in your own home, And 395 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 1: so it's a it's a real thin line. It's a 396 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:48,159 Speaker 1: real thin line, a real thin line between what city 397 00:26:48,160 --> 00:26:52,720 Speaker 1: council or LPD saw as a legitimate party and what's 398 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:56,520 Speaker 1: not or more like, who is allowed to hold these 399 00:26:56,520 --> 00:27:02,000 Speaker 1: events homeowners having charity fundraisers. I know it's a small detail, 400 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,439 Speaker 1: but it feels like it's not noise or exchange of 401 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: money they were taking issue with, but the actual people 402 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,200 Speaker 1: who were partying, What did you think was the best 403 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: solution to stopping violence from happening? And like what safe 404 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: parting could look like in like two thousand and four, 405 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:21,240 Speaker 1: let's say, yeah, that's that's a good question. I don't know. 406 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:27,439 Speaker 1: I knew that safe partying would look like family gatherings 407 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 1: and not party crew gatherings. This is Captain j Roberts again. 408 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 1: Party crew gatherings created the environment for violence to evolve. 409 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 1: Family parties less so. But then again, who wants to 410 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:49,920 Speaker 1: go to the family party when they're a thirteen year old? 411 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 1: You know? So I didn't have that answer. This is 412 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,480 Speaker 1: just an age old problem. You know. Young kids need 413 00:27:56,480 --> 00:27:58,920 Speaker 1: to burn off steam, need to dance, need to have fun, 414 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: need to hell at the movie. Where can they do 415 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 1: that safely? And where can somebody from a community with 416 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,479 Speaker 1: less resources to do that safely? It's tougher for some 417 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: of the folks in this neighborhood to find something to 418 00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 1: do legally and lawfully because it costs more. I'm kind 419 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 1: of surprised to hear that he's articulating an idea. I 420 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: think about a lot. How can kids who have a 421 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: need to let loose do it in a safe way. 422 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:31,399 Speaker 1: I also asked Bernard's Parks, the former city council member, 423 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 1: about this. Like house parties, legal house parties, they might 424 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 1: not have the resources to get those permits or rent 425 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 1: out of space or pay for security, and those things 426 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: are important, but what if they lack the resources to 427 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 1: even begin to do it the right way? Just like 428 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:54,360 Speaker 1: anything else, if you don't have the money to go 429 00:28:54,400 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: in business, you can't go in business. But the thing 430 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 1: is the mainful because of the party crew scene wasn't 431 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:06,000 Speaker 1: about being in business. Some people did earn money organizing, 432 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: but that wasn't the main goal. Historically, the term safe 433 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:14,760 Speaker 1: space has been used to describe the spaces in which 434 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: movements are organized, like college campuses or churches, like the 435 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:23,520 Speaker 1: anti Vietnam War movement or the civil rights movement. The 436 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: way we talk about safe spaces today, we often mean 437 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: spaces in which people can express their identity freely, like 438 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: at a gay bar or a black student union. For me, 439 00:29:36,200 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 1: when I think about party crews, it's in these spaces 440 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 1: that I was able to let loose and try things 441 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: out and be myself. Still, I have to recognize that 442 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 1: just because it was safe for me to be myself 443 00:29:49,520 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: doesn't mean it was necessarily physically safe, at least not 444 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: all the time. The policing, city council. All this was 445 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: happening around us while we were trying to live in 446 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:04,680 Speaker 1: the moment and create our own approximation of a safe 447 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:08,520 Speaker 1: space exist in our bubble. Like lots of people do. 448 00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 1: Our bubble happened to be made up of party crews, 449 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 1: the parties, all the partygoers. That was our community, and 450 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:20,320 Speaker 1: we were good at creating that community, so good that 451 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 1: we found ways of connecting with party crews all across 452 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:27,120 Speaker 1: the city and county, and we soon realized that our 453 00:30:27,160 --> 00:30:30,840 Speaker 1: world was bigger than we had ever imagined. What was 454 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: the moment where you were like, oh shit, this is 455 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 1: like this is getting bigger than I thought. Or when 456 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 1: was that when people start asking me to post a 457 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: flier on the site, When the servers begin to crash 458 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 1: right because there's just so many people trying to log in, 459 00:30:50,840 --> 00:31:04,520 Speaker 1: that's next time. This episode was written, reported, and hosted 460 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:08,800 Speaker 1: by me Janashimoka. Our show is produced and reported by 461 00:31:09,240 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 1: Sofia Pelissa car Victoria Lejandro, and Kyle Chang, and edited 462 00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: by Antonia Seedhido additional editing by Annie Abulis, fact checking 463 00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:25,120 Speaker 1: by Nidia Vautista, sound design and original music composition by 464 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:30,280 Speaker 1: Kyle Murdoch. Our supervising producer is Janet Les, Art by 465 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 1: Julie Ruiz and Victuakllon. Our executive producer from Vice Audio 466 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 1: is Kay Osbourne. Our executive producers from Elias Studios are 467 00:31:39,880 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: Antonia Seedhido and Leo gi. Our vice president of Podcasts 468 00:31:44,640 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 1: from Elias Studios is Shane and Naomi Kracmal. Special thanks 469 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,920 Speaker 1: to the UCLA Department of Communication Archive for access to 470 00:31:52,960 --> 00:31:56,880 Speaker 1: their news collection Party Cruz. The Untold Story is a 471 00:31:56,920 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 1: production of Elias Studios and Vice Audio in partship with 472 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: iHeart Mica Budha podcast Network. For more podcasts, listen to 473 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 474 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 1: your favorite shows. And Hey, were you and a party crew? 475 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:14,920 Speaker 1: Send us your party flyers or photos. I'd love to 476 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:18,120 Speaker 1: see them, even a voice message about your memories. Anything. 477 00:32:18,400 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: You can send us a message or a picture at 478 00:32:20,680 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: Party Crews at Elias Studios dot com. Support for this 479 00:32:24,960 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 1: podcast is made possible by Gordon and Donna Crawford, who 480 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 1: believe the quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place 481 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:35,840 Speaker 1: to live. This program is made possible in part by 482 00:32:35,880 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by 483 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:41,720 Speaker 1: the American people.