10B
Date: June 3, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jeremiah Hart, Police Chief
Aram Chaparyan, City Manager
By: Leaonna DeWitt, Senior Business Manager | [email protected] Subject: Police and City Manager – Approve the Memorandum of Agreement Between the Pasadena Police Department and the City of Torrance (Torrance Police Department) Pertaining to Assistance under the Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Plan (LEMA) and Authorize the City Manager to Execute and Administer Agreement and Related Documents. Expenditure: None.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the Chief of Police and the City Manager that City Council:
1. Approve the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Pasadena Police Department and the City of Torrance (Torrance Police Department) pertaining to assistance under LEMA, related to the Eaton Fire disaster response; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute and administer the agreement and all related documents.
DISCUSSION
On January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire, an extreme wildfire fueled by heavy brush, gusty winds, and low humidly, swept through the Pasadena region, resulting in a major disaster declaration (FEMA-4856-DR-CA). In accordance with LEMA, the Pasadena Police Department, acting as the Operational Area Law Enforcement and Mutual Aid Coordinator, requested mutual aid assistance from the Torrance Police Department.
LEMA, issued under the authority of California Government Code Sections 8550, 8615-8619, and 8668, as well as the California Emergency Plan and Master Mutual Aid Agreement, delineates the policies and procedures for law enforcement mutual aid, including the coordination and deployment of resources during emergencies.
Pursuant to Torrance Municipal Code Sections 6.2.3 through 6.2.12, the City Manager serves as the Director of Emergency Services, with the Chief of Police as Deputy Director. These sections empower the Director and Deputy Director to:
• Control and direct the emergency organization of the City (TMC 6.2.3, 6.2.4) • Request mutual aid from other agencies and respond to requests for aid (TMC 6.2.7) 1 City Council
June 3, 2025
• Direct the use of City resources and personnel in emergencies (TMC 6.2.8) • Take all necessary steps for the protection of life and property (TMC 6.2.10) The MOA formalizes the mutual aid provided by the Torrance Police Department from January 7 through January 17, 2025, including personnel, equipment, and materials, and is a requirement to receive reimbursement of reasonable costs by the City of Pasadena. Approval of this MOA demonstrates the City’s commitment to regional collaboration and public safety, ensuring Torrance is both a reliable partner and a beneficiary of the statewide mutual aid system.
Participation in mutual aid enhances the City’s ability to respond to disasters and reinforces preparedness for future emergencies.
Staff recommends approval of the MOA between the Pasadena Police Department and the City of Torrance (Torrance Police Department) pertaining to assistance under LEMA, authorizing the City Manager to execute the agreement and related documents.
ATTACHMENT
1. Memorandum of Agreement between Pasadena Police Department and City of Torrance (Torrance Police Department)
2 MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN PASADENA POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND THE TORRANCE POLICE DEPARTMENT PERTAINING TO
ASSISTANCE UNDERTHE LAW ENFORCEMENT MUTUALAID PLAN
WHEREAS, on January 7, 2025, the Eaton Fire an e)*reme witdfire, fueled by heavy brush, gusty winds and tow humidity swept through the region; and
WHEREAS, on Ja nuary 7,2025,tlrc Federa[ Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance through the major disaster declaration FEMA-4856-DR-CA; and WHEREAS, the Law Enforcement Mutuat Aid Plan is issued and revised under the authority of Sections 8550,8569,8615 through 8619, and 8668 ofthe Catifornia Government Code, the Catifornia Emergency Ptan, and the Master Mutuat Aid Agreement; and WHEREAS, the Law Enforcement Mutuat Aid Ptan detineates the current state poticy concerning taw enforcement mutuaI aid; and
WHEREAS, the Law Enforcement MutuatAid Ptan describes the standard procedures used to acquire law enforcement mutuaI aid resources and the method to ensure coordination of law enforcement mutuat aid ptanning and readiness; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pasadena Potice Chief is the Operationat Area Law Enforcement and Mutuat Aid Coordinator; and
WHEREAS, Law Enforcement Mutual Aid Ptan provides, in pertinent part, "When an emergency develops or appears to be devetoping which cannot be resolved by a law enlorcement agency within an OperationaI Area, it is the responsibitity of the Operationat Area Mutuat Aid Coordinator to provide assistance and coordination to controt the probtem;" and WHEREAS, the Law Enforcement Mutuat Aid P[an provides, in pertinent part, 'A request for taw enforcement mutuaI aid requires the approval of the chief law enforcement otticer of the requesting jurisdiction;" and
WHEREAS, the Potice Chief of the Pasadena Potice Department requested the mutuaI aid assistance of the Torrance Potice Department, pursuant to the Law Enforcement Mutuat Aid Ptan to support law enforcement services in connection with the Eaton Fire; and WHEREAS, Torrance Police Department, provided mutuat aid assistance consisting of taw enforcement personnet, equipment, and materiats from January 7 ,2025,ln(ough January '17, 2025, to assist with [aw enforcement services in connection with the Eaton Fire: and WHEREAS Torrance Potice Department agrees to document at[ of its mutuaI aid 3 ATTACHMENT 1
assistance costs retated to the Eaton Fire as attachments to this MOA and submit City of Pasadena, Pasadena Potice Department as soon as practicab[e; and
NOW, THEREFORE, lT lS HEREBY AGREED by and between the Torrance Police Department and Pasadena Potice Department may reimburse a[[ reasonable costs associated with Torrance Potice Department's law enforcement mutuaI aid assistance during the Eaton Fire.
POLICE DE ENT
By: By:
Name: Eugene Harris_
Titte: _Chief of Potice_
Na me:
Date: q l>rl2(
Titte: _
Date:
Aram Chaparyan
City Manager
CITY OF TORRANCE, a Municipal Corporation
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN, City Attorney
________________________________
By:
Tatia Y. Strader, Assistant City Attorney
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