Los Angeles: The LAPD responded quickly to news of the shooting at the Wisconsin Sikh temple yesterday.
In the immediate aftermath of the terrible shooting in Wisconsin, “the
LAPD took quick and decisive action to ensure our Sikh community was
safe" said LAPD Deputy Chief Mike Downing, Commanding Officer, Counter
Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau (CTSOB). "We immediately
notified our patrol watch commanders and increased police patrol at and
around our gurdwaras (Sikh Temples)".
As news broke of the
Wisconsin shooting, the LAPD contacted local and Federal partners
through the Joint Regional Information Center (JRIC) and the National
Operations Center (NOC). The LAPD maintained contact throughout the
day to receive updated information to determine if there was a nexus to
the Los Angeles Area Sikh community. The information thus far does
not indicate any threat for our Sikh temples in Los Angeles.
LAPD officers from the CTSOB reached out and contacted local Sikh
community and religious leaders to offer assistance and to provide
updated, accurate information on the shooting and any connection to the
LA area.
The LAPD, which just last week hosted a Joint
Counter Terrorism Awareness Workshop (JCTAW) for hundreds of local,
State and Federal public safety officials, is a leader in our nations
counter terrorism efforts.
Commander Blake Chow, assistant
Commanding Officer of CTSOB stated "The training and information shared
at JCTAW was directly applicable to the incident in Wisconsin. “We
are even better prepared to respond to shootings and terrorist
incidents today" said Commander Chow. "More importantly, we are
working constantly to prevent terrorist incidents from occurring"
Commander Blake Chow will be available today to provide interviews and
further information on the LAPD's Counter Terrorism efforts.
For more information, or to schedule an interview with Commander Chow,
please call LAPD Media Relations Section at (213) 486-5910.
