Undercover Assist

By Eric Richardson
Published: Sunday, October 29, 2006, at 12:36AM

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Kathy and I walked over to J.J. Sandwich Shop in the Santa Fe Lofts today. I don’t make it over there often, but I love it when I do because the Asian couple that runs it are always extremely friendly to me. It may actually be the only place Downtown I could walk into and order “the usual” and have them not look at me funny.

Walking back, though, I think we witnessed an undercover officer assisting in an arrest. We were mid-block on 6th between Main and Spring. Two guys had passed us on the sidewalk and were approaching the corner of Main and 6th. A shaggy guy on a nondescript bicycle rolls past us and I hear him quietly say something like “He’s right in front of you. There.” Then all of a sudden an LAPD car hurries past, two officers jump out and they slap cuffs on the two at the corner. The guy on the bike turns around and rides the other direction.

I know LAPD has a sizable number of undercovers working Skid Row, but it’s not often you actually see one and know it.



Comments

1
Big Bear writes:

I think an undercover cop had his sights on me.

I had just returned from Pershing Square to my loft and had passed 5th and Broadway, heroin central for all sorts of scuzzy characters.

I came to the intersection of 5th and Main. It was empty on this Sunday late afternoon save for one man standing on the southeast corner. He was Hispanic, young and had short hair and hip hop-type clothing. He was staring up and down the streets—and at me. I was surprised to see him because until recently (and even now on some evenings) the only people working this corner are black crack dealers.

I returned home to drop off my dog and then headed back out to the Rite Aid at 5th and Broadway for….well, a couple of candy bars. King sized. OK, now you know my dark little secret.

I walked by Pharmaca gallery and up 5th towards the store. I heard someone shouting “hey” but I did not look around.

Then suddenly the guy tapped me on the shoulder and asked me if I was looking for something. I said no. He looked puzzled and said “you’re not?”

I said no, I was just going to the Rite Aide. He then said “sorry, sir.”

Now I ask you, when is the last time a dealer called you sir? I’m sure he was a cop who thought I was back out to score some crack or cheeba after dropping off my pooch.

But the really big bummer is that the store was out of 3 Musketeers candy bars. Alas!!!

When I walked back I noticed the guy was gone.

# on Oct.29.2006 AT 07:46 PM
2
Scott Mercer writes:

It would have been funny if you had asked him he had any 3 Musketeers bars on him…

# on Oct.30.2006 AT 09:57 AM
3
Don Garza writes:

Hey there. You mean to tell me that they actually have 3 musketeers bars . Everytime I go it seems as if they run out too.

# on Oct.30.2006 AT 02:03 PM

Your Comment:

YOUR INFORMATION:

Want blogdowntown to remember you?
Create a user account or log in.

Name:
Email:
URL:
GUIDELINES:
  • Comments should be on the topic of the post or they will be removed.
  • Use the live preview below to see how your comment will look before posting.
  • Keep it civil, everyone. If you're attacking people instead of arguments, or being overly profane, expect your comment to get deleted.

FORMATTING BASICS:

blogdowntown uses Markdown formatting.

_Italics_
__Bold__
<http://url.to.link>
[link text](http://url)

COMMENT:

Preview

Start typing...