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P A C I F I C P A L I S A D E S C O M M U N I T Y C O U N C I L
June 7, 2021
Michel R. Moore
Chief of Police
Los Angeles Police Department Via email
Re: Captain Jonathan Tom
Pacific Palisades Community Council would like to express its sincere appreciation for the exemplary efforts of West
Los Angeles Area LAPD Captain Jonathan Tom in organizing and leading the recent Brush Fire Mitigation Meeting and
Task Force in Pacific Palisades on June 1, 2021.
As you may know, Pacific Palisades is situated entirely within the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and the threat
of out-of-control wildfires is constantly on the minds of our residents. Two recent events - the arson-initiated Palisades
Fire, which burned nearly 1,200 acres and straddled jurisdictional boundaries between the City and County of Los
Angeles, and a fire of suspicious origins in the Via de las Olas / PCH bluffs – brought those fears once again to the
forefront. Fortunately, no homes or lives were lost in either incident, very much to the credit of the brave men and
women who serve in our City, County and State fire and police forces.
It was at the base camp for the Palisades Fire that Captain Tom noted the importance of inter-agency collaboration and
communication in not only battling, but also preventing fires in our mountains, canyons and bluffs. Once the fire was
contained, he moved swiftly to engage senior leadership and personnel across multiple City, County and State agencies
and local volunteer organizations (Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness) to form a task force to build
professional relationships, foster cooperation and share knowledge. A much-needed act of synergy in this era of budget
cuts and stretched resources.
The group met for the first time on June 1st in the parking lot at Will Rogers State Beach (incident command site for the
Palisades Fire and others over the years, and across PCH from the most recent fire below Via De Las Olas), where
Captain Tom led a discussion of fire hazards in the area, including the impact of illegal camping sites in the hills,
canyons and bluffs surrounding the Palisades. They then spent the day scouting several areas of particular concern, and
cleaning up the campsites that they found. Captain Tom has expressed a commitment to continuing the momentum of
this group with quarterly or biannual meetings.
Captain Tom’s leadership and efforts with the task force will undoubtedly make us all safer. We are truly grateful for his
commitment to protect and serve the residents of the Palisades and the City of Los Angeles.
Sincerely,
Executive Committee, Pacific Palisades Community Council
David Card, Chair Christina Spitz, Secretary
David Kaplan, Vice-Chair John Padden, Organization Representative
Richard Cohen, Treasurer Joanna Spak, Elected Representative
cc (via email):
Sharon Browning, Co-President, Pacific Palisades Taskforce on Homelessness
Sharon Kilbride, Co-President, Pacific Palisades Taskforce on Homelessness
Captain Jonathan Tom, Commanding Officer, LAPD – West Los Angeles Area
Post Office Box 1131, Pacific Palisades, California 90272 info@pacpalicc.org pacpalicc.org