5/23/03

LC030523

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> BREAKING THE LAW IS NO WALK IN THE PARK, ESPECIALLY IF POLICE ARE WATCHING WITH HIDDEN CAMERAS AND HIGH-TECH SURVEILLANCE GEAR.

DAVID AGUIRRE>> PRIVACY ISSUES ARE SUPERSEDED BY THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. THE AMOUNT OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, IF IT GOES UNCHECKED, WILL CREATE CHAOS.

VAL>> AND THEN, ANOTHER WAVE OF THREATS PRODUCES ANOTHER WAVE OF SECURITY CRACKDOWNS ACROSS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. TONIGHT WE'LL GET THE LATEST FROM L.A.'S NEW CHIEF OF COUNTER-TERRORISM, JOHN MILLER.

JESS>> PLUS, A LOOK BACK ON A SAGE OF THE PRAIRIE, WESTERN AUTHOR LOUIS L'AMOUR.

VAL>> IT'S ALL STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TONIGHT'S LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> TAKING BACK A PATCH OF GREEN.

JESS>> AND FINDING A WAY TO KEEP URBAN PARKS FROM BECOMING POCKETS OF CRIME. IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM NOT JUST IN LOS ANGELES. FAR TOO OFTEN, CITY PARKS ARE THE SCENE OF DRUG DEALS, ROBBERIES AND GANG-RELATED SHOOTINGS, BUT NOW A NEW SOLUTION THAT'S AS EASY AS THE FLIP OF A SWITCH. AS TONI GUINYARD REPORTS, IT'S ALL PART OF A BRAVE NEW WORLD FILLED WITH SMART PARKS.

TONI GUINYARD>> CENTRAL RECREATION CENTER IS IN THE HEART OF LOS ANGELES. IT LOOKS LIKE SO MANY OTHER PARKS IN SO MANY OTHER BIG CITIES, A PATCH OF GREEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. CHILDREN PLAYING, ADULTS WATCHING CHILDREN PLAY, AND SOON SOMETHING ELSE WILL BE WATCHING TOO, THE UNBLINKING STARE OF CAREFULLY CONCEALED STRATEGICALLY PLACED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS.

TONI GUINYARD>> WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO CATCH ON CAMERA?

DAVID AGUIRRE>> HOPEFULLY, NOTHING, BUT THAT'S NAÏVE. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY CATCH IS GANG-RELATED PROBLEMS, GRAFFITI, POSSIBLY VANDALISM. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO CURB IS THE SMALL CRIMES BECAUSE, WHEN YOU DON'T STOP THE SMALL CRIMES, THEY PROGRESS.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE HARDWARE IS BEING INSTALLED NOW. THE WIRES AND CABLES WILL LINK A SERIES OF SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS WITH A BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEM. IMAGES FROM THE CAMERAS WILL BE CAPTURED ON DVRS, DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDERS. THIS HIGH-TECH APPROACH TO SECURITY HAS BEEN DUBBED THE CAMERA PILOT PROGRAM. THIS PARK WAS CHOSEN AS THE TEST SITE BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF VANDALISM AND OTHER CRIMES HERE IN THE PAST.

EARNEST GALBERT>> I'VE SEEN KIDS WITH GUNS ON THE PLACE. JUST LUCKILY, THE OFFICERS CAME AND SOMEBODY TOLD ON THEM AND THEY GOT THEM AND TOOK THEM ALL AWAY.

DAVID AGUIRRE>> BASICALLY, THE PEOPLE THAT WORK HERE EACH AND EVERY DAY WERE SCARED ABOUT COMING TO WORK. IN THE EVENING TIMES, PEOPLE WERE JUMPING OVER THE FENCES AND GOING SWIMMING ALL NIGHT LONG AND THEN DRINKING IN AND AROUND THE POOL AND IT WASN'T TOO SAFE.

ALBERT TORRES>> THIS PARK IS A CHALLENGE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND PARKS BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF VANDALISM AND RELATED GANG ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO.

TONI GUINYARD>> WHILE INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SAKE OF SAFETY AND SECURITY MIGHT BE VIEWED AS A BOLD STEP, IT'S NOTHING NEW AT THIS PARK IN THE CITY OF GLENDALE. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NO FIXED SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS HERE, HIGH-TECH IS INTEGRATED EVERYWHERE.

SCOTT REESE>> THE MOTION DETECTORS ARE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE IN YOUR HOME, A HOME SECURITY SYSTEM. ONLY IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE BEAMS THAT CROSS THE PARK AND, WHEN SOMEBODY GOES THROUGH THEM, THEY'LL TRIGGER THAT PARTICULAR LIGHT IN THAT PARTICULAR ZONE.

TONI GUINYARD>> SCOTT REESE IS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF GLENDALE. WE MET HIM AT PALMER PARK, A 2.6 ACRE SITE WHERE THERE IS LITTLE CRIME AND FEW PROBLEMS. YET WHEN THIS PARK WAS RENOVATED YEARS AGO, HIGH-TECH SECURITY MEASURES WERE INCORPORATED INTO ITS DESIGN.

SCOTT REESE>> WELL, THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING IMMEDIATELY APPARENT MEANS THAT WE'VE DONE OUR JOB.

TONI GUINYARD>> LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER. THE GREEN POLES YOU SEE THROUGHOUT THE PARK EMIT INFRARED BEAMS. CONSIDER IT A GIANT MOTION DETECTOR. YOU WALK INTO THE PARK AFTER HOURS, THE LIGHTS COME ON PUTTING YOU IN THE SPOTLIGHT AND, ON ANY GIVEN DAY, THE SYSTEM MIGHT BE CONNECTED TO THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

SCOTT REESE>> SO THAT, IF SOMEBODY CAME INTO THE PARK AFTER HOURS AND TRIPPED ONE OF THESE MOTION DETECTORS, THAT ZONE IN WHICH THE INTRUSION OCCURRED WOULD TURN ON THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM AND POTENTIALLY DOUSE THE INDIVIDUALS AND MAKING THEM MORE READILY IDENTIFIABLE OBVIOUSLY AS HAVING BEEN IN THE PARK AFTER HOURS.

TONI GUINYARD>> THAT FEATURE IS NOT ALWAYS ACTIVATED, BUT OTHERS ARE IN PLACE. THE GATED PERIMETER, CLIMB OVER TO GET INTO THE PARK, THE CURVED PRONGS MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO CLIMB BACK OUT. AND THEN THERE ARE THE NATURAL SURVEILLANCE FEATURES. THE PARK HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO ALLOW PEOPLE LIVING IN NEARBY BUILDINGS A CLEAR VIEW.

SCOTT REESE>> ANYBODY LOOKING OUT THEIR LIVING ROOM WINDOW CAN SEE ESSENTIALLY THE FRONT OF THIS BUILDING AND SEE WHO'S COMING AND GOING OUT OF THAT RESTROOM AND OUT OF THE GATES ACTUALLY THAT LEAD IN AND OUT OF THE PARK.

MARTHA MATEVOSYAN>> I LIVE ACROSS THE STREET.

TONI GUINYARD>> YOU GET TO SEE EVERYTHING?

MARTHA MATEVOSYAN>> YES.

TONI GUINYARD>> DO THE LIGHTS EVER COME ON AT NIGHT IF KIDS GET IN THE PARK?

MARTHA MATEVOSYAN>> YES.

SCOTT REESE>> IN SOCIETY, I THINK THERE'S THIS CHANGING VIEW OF SAFETY AND SECURITY AND OF PERHAPS THE NECESSITY TO BE SURVEILLED. LET ME MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR. THAT'S NOT OUR INTENT HERE.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE INTENT IS TO PROVIDE A SENSE OF SECURITY AND MAKE PARK VISITORS FEEL SAFE, THE SAME GOAL AS WE FOUND AT THE CENTRAL RECREATION CENTER WHERE CITY PARKS OFFICIALS WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THEY'LL BE WATCHED WHEN THEY STEP INSIDE THE PARK, BUT THE LOCATIONS OF THE CAMERAS WILL REMAIN A SECRET.

JESSE HUANG>> MOST OF THEM DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT AND SOME OF THEM THAT I ACTUALLY TOLD ABOUT FEEL LIKE MOST SURPRISED LIKE IT COULD WORK OUT.

SHILICE BRUTON>> AS LONG AS I KNOW THEY'RE THERE, THEN I THINK I'LL BE ALL RIGHT.

TONI GUINYARD>> BUT IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THEY WERE THERE?

SHILICE BRUTON>> YEAH, I WOULD BE BOTHERED (LAUGHTER) BECAUSE I THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW.

DAVID AGUIRRE>> PRIVACY ISSUES ARE SUPERSEDED BY THE CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. THE AMOUNT OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY, IF IT GOES UNCHECKED, WILL CREATE CHAOS.

TONI GUINYARD>> ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF RESIDENTS AGREE.

JESS>> TONI JOINS US NOW. THESE ARE PILOT PROGRAMS, SO IF THESE ARE SUCCESSFUL, IT COULD BE CITYWIDE?

TONI GUINYARD>> WELL, THE ONE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES IS A PILOT PROGRAM. IN GLENDALE, THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE CAPABLE OF DOING. THAT WAS PUT IN BACK IN 1995 OR 1996 BEFORE EVERYONE STARTED TALKING ABOUT TECHNOLOGY. IN FACT, A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE NO IDEA THAT THAT PARK HAS THAT MUCH HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT SURROUNDING IT AND INSIDE OF IT.

VAL>> NOW IS THERE ANY KIND OF UNEXPECTED REACTION TO THIS OR BACKFIRING OF THIS EQUIPMENT? YOU KNOW, KIDS LOVE TO ACTIVATE SPRINKLERS AND DO --

TONI GUINYARD>> -- YEAH, I WANTED TO ACTIVATE THE SPRINKLERS, BUT THAT'S WHY I WAS TOLD (LAUGHTER) --

VAL>> -- THEY WOULDN'T LET YOU, WOULD THEY? (LAUGHTER)

TONI GUINYARD>> THEY WOULDN'T LET ME PLAY LIKE THAT, BUT THEY SAID, ESSENTIALLY, YOU HAVE A SYSTEM LIKE THAT, YOU PUBLICIZE IT, YOU TALK ABOUT IT, PEOPLE WANT TO TRIGGER IT, THEY WANT TO PLAY WITH IT TO SEE IF IT REALLY DOES WORK. SO IT IS NOT ACTIVATED RIGHT NOW, BUT ON ANY GIVEN DAY OR NIGHT, IT COULD BE ACTIVATED.

JESS>> YOU'LL NEVER WHETHER IT IS OR NOT.

TONI GUINYARD>> UNLESS YOU JUMP OUT THERE.

JESS>> GRAFFITI IS A REAL TARGET FOR THE CAMERAS, ISN'T IT?

TONI GUINYARD>> YES. ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, IT'S COSTING THEM $10,000 TO $20,000 A YEAR IN CLEANUP WITH ALL THE VANDALISM. THEY'RE GOING BACK, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE PAYING CREWS TO PAINT AND REPAINT. SO THEY'RE THINKING THIS IS A WAY TO AT LEAST PUT EYES ON THAT BUILDING. I KNOW THE ISSUE OF WHAT ABOUT OUR PRIVACY. A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA SAY, IF IT'S GOING TO WORK, LET'S TRY IT. LET'S SEE IF IT WORKS AND THEN WE WILL DECIDE.

VAL>> SO WE'LL CHECK BACK IN A YEAR OR SO. HOPEFULLY, IT WILL EXPAND.

TONI GUINYARD>> YOU BET.

VAL>> TONI, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPORT.

MONDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES, A MARRIED PRIEST. IT MAY SOUND LIKE A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS, BUT HE'S FIRM IN HIS BELIEF THAT CELIBACY IS CAUSING BIG PROBLEMS FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

>> AS A HUMAN BEING AND AS A MAN, I BEGAN TO SAY WHAT REALLY IS THIS CELIBACY DISCIPLINE ABOUT? AND WHY REALLY IS IT A SIN TO BE ATTRACTED TO A WOMAN AND WANT TO BE INTIMATE WITH A WOMAN AND WANT TO BE A FATHER?

JESS>> THIS WEEK, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RAISED THE NATION'S SECURITY ALERT STATUS FROM YELLOW TO ORANGE. THE CHANGE WAS TRIGGERED BY A CLUSTER OF TERRORIST ATTACKS ABROAD. HERE AT HOME, SECURITY HAS BEEN ELEVATED FOR THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES ALONG WITH OTHER POTENTIAL TARGETS. PATROLS AT MORE THAN SIX HUNDRED SITES WILL BE BEEFED UP AND THIS WEEKEND, WITH THOUSANDS OF MEMORIAL DAY TRAVELERS HEADED TO THE AIRPORT, SECURITY WILL BE EVEN TIGHTER.

VAL>> OUR NEXT GUEST IS AMONG THOSE WHO WILL BE KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON THINGS THIS WEEKEND. JOHN MILLER HEADS THE LAPD'S NEW BUREAU OF COUNTER-TERRORISM AND HE JOINS US NOW. WELCOME.

JOHN MILLER>> GOOD TO BE HERE AGAIN.

JESS>> WE SUGGESTED THIS WAS TRIGGERED BY THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ABROAD, BUT HAVE THERE BEEN NEW THREATS AGAINST AMERICAN TARGETS?

JOHN MILLER>> WELL, WE'RE CERTAINLY ALWAYS MONITORING WHAT THEY CALL THE CHATTER. WE WERE DOING SOME ANALYSIS OF THAT TODAY JUST TRYING TO STAY CURRENT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ANY CREDIBLE THREAT TO THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. BUT CERTAINLY UNITED STATES INTERESTS ARE A TARGET ABROAD. CERTAINLY, TWO THINGS HAVE HAPPENED THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT. ONE, BACK IN FEBRUARY 11, BIN LADEN CALLED FOR ATTACKS ON SAUDI ARABIA, ON MOROCCO, ON THE UNITED STATES. WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS ARE HIGHLY COORDINATED ATTACKS AGAINST SAUDI ARABIA, THEN AGAINST MOROCCO. SO AT THAT QUICKENED PACE, OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, THERE IS CONCERN ABOUT AN ATTACK EITHER AGAINST THE UNITED STATES SOMEWHERE ELSE OR ON U.S. SOIL AND WE'RE INCREASING SECURITY AND TRYING TO BE MORE VIGILANT.

VAL>> WHEN YOU SAY CHATTER, WHAT IS CHATTER ACTUALLY MADE OF? (LAUGHTER)

JOHN MILLER>> CHATTER IS A BUZZ WORD, BUT IT'S EVERYTHING. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MONITORS INTERNET TRAFFIC, CHAT ROOMS, E-MAILS, INTERCEPTS --

VAL>> -- THAT MUST BE A HUGE JOB.

JOHN MILLER>> IT IS A HUGE JOB AND THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS TO DEAL WITH THAT KIND OF VOLUME AND TO BE ABLE TO SORT THROUGH IT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS BLUSTER AND WHAT WAS PERHAPS A SIGNIFICANT CONVERSATION. THAT'S NOT A JOB I ENVY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

JESS>> YOU TALKED ABOUT RECENT TAPES FROM OSAMA BIN LADEN AND YOU'RE ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO'S EVER TALKED WITH HIM. FROM YOUR PRACTICED EYE, ARE THOSE TAPES REAL?

JOHN MILLER>> THEY ARE REAL. THE FEBRUARY 11 TAPE, I'VE REVIEWED DOZENS OF TIMES. IF YOU ASK ME, THAT IS HIS VOICE. THOSE ARE HIS WORDS. THE CIA AND OTHER AGENCIES IN WASHINGTON HAVE DONE THEIR OWN ANALYSES AND THAT IS THEIR COLLECTED OPINION. BUT THE THING ABOUT BIN LADEN AND THOSE STATEMENTS ARE THAT THERE IS A HISTORY OF BIN LADEN MAKING STATEMENTS AND ATTACKS FOLLOWING THOSE STATEMENTS.

THE TYPICAL TERRORIST MATRIX USED TO BE THAT THERE WOULD BE A SURPRISE ATTACK AND THEN A CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY. BIN LADEN DOES IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND AND, TO HAVE A BIN LADEN STATEMENT COME OUT AND THEN TO HAVE -- EVEN THOUGH IT'S USUALLY NOT THAT LONG A TIME BETWEEN THE STATEMENT AND THE ATTACKS -- TWO ATTACKS THAT TRACK EXACTLY WHAT HE THREATENED HAPPENED. IF YOU WERE A THIRD ON THAT THREAT LIST, THAT'S A REAL HEADS-UP AND A CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

VAL>> DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION THAT PERTAINS EXACTLY TO LOS ANGELES OR DO YOU JUST GET ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS IT MIGHT PERTAIN TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY?

JOHN MILLER>> WELL, WE GET ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION. WE GET CALLS INTO OUR 1-877-ATHREAT TIP HOTLINE NOT JUST FROM LOS ANGELES, BUT BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PUBLICIZED FROM ALL OVER THE STATE. SOME OF THAT INFORMATION IS TERRIBLY VALUABLE. WE GET INFORMATION FROM OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE JOINT TERRORIST TASKFORCE WITH THE FBI BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE ALL THE RESOURCES OF NOT JUST THE FBI'S INTELLIGENCE, BUT OTHER AGENCIES, AND WE GET TO SORT THROUGH THAT WHICH IS EXTREMELY VALUABLE TO THE LAPD. I HAVE, AND OTHERS IN THE COUNTER-TERRORISM BUREAU, HAVE THEIR OWN CONTACTS THAT WE CHECK WITH ALL THE TIME IN WASHINGTON AND EVEN ABROAD JUST TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT MISSING SOMETHING.

JESS>> IS THERE ANY SUGGESTION THAT THERE ARE AL QAEDA CELLS IN LOS ANGELES?

JOHN MILLER>> I THINK WE HAVE TO FACE THE REALITY THAT AL QAEDA HAS OPERATED HERE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR MANY YEARS. NOT JUST WITH ACTION CELLS LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO EXECUTED THE SEPTEMBER 11 PLOT, BUT WITH SUPPORT CELLS, FINANCIAL CELLS, LOGISTIC CELLS THAT ENGAGE IN EVERYTHING FROM FINANCIAL CRIMES TO RAISE MONEY TO IDENTITY THEFT AND OTHER THINGS TO PROVIDE FALSE ID. THEY HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE. THAT'S BEEN DOCUMENTED.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY, THOUGH, OF CALIFORNIA AND THE LOS ANGELES AREA, ALI MOHAMMED, A KEY AIDE TO BIN LADEN, LIVED IN SANTA CLARA, LIVED IN SACRAMENTO. THE MAN WHO PLANNED PART OF THE MILLENNIUM ATTACKS THAT WERE THWARTED, AHMED DEEK, LIVED IN ANAHEIM. BIN LADEN'S PERSONAL SECRETARY SPENT TIME IN RESEDA AND SACRAMENTO AND, WHEN HE LIVED IN TEXAS, OFTEN TRAVELED TO LOS ANGELES. I COULD GO ON. THE KEY FIGURES IN AL QAEDA HAVE ALL BEEN HERE AT ONE TIME, LIVED HERE, STUDIED HERE. A MAN WHO BROKERED MEETINGS BETWEEN THE U.S.S. COLE BOMBERS AND THE SEPTEMBER 11 HIJACKERS GOT HIS CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEGREE RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, LIVED HERE WITH HIS WIFE, AND THEN WENT TO MALAYSIA.

VAL>> THAT MAKES IT ALMOST MORE AMAZING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD A TERRORIST ATTACK HERE IF THESE PEOPLE HAVE COME AND GONE SO OFTEN.

JOHN MILLER>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK YOU'D BE NAÏVE TO SAY THAT AL QAEDA HAD THAT MANY KEY PLAYERS WHO LIVED HERE AT ONE TIME AND THEN WOULD SUPPOSE THAT THEY NEVER CONSIDERED ANYTHING AS A TARGET. WE KNOW LAX WAS TARGETED BY AHMED RASSAM. WE KNOW THAT IT WAS A LOS ANGELES RESIDENT, MR. SUFFAT, WHO SPONSORED ZACCARIA MOUSSAOUI, ONE OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 HIJACKERS, INTO THE UNITED STATES, FINANCING HIM, SETTING HIM UP WITH A JOB. SO WHEN IT COMES TO INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, THERE ARE A LOT OF NEXUSES THAT GO TWO PLACES IN THE UNITES STATES. ONE IS BROOKLYN, NEW YORK AND THE OTHER IS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. WE ALWAYS HAVE AN EYE TOWARDS THAT IN EVALUATING INTELLIGENCE AND CHOOSING WHO TO LOOK AT.

JESS>> WE KNOW WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PORTS, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT LAX, BUT THERE ARE 650 LOCATIONS IN THE LOCAL AREA THAT ARE POSSIBLE TARGETS?

JOHN MILLER>> WE STARTED OUT WITH 549. WE'RE NOW UP TO 605 POTENTIALLY HIGH-THREAT LOCATIONS. WE'RE DEVELOPING RESPONSE PLANS FOR ALL OF THEM. I CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE THE STAFFING AND YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ALL THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE CITY'S BUDGET ALLOCATION, WHAT THE MAYOR AND THE CHIEF HAVE TRIED TO GIVE ME, AND WHAT WE DO NOT HAVE YET, ALTHOUGH THOSE DISCUSSIONS CONTINUE AND I'M HOPEFUL. I DO NOT HAVE THE STAFFING TO FILL OUT ALL OF THOSE RESPONSE INFORMATION FOLDERS FOR THOSE LOCATIONS, SO WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO FOCUS ON IS COMPLETELY THE TOP TIER AND THE SECOND TIER AND WE'VE LEFT THE REST TO THE PATROL DIVISION TO SAY TO KNOW WHERE YOUR LOCATIONS ARE AND, IF WE CAN'T MAKE A PLAN FOR YOU, HAVE A PLAN READY OF YOUR OWN.

JESS>> MEANWHILE, LEANING ON THE CITY COUNCIL?

JOHN MILLER>> MEANWHILE, LEANING ON THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN MAKE THE ASSUMPTION THAT, BECAUSE TERRORISTS HAVEN'T SUCCESSFULLY STRUCK IN LOS ANGELES BEFORE, WE SOMEHOW GET A FREE PASS, THAT'S NOT A VALID ASSUMPTION OR A RESPONSIBLE WAY TO THINK. ANY MAJOR AMERICAN CITY, LOS ANGELES BEING ONE OF THE TOP THREE, HAS TO KNOW THAT BEING ON GUARD WITH PLANNING, PREVENTION, INTELLIGENCE, INVESTIGATION, DETECTION, HAS TO BE A TOP PRIORITY. NEW YORK CITY HAS A THOUSAND PEOPLE DEVOTED TO THIS EFFORT IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALONE.

VAL>> ARE WE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE JUST THE AVERAGE PERSON ON THE STREET, NOT ALL OF THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PEOPLE AND THE POLICE, I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO THESE HEIGHTENED ALERTS, BUT THE AVERAGE PERSON IS LIKE ALMOST BLASÉ. WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? YOU KNOW, KEEP OUR EYES AND EARS OPEN? THAT'S KIND OF VAGUE AS WELL. YOU KNOW, ARE WE GETTING TO THE POINT NOW WHERE, OH, WELL, JUST ANOTHER ORANGE ALERT?

JOHN MILLER>> YOU KNOW, VAL, IT'S A TOUGH SUBJECT TO KID ABOUT, BUT I SOMETIMES JOKE THAT RATHER THAN USE THE COLORS, THEY SHOULD SAY WHAT THEY ARE. YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD BE "EVERYTHING'S COOL", "YOU SHOULD BE A LITTLE NERVOUS", "YOU SHOULD BE VERY, VERY NERVOUS", "YOU SHOULD BE FRIGHTENED" (LAUGHTER). YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GET UP TO RED, YOU KNOW, THERE WOULD BE A WHOLE OTHER TERM FOR THAT --

JESS>> -- "BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID" (LAUGHTER).

JOHN MILLER>> THAT'S THE TERM, JESS (LAUGHTER). SO THE COLOR CODE'S VALUE TO THE PUBLIC IS THAT IT TELLS THEM WHEN YOU WANT TO BE PAYING ATTENTION, WHEN YOU WANT TO BE PAYING REALLY CLOSE ATTENTION AND WHEN YOU WANT TO BE HYPER-AWARE OF THE THINGS AROUND YOU. WE RIDE THAT ROLLER COASTER. THE PEOPLE IN MY TERRORIST THREAT ASSESSMENT CENTER WHO ANSWER THAT 1-877-ATHREAD HOTLINE, WHEN PEOPLE ARE TOLD TO BE VERY AWARE, WHEN WE GO BACK UP TO ORANGE, THE CALL VOLUME GOES UP. PEOPLE REPORT THINGS THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE WALKED BY.

VAL>> ANYTHING USEFUL?

JOHN MILLER>> A LOT OF THINGS USEFUL. A SURPRISINGLY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE THOUSAND CALLS WE'VE DEALT WITH SINCE THE FIRST TIME WE WENT TO CONDITION ORANGE ON THAT NUMBER HAVE YIELDED AVENUES OF INVESTIGATION WHICH WE'VE HAD TO PURSUE. SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN PASSED ON TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS, SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN THINGS WE WERE ALREADY LOOKING AT, WHICH IS INTERESTING, AND SOME OF THEM WE WERE ABLE TO RUN OUT AND FIND OUT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE, BUT IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE THAT INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.

VAL>> WELL, JOHN MILLER, BUREAU CHIEF OF THE COUNTER-TERRORISM DIVISION, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT'S VIGILANCE AND WE HOPE THAT IT CONTINUES TO PAY OFF. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

JOHN MILLER>> VAL AND JESS, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

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JESS>> HE WAS A MERCHANT SEAMAN, A BOXER AND CATTLE SKINNER, BUT MILLIONS KNOW LOUIE L'AMOUR AS A PROLIFIC WRITER WHO BROUGHT THE OLD WEST ALIVE. L'AMOUR PUBLISHED TWENTY-SIX SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS AND NINETY NOVELS. SOME OF HIS STORIES WERE TURNED INTO MOVIES, SUCH AS "HONDO" WITH JOHN WAYNE, "HELLER IN PINK TIGHTS" WITH SOPHIA LOREN AND ANTHONY QUINN, AND "THE SACKETTS" WITH TOM SELLECK AND SAM ELLIOTT.

VAL>> LOUIE L'AMOUR DIED IN 1988, BUT HIS LEGACY IS STILL UNFOLDING. NOW A COLLECTION OF L'AMOUR'S SHORT STORIES IS OUT. IT IS CALLED "FROM THE LISTENING HILLS" AND IT INCLUDES HIS FIRST AND HIS LAST SHORT STORY AND THREE NEVER-BEFORE PUBLISHED STORIES WRITTEN IN THE 1950'S. HIS WIDOW, KATHY, WHO HELPED DISCOVER THE NEVER-BEFORE PUBLISHED STORIES IS WITH US NOW. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

KATHY L'AMOUR>> THANK YOU.

JESS>> THANKS FOR JOINING US. HE KEPT A LOT OF THINGS THAT HE STARTED AND DIDN'T QUITE FINISH TOO, DIDN'T HE?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> WELL, YES, WE HAVE A LOT OF MATERIAL THAT WAS NEVER FINISHED, BUT THESE STORIES WERE ALL FINISHED. THESE WERE ALL COMPLETED STORIES. WE HAVEN'T PUBLISHED ANYTHING THAT WASN'T FINISHED.

VAL>> HE IS -- PROLIFIC IS UNDERSTATING IT (LAUGHTER). 116 BOOKS STILL IN PRINT?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> 120.

VAL>> 120. EACH ONE OF THEM, OR MOST OF THEM, SELLING OVER A MILLION COPIES EACH. IT JUST GOES ON AND ON AND ON. YET HE ORIGINALLY STARTED WRITING BECAUSE HE HAD TO PAY THE BILLS, YES?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> WELL, HE STARTED WRITING BECAUSE HE WANTED TO WRITE. I DON'T THINK YOU EVER START WRITING UNLESS YOU HAVE A PASSION TO WRITE. IT'S TOO HARD A TASK.

VAL>> BUT HE WAS A VERY PRAGMATIC PERSON?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> WELL, YES, BUT HE HAD LOTS OF REFUSALS AND LOTS OF REJECTION. HE WROTE OVER TWO HUNDRED STORIES BEFORE HIS FIRST STORY WAS EVER ACCEPTED, SO THAT TAKES -- I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT TAKES (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> THE EARLY EXPOSURE TO HIS WORK WAS IN THE OLD PULP MAGAZINES?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT. HE WROTE LOTS AND LOTS OF STORIES FOR THE PULPS. THE PULPS WERE GREAT, YOU KNOW. THEY WERE A WONDERFUL LEARNING PLACE FOR WRITERS BECAUSE THERE WAS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MATERIAL REQUIRED AND YOU COULD WRITE A LOT AND, IF YOU WERE HALFWAY DECENT, YOU COULD GET PUBLISHED A LOT. I THINK THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO PERFECT YOUR CRAFT.

VAL>> AND I THINK IT WAS SAID THAT THEY PAID QUICKLY. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE CHECK TO ARRIVE (LAUGHTER).

KATHY L'AMOUR>> THAT'S RIGHT. THEY DIDN'T PAY MUCH.

VAL>> THEY DIDN'T PAY MUCH, BUT THE CHECK GOT TO YOU FAST (LAUGHTER).

KATHY L'AMOUR>> (LAUGHTER) THEY JUST DIDN'T PAY VERY MUCH.

JESS>> YOUR SON, BEAU, SAID HIS FATHER DIDN'T WRITE ART. WHAT DID HE MEAN BY THAT?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> I DON'T KNOW. I'D HAVE TO ASK BEAU WHAT HE MEANT (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> OR, I GUESS, LITERATURE.

KATHY L'AMOUR>> WELL, LOUIE WAS REALLY TRULY A STORYTELLER.

JESS>> I GUESS THAT WAS IT, YEAH.

KATHY L'AMOUR>> HE WAS A GREAT STORYTELLER AND HE HAD ENORMOUS ENERGY WHICH I THINK BOUNCES OFF THE PAGE AT YOU. I THINK THAT'S WHAT CAPTIVATES THE READER IS THIS TREMENDOUS ENERGY THAT'S IN HIS WRITING. AT THE SAME TIME, HE WAS A VERY CALM PERSON.

JESS>> HE WAS REMARKABLY UNIMPRESSED WITH HIS OWN SUCCESS. I CAN RECALL WHEN THE TWO OF YOU WOULD BE PRESENT AT BOOK SIGNINGS, HE WAS NEVER ANYTHING BUT GRACIOUS, MODEST TO THE EXTREME, IT SEEMED. WAS THAT TYPICAL?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> OH, HE WAS, YES. I THINK LOUIE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE BETTER. HE NEVER FELT, YOU KNOW, THAT HE HAD ARRIVED. HE ALWAYS WAS STRIVING TO PERFECT HIS CRAFT AND TO DO A BETTER JOB CERTAINLY WITH EACH BOOK THAT CAME OUT. HE SAID YOU NEVER FEEL YOU KNOW ENOUGH WHEN YOU'RE A WRITER OR THAT YOU DO IT WELL ENOUGH.

VAL>> AND ALL THIS FROM A MAN WHO DROPPED OUT OF TENTH GRADE AND THEN HE, I GUESS, TRAVELED THROUGHOUT THE WEST AND HAD ALL SORTS OF JOBS INCLUDING HANDLING CIRCUS ELEPHANTS, I UNDERSTAND, BUT APPARENTLY THAT GAVE HIM A LOT OF GRIST FOR HIS IMAGINATION AND HE REALLY USED THAT IN HIS WRITINGS.

KATHY L'AMOUR>> YES. HE DID A LOT OF THINGS. I MEAN, HE WORKED IN MINES AND IN LUMBER CAMPS AND SKINNING DEAD CATTLE, EVERY KIND OF JOB YOU CAN IMAGINE. PLANTING TREES, WHATEVER THERE WAS TO DO IF THERE WAS A JOB. YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT -- LOUIE LEFT HOME IN 1923 WHEN HE WAS FIFTEEN. THE HEART OF THE COUNTRY WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL THE DEPRESSION. IT WAS WELL BEFORE THE CRASH, BUT PEOPLE STOPPED MOVING. THE ITINERANT WORKERS STOPPED MOVING AND JOBS GOT HARDER AND HARDER TO GET. HE SAW ALL THAT AND HE HAD TO DO WHATEVER CAME AT HAND.

JESS>> HE WAS A MAN OF THE WEST, BUT HIS APPEAL WAS UNIVERSAL, WASN'T IT?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> OH, YEAH, I THINK SO. AND HE WROTE A LOT OF BOOKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HE WROTE SOME BOOKS THAT STARTED IN SHAKESPEARE'S ENGLAND AND HE WROTE A BOOK ABOUT THE TWELFTH CENTURY FRANCE AND THE NEAR EAST. HE WROTE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS. HIS FIRST STORIES WEREN'T WESTERNS. HIS FIRST SHORT STORIES WERE ADVENTURE STORIES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND IN THE FAR EAST.

VAL>> BUT THE TURNING POINT CAME WHEN ONE OF HIS STORIES WAS TURNED INTO A MOVIE STARRING JOHN WAYNE CALLED "HONDO". THAT, I GUESS, WAS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF WHAT THEY CALL MARKETING SYNERGY. TELL US ABOUT THAT BECAUSE HE HAD --

KATHY L'AMOUR>> WELL, HE WROTE A SHORT STORY CALLED "THE GIFT OF COCHISE" AND IT APPEARED IN COLLIER'S MAGAZINE. AN EDITOR IN NEW YORK SAW IT AND SAID, YOU KNOW, LOUIE, YOU SHOULD TURN THIS INTO A NOVEL, THIS HAS ALL OF THE COMPONENTS OF A REALLY GREAT NOVEL, AND HE DID. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, JOHN WAYNE BOUGHT IT AND, YOU KNOW, SAID IT WAS THE BEST WESTERN HE'D EVER READ. WHEREAS LOUIE DIDN'T GET MUCH MONEY FOR IT, IT SERVED TO ESTABLISH HIM AS A WRITER OF WESTERNS.

JESS>> HOW DID HE FEEL ABOUT HOLLYWOOD AND THE FILMMAKING PROCESS WHEN THEY TOOK ONE OF HIS BOOKS?

KATHY L'AMOUR>> WELL, THAT'S A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN THRILLED, BUT I DON'T IMAGINE ANY WRITER PROBABLY EVER REALLY IS. HE WAS ALWAYS ANXIOUS TO DO IT. HE WAS ALWAYS ANXIOUS TO SEE HIS WORK ON FILM BECAUSE THE THING THAT'S IN THE WRITER'S HEAD, HE'S DYING TO SEE IT COME OUT ON THE STAGE.

JESS>> I WAS WONDERING HOW HE FELT ABOUT "HELLER IN PINK TIGHTS" WHICH WASN'T THE TITLE HE GAVE IT, BECAUSE HE NEVER WROTE A SINGLE SEX SCENE, AS I UNDERSTAND.

KATHY L'AMOUR>> NO, HE DIDN'T DELVE INTO THE BEDROOM MUCH. HE FELT LIKE THAT WAS A KIND OF PRIVATE WORLD, YOU KNOW. HE COULD HAVE WRITTEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I MEAN, HE WAS A WRITER. HE COULD HAVE DONE ANY OF IT. BUT "HELLER" WAS -- FIRST OF ALL, THE TITLE OF THE BOOK WAS "HELLER WITH A GUN", WHICH WAS A TERRIBLE TITLE TOO. HE DIDN'T TITLE THAT, AND THEN THEY CHANGED IT TO "HELLER IN PINK TIGHTS". BUT THE STORY WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WAS THE STORY OF A TRAVELING TROUPE OF ACTORS IN THE WEST IN THE 1800'S. IN THOSE DAYS AND FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS AFTER, THE ACTOR WAS REALLY LOOKED DOWN UPON AS A KIND OF SECOND-RATE CITIZENS. OF COURSE, GEORGE CUKOR, WHO WAS A FABULOUS DIRECTOR AND LOVED LOUIE'S MATERIAL, DIRECTED IT WITH SOPHIA LOREN AND ANTHONY QUINN AND IT WAS A GREAT CAST.

JESS>> HE LEAVES CERTAINLY A GREAT LEGACY AND OUR THANKS TO KATHY L'AMOUR. THE NEWLY PUBLISHED COLLECTION IS LOUIE L'AMOUR'S SHORT STORIES. IT'S CALLED "FROM THE LISTENING HILLS".

VAL>> AND A REMINDER THAT YOU CAN FIND TRANSCRIPTS OR HEAR AUDIO OF RECENT LIFE AND TIMES PROGRAMS. JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG.

JESS>> AND THAT'S OUR PROGRAM. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT.

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