Overview
- The 92-page report says coordination with the Fire Department was poor on Jan. 7 and that agencies failed to establish a unified command with shared objectives.
- Severe communications breakdowns—downed radio and cell sites, shifting command posts, and incompatible frequencies—forced officers to hand deliver documents between Zuma Beach and Will Rogers State Beach.
- Police deployed more than 700 officers per day at the peak and remained on a 29-day tactical alert, initially focusing on rescues and traffic control before shifting to crime suppression in evacuation zones.
- The LAPD logged 90 crime reports and made 19 arrests in January and February, with burglary the most common offense as thousands of homes were left unattended during evacuations.
- Recommendations include issuing PPE and disaster kits, improving radio coverage and fallback channels, training for true unified command, and clarifying National Guard roles, while five in-city deaths remain under investigation and a suspect faces federal arson charges tied to a Jan. 1 fire.