By Ashley Silver
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Police Department is encouraging residents to “step away” when they have a confrontation to help curb violent crime in the City of Angels, reports Hey Socal.
In a video PSA released by the department, the LAPD, City Attorney’s Office, stakeholders and community members describe how people can effectively de-escalate heated interactions rather than resorting to violence.
“I’m reading a report of a man last week that literally lost his eye over something petty,” Officer Deon Joseph, senior lead officer in the LAPD’s central division, told CBS News. “I’m hearing the concerns of the community, and with us putting resources out there to tackle the issue, it gave me the idea to come up with a PSA.”
Several officers from the LAPD took part in the video, acting out various scenarios.
“When things get heated, you must ask yourself one important question,” one officer says in the video, with another answering, “Do you want to be right, or do you want to be hurt?”
In the video, an officer holds a police report while stating, “You know, most of these reports you read where a violent assault occurred began with a simple argument that escalates into violence.”
The “Step Away LA” campaign video was shared on YouTube and has garnered thousands of views.