Today marked the 4th Immigrant Community Leadership Summit, a joint partnership between the GRULAC consulates and law enforcement in Los Angeles.
Hosted jointly by Ambassador Marcela Celorio and Marcia Loureiro of the Consulates of Mexico and Brazil, respectively, the discussion topics were 1) the abuse of opioids and 2) recovery strategies following natural disasters. Both topics are of importance to consular officers as their constituents live and travel through Los Angeles.
The summit brought together Consuls General of Latin American Consulates with experts from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Long Beach Police Department (LBPD), Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD)—including Sheriff Alex Villanueva.
Over the course of the morning, attendees heard presentations from the FBI and DEA on opioids. Renowned seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones followed up with an informative session on earthquakes, damage mitigation, and the need for community resilience after a large disaster.
On the topic of opioids, Sheriff Villanueva was clear in his message, advising that parents must learn to recognize the symptoms of opioid abuse, and to watch for those habits in their children. He added that the Department diligently investigates dealers and practitioners suspected of over-prescribing opioids. LASD subject matter experts from Narcotics Bureau contributed information on how the Department works with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to stop pharmacies operating illicitly. The mission of the LASD Narcotics Bureau is to investigate and enforce the law as it pertains to the use, possession, sale, manufacturing, and transportation of controlled substances.
Personnel from LASD’s Emergency Operations Bureau also participated in the roundtable discussion, and helpfully contributed the County of Los Angeles “Emergency Survival Guide,” which can also be downloaded in multiple languages: https://lacounty.gov/emergency/emergency-survival-guide/
Though the topics discussed were very diverse, the summit will surely lead to future discussions on how consulates and law enforcement must work together for the benefit of all LA County residents.
In fact, as the event wrapped up, Sheriff Villanueva announced that LASD is slated to host the 5th edition of the Immigrant Community Leadership Summit later this year.
