The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach announced that they will receive over $18 million in funding for port security, while the four LBPD whistleblower officers in the infamous Lobstergate case were awarded $4.1M after being ostracized within the force.
How are these events related?
The Port funding is a result of the 2006 Proposition 1B, a $20 billion bond which included $40 million to be given to seaport security – largely due to the need for beefed-up surveillance after the attacks of 9/11. Already one of the best guarded seaports in the world, the Port of Long Beach will receive $8M of the recent funds while $10M will go to the Port of Los Angeles.
Lobstergate began when a group of specialized LBPD divers assigned to patrol the Port for suspicious activity were reported for diving while on duty and capturing lobsters to later sell. The report came in 2003 and the officers in questions were moved out of the unit, but many have maintained that the punishment was for show only, and the officers who reported the offense were referred to as “snitches” throughout the force. Thursday, jurors agreed that the officers were treated unfairly and awarded them $1.56M, $1.36M and $1.16M respectively.