Long Beach Police Department to settle `nuisance' lawsuit

[think about it]

Accountability wrote:

<quoted text>
North Division, funny you bring up Jerry Westlund. I was at the POA office getting my soda when I personally witnessed Jerry giving Steve James "OUR UNION PRESIDENT" a donation.Steve graciously shook his hand and replied "I'll call you later".
If you were one of the officers who has attended the past golf tournaments the strippers utilized as "Caddies" were Jerry's strippers!!!
How would you know that Khan is at these strip clubs? you must be there pretty frequently yourself? Don't be jealous, be nice, you may need their attorney's number someday.

I was working uc when I saw him come out of the back room the flamingo....

[Wondering]

WHISTLEBLOWER:

I've heard the rumors that Jerry Westlund is a sleaze and that his attorney, Douglas Otto has Long Beach City Council in his pocket. Do you have specific evidence of complicity? Who is in cahoots with whom? When can we expect indictments?

With the amount of corruption in the LBC, you could make a substantial amount of money by writing a best selling non-fiction conspiracy novel.

[CHS]

Having the LBPD and city council in your pocket is nice, but the feds don't really care about the "power" of local authorities. Just ask Mike Carona.

[WHISTLEBLOWER]

I AM CYNTHIA IN THE ARTICLE:Cabaret is ordered to pay $50,000 in unpaid wages, plus fees.
By Kristopher Hanson
Staff writer
LONG BEACH — A local cabaret has been ordered by the state labor board to pay two strippers more than $50,000 in unpaid wages and "stage fees' the women had to pay when they performed.
In February, Cynthia DeMassi of Long Beach and Shenandoah Malaise of Los Angeles filed a claim against Gold Club-LA, a topless establishment in Harbor City, alleging they were forced to dance, waitress, clean tables, perform lap dances and work regularly scheduled, eight-hour shifts without being paid an hourly wage.
The women testified they were forced to pay $10 stage fees for each shift they danced, and made to share 10 percent of their tips with the strip club's bartenders, DJs and security guards.
"We had to dance, clean mirrors, clean tables, serve drinks and food and clean up around the club after closing, and we weren't getting paid anything except tips, which we had to share with practically everyone," said Malaise, who worked at the club from May to October 2004. "It was like slave labor."
An attorney for the club contended that the women were independent contractors not subject to labor laws that apply to employees.
The cabaret is owned by Charles "Jerry' Westlund Jr., who also owns the Fantasy Castle in Signal Hill and the Fantasy Ranch in Long Beach. His attorney argued that Westlund shouldn't be held responsible for labor practices at the club before he purchased it in May 2004.
"Most of the award is reflective of conduct before the Westlund group took over the club," said attorney Gregory Silver of Long Beach. "If you're not there, you don't have any ability to control the situation that you didn't know about."
Silver said dancers are no longer allowed to serve drinks, clean or waitress, and they may come and go as they please.
"They are absolute independent contractors, and they sign agreements to that effect," Silver said.
In the 18-page ruling handed down this week, California Labor Commissioner Fern Carrasquillo found that the club violated several labor laws, including not paying taxes and Social Security withholdings and forcing dancers to pay stage fees before they danced.
"No employer can legally charge its employees a fee in order to work for the employer or a fee for use of the stage in carrying out the work that the employee was hired to perform," Carrasquillo wrote.
DeMassi, who worked at the club under the stage name "C.J." from March 2001 to October 2004, was awarded $45,350.30 for unpaid wages, interest, stage fees and tips. Malaise, which now lives in Los Angeles and owns an adult furniture business, Adult Depot, was awarded $8,824.34.
The women, who did not disclose their ages, were represented by attorney Steve Renshaw. The lawyer predicted more women would be coming forward to report similar working situations.
"I'm sure additional lawsuits will be brought, and from what I've heard, it was common practice not only at these clubs, but others," Renshaw said.
For DeMassi and Malaise, the ruling is a small victory for workers in an often ridiculed business.
"Working in the entertainment industry is hard enough," Malaise said. "Hopefully, speaking out will help other dancers recover lost wages and compel more clubs, owners and managers to get it right."
It isn't the first time Westlund's business ventures have been investigated by federal authorities. In 1998, Westlund was found guilty of forgery and tax evasion and sentenced to probation and community service.

[Pete Malloy]

I'm not sure it's fair to say Westlund has LBPD in his pocket. He may be friendly with a few LBPD officers who are a bit lacking in the ethics department but LBPD recommended against Westlund being granted an adult entertainment permit. The city council granted it anyway. LBPD took numerous enforcement actions against Westlund & Fantasy Ranch. LBPD arrested several of the dancers for solicitation of prostitution. Those are hardly the actions of an agency in Westlunds pocket.

Westlunds relationship with the LBPOA & the POA's president is a question mark. I know Chief Batts was very concerned over the relationship of Westlund & the POA. My information is that the POA was cautioned about any relationship with Westlund. Due to ongoing investigations, I'm not sure how much information was shared with the POA. I do not know what relationship if any presently exists. Hopefully none.

I was under the impression that Westlund sold fantasy ranch a some years ago as part of a plea agreement in the numerous cases he had pending against the club. Is Westlund operating this club again?

The bottom line is no one in law enforcement should be friendly with this guy. No one in law enforcement should be hanging in this guys club unless it is in the course of an official department sanctioned investigation.

[WHISTLEBLOWER]

I have a lot of quetionable documented information on westlund shady operations .Where would one and who would they give it to in order to help any investigation.i truely think he is out of control and he is destroying the quality of life for others.

[The Man]

All information should be turned over immediately to:

Long Beach Police - Vice Investigations
400 W. Broadway, Long Beach

[spiritof lbpd]

You may also want to deliver copies to all the major newspapers and news agencies so when the Chief attempts to cover it up he needs to answer to everyone.

[WHISTLEBLOWER]

ok now i really dont know

[kelly]

Check this out! Looks like everyone is suing Westlund these days.
http://thornepeters.blogspot.com/search/label...

[North Locker Room]

There is little question about Westlunds character. The question is, why was a uniformed on duty police officer was hanging out so much at Westlunds club in Long Beach. The officers, "I was just patrolling my beat" answer doesn't hold water. Why was the uniformed on duty officer spending so much time in Westlunds club, Fantasy Ranch?

[lostagain]

i know a girl that worked for him and she said he is a bank roll for the hells angles and they for him ,he just acts like he is cool with other gangs one starts with a v and the other m any tips he gets he is on the phone with the angles...how come he gets away with this ?why dont the police stop this crook?

[was once there]

Westlund just got featured mainstream. Seem MANswers, the Spike TV show, likes his work.

So I can't say he ain't doing something right in the world of crazy ladiez.

[was once there]

Gotta have the link:

http://www.spike.com/video/manswers-season-1/...

[Just wondering]

I don't know the employees in this mess but have you ever noticed that police department brass rarely if ever admit that they might have been wrong. Also any time an employee has a grievance he or she is called disgruntled. We all error from time to time unless you're a police department supervisor...just wondering??

[Teach]

LFF wrote:

When I was in my working life a few years back at old SCE the frivolous lawsuits filed by mostly people from the Lynwood-Compton-Willowbrook areas were incredible! We marveled at the inventiveness of the charges! A number of us were present during the supposed incidents and confidentially informed the supervisors that the charges were FALSE and they were ONLY looking for free money. They agreed, but let it go anyhow- because the protracted fight was not worth the time, hassle, and ulcer causing material to the company. We HAD to keep our identities secret or we would be subject to harassment and threats from these employees and their fellow bleeding heart lib oriented friends.
Most of the trumped up charges were settled out court to avoid the negative PR. Then to hear them brag repeatedly on how they screwed the company was enough to make us VOMIT! But we had to keep a poker face for fear of retaliation- which is all they know how to do, personal responsibility and honor were never in their lexicon.
We subsequently learned that most of the settlement money went to pay scam artist, ambulance chasing civil rights attorneys and the rest went up the noses or in smoke of the plaintiffs.

Sounds to me like this guy is a yellow bellied cringer.

[Big Rock]

Great site for voicing your opinion about the corruption of dirty cops... have at it

http://www.ratemycop.com//index.php...

[Long Beach Citizen]

There are a lot of Long Beach cops posting on this thread. As a citizen I am really disappointed with all of your behavior. You are the men in blue who everyone, especially kids, look up to. Now you guys are fighting with each other, swapping wives, brass arrogant against patrol. No loyalty or brotherhood. It's disgusting. Clean up your act. The citizens deserve better.

[The Mad Man]

Not surprisingly, I could not find this article in the search of the PT. They must have killed the story due to lack of interest but it is a shame the public doesn't have enough interest to read this whole story that the PT killed.

[Da Boy]

I have known this "person" since the early 90's-has been a sleaze since day one...Why this guy isn't in jail seems proof to me (and many others) that there is some sort of collusion going on. All one has to do is a 5 minute Google search to see that he has pretty much cheated anyone who has ever done business with. Just shows what happens when you grow up without morals, and have parents that won't put you in check....