Chief Bratton to Be Honored at a Farewell Dinner Hosted by Conan O'Brien

LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - August 13, 2009) - Chief William J. Bratton will be honored at the Los Angeles Police Foundation's annual fundraiser gala, True Blue, Sat. Nov. 7, 2009. Event emcee Conan O'Brien of "The Tonight Show" will join the Foundation in celebrating Chief Bratton's leadership of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). Marking the Department's 140th anniversary, the gala is also serving as the grand opening of the LAPD's new headquarters.

"The Foundation wanted to recognize Chief Bratton for his contributions to LAPD and the city for the last seven years, including the remarkable feat of reducing the crime rate to the city's lowest levels since the 1950s," said Cindy Miscikowski, Chair of the Los Angeles Police Foundation Board.

More than 800 guests are expected to attend this year's True Blue gala, including co-chairs Kelly and Robert Day, Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg and Elizabeth and Jim Wiatt, business, entertainment and community leaders, police officers, civic officials and friends and supporters of the Foundation. Guests will enjoy live entertainment, food catered by Wolfgang Puck and interactive displays of equipment funded by the Los Angeles Police Foundation.

At this year's gala the Foundation seeks to surpass the $1.6 million raised in 2008, with the goal to raise $2 million for the LAPD. In the past 11 years the Foundation has raised funds to support the LAPD and pay for much-needed equipment training and youth programs that otherwise are not included in the city budget. The LAPF currently supports a wide array of projects such as trauma shooting kits that enable officers to quickly respond to shooting or stabbing incidents; the creation of the LAPD online, the most visited law enforcement Web site in the world; the Juvenile Impact Program, a 12-week boot camp-style program intended for at-risk youth and their parents; and scholarships that enable LAPD officers to attend advanced law enforcement and management trainings.

Guests can purchase tickets or become a sponsor by visiting http://www.lapolicefoundation.org/TrueBlue_Sponsor_&_Ticket2009.pdf.

About the Los Angeles Police Foundation

Founded in 1998, the Los Angeles Police Foundation supports the Los Angeles Police Department through partnerships that provide resources and programs that help the police to serve at their highest level and to enhance LAPD-community relations. The Foundation has involved prominent business leaders in providing urgently needed special programs and equipment not provided in the city budget. To date, the Los Angeles Police Foundation has given nearly $10 million in grants to the LAPD as well as scholarships to students preparing for careers in law enforcement. For more information on the Los Angeles Police Foundation, visit www.lapolicefoundation.org.