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“He talks at the right time and builds personal relationships and everyone is willing to lay it out on the line for him,” Champlin said.

Each call to 999 has to be assessed, police said, so people who do make unwanted 999 calls are asked to stay on the line to confirm they are safe.

“My life is on the line, and you know what? It’s not fair,” he said.

As lead host and a partner in the staging of the next year’s World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games, L.A.’s reputation is on the line.

“That means the school buses, the transportation of kids to school and graduation ceremonies. Nothing should interfere with that, and I will put my job on the line to protect a 5-year-old, an 11-year-old, an 11th grader or a soon-to-be graduate.”