INGLEWOOD – Inglewood authorities welcomed back its police chief during the regular city council meeting held Sept. 12.
“I want to welcome back our police chief Mark Fronterotta and am glad to have him back although I haven’t seen him but I’ve been in touch with him,” said District 1 Councilwoman Gloria Gray.
“I also want to thank interim chief Cardell Hurt who served diligently in his absence,” continued Gray.
Fronterotta has been out on medical leave since earlier this year.
Inglewood Mayor James Butts sent out a late-night email on Jan. 12 alerting staff that the chief was hospitalized.
“Chief of Police Mark Fronterotta has been hospitalized for a serious condition of unknown origin or causation,” wrote Butts. “He is in ICU and can’t receive calls or visitors at this time.”
According to Butts’ email, Fronterotta suffered an “intracranial hemorrhage of unknown origin”. Butts told staff he was alert and speaking and allowed to eat and after undergoing a battery of tests positive results were expected.
Fronterotta was appointed as the Chief of Police of the Inglewood Police Department on January 23, 2013 and has been with the department since 1981.
He was last seen in public during the community swearing-in of newly elected District 1 Councilwoman Gloria Gray on April 29.
He was dressed in full uniform and appeared in photos with what appeared to be his service weapon, in his holster, despite not being medically cleared to return to work.
Calls to the police department inquiring about that were not returned.
The other members of the council also thanked Cpt. Hurt for stepping up to serve in the absence of Fronterotta.
“I also want to thank our acting chief Cardell Hurt who did an outstanding job in the absence of the chief,” said Councilman Alex Padilla. “I’m glad he’s back to work.”
“I too want to welcome the chief back,” said Councilwoman Dionne Faulk.
Councilman Eloy Morales was also happy to see the chief back on the job.
“I want to congratulate the chief for making it back…experience matters and we’re lucky to have him after so many years and [Cardell] Hurt did a great job,” said Morales.
Finally, Inglewood Mayor James Butts acknowledged a growing problem in the City with copper wire theft.
“We have a little bit of bad news. There’s some copper wire thefts occurring where thieves cut into the base of the street lights and opening the access cover and hooking the wire to a vehicle then driving away,” said Butts. “This leaves the street light disabled.”
Street lights are visibly not working along Century Blvd. between Van Ness and Crenshaw Blvd. This is a main thoroughfare to SoFi Stadium.
The mayor said the City will have this under control shortly.