Porn Condom Enforcement In L.A. County Questioned

After voters passed a mandatory condom law for porn performers, Los Angeles County officials began sorting out how such a law would be enforced. Sworn personnel may play a role.

CC_Flickr: fissermanCC_Flickr: fisserman

After voters passed a mandatory condom law for porn performers, Los Angeles County officials began sorting out how such a law would be enforced. Sworn personnel may play a role.

Possible answers include government officials overseeing filming to make sure condoms are used or surprise inspections of unlicensed shoots. County Department of Public Health officials could be asked to view adult movies for evidence of violations, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Adult filming takes place in many communities in Los Angeles County, especially the San Fernando Valley where the Los Angeles Police Department responds to citizen complaints about noise, disturbances, and public displays of indecent exposure or lewd conduct.

LAPD officers in North Hollywood and Devonshire divisions who regularly respond to adult filming sets typically wouldn't be checking for condom use but could partner with health officials, Devonshire's Lt. Tim Gorsney told POLICE Magazine.

"My understanding is the driving force will be public health," Lt. Gorsney said. "We would use all assets to fix or address a problem. If we're having citizen complaints about illegal filming, we would make sure they [health officials] were involved to take whatever actions to solve the problem."

The foreclosure crisis has created a market for low-cost filming locations for the adult industry, Lt. Gorsney said.

"You're seeing filming locations throughout the region," Lt. Gorsney said. "Wherever you have places that can be rented out cheaply, that’s where you're seeing them film."

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department maintains its Malibu-Lost Hills station, and patrols the western Valley. A department spokesman told POLICE Magazine it's unclear whether deputies would be asked to enforce this law.

"I just don't know," said Steve Whitmore.

By Paul Clinton

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