BBC NEWS | Americas | LA police reassigned over clashes
It is quite a surprise to find an outcome
of prompt administrative action following
the May Day Immigration demonstration in
Los Angeles by the LA Chief of Police.
California police rarely receive anything
but full and public support for any actions
they take, including shooting unarmed citizens
for reasons which sometimes cannot be even be
determined.
California has special laws which protect
police from public disclosure of all matters
of regarding police misconduct. Most beatings
and shootings, even those resulting in the
deaths of non-suspects, are closed to scrutiny
of the public and media. This denial of public
and media access to information has been
upheld through civil litigation by media.
Many organizations have been established by
citizens to attempt to address this problem.
Two examples are CaliforniansAware.org and
copwatch.org.
What I find of particular note is the fact
one of the national experts in less-than-lethal
weapons (which rubber bullets fall under)
is a member of the LAPD. He collaborates with
the military in the development of their
training programs and is recognized for his
expertise nationwide. It doesn't surprise me
that less-than-lethal weapons were liberally
administered to the crowd. What does surprise
me is the political clout this demonstration
garnished. For without it, there would not have
been anything more than a one minute press
justification statement read and case closed.
The between the lines message here is that
the immigration issue is something that is
a political princess and not to be trifled
with.
LA's history has been to find the officers of
gross abuses such as the Rodney King gang
bang beating by cops innocent of any
wrongdoing, even in a court of California
law. This is something new and different.
A top ranking officer was demoted and sixty!
officers were reassigned. Historical indeed.
It's a major political development.
I hope such swift and appropriate discipline
for law enforcement misconduct spreads
throughout the entire State of California
for the benefit of its legal citizens,too.
