April 30, 2008
320 Racial Complaints to LAPD; 100% are Cleared

Photo by stevelyon via Flickr
For the sixth year in a row, complaints of racial profiling towards LAPD officers have all been dismissed, according to the LA Times who reviewed documents from the police department's Internal Affairs Group. In 2007, all 320 cases that allege that officers stopped, questioned or confronted someone because of race, were closed, 80% of them as "unfounded."
And for reactions? As told to the Times:
"In my mind, there is no such thing as a perfect institution . . . I find it baffling that we have these zeros." ~ Commissioner John Mack, who is African American and the former president of the Los Angeles Urban League.
"This is not a racist department. It is not a homophobic department. It is not a brutal department. Does it have some officers that may be those things? Possibly. But we search very hard for them, and their numbers are very small." ~ LAPD Chief William Bratton
"I am really outraged. They [police commissioners] are using a circular logic that just because someone makes an allegation, then the officer has to be found guilty. That's mid-century thinking. They are supposed to be in a role of leadership. I'm sorry but that is not an attitude of leadership." ~ Tim Sands, president of the police officers union.



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Let's not forget that only 320 were actually reported. I'm sure the number of incidents that *may* have occurred/reported were probably much much higher.
Any police department are more than happy to tell you before you file a complaint that you're wasting your time. Isn't that just a great way to communicate with the public? Obviously they're right - and 320 people who ignored their warnings were proven that there really is no recourse against corrupt/racist police. Internally, police only see all blue brothers and sisters.
I can't wait until those cameras on squad cars are installed, it'll be harder for them to lie (assuming the leave it turned on). Would've helped in my situation.
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""This is not a racist department. It is not a homophobic department. It is not a brutal department. Does it have some officers that may be those things? Possibly. But we search very hard for them, and their numbers are very small." ~ LAPD Chief William Bratton"
Riiiight!
And let's everyone please not remember what happened one year ago tomorrow at the May Day Rally. The LAPD showed us all how "unbrutal" and "unracist" they really are.
Good thing the LAPD got brutal and racist with the media too, or we might still not know about it unless we had been there.
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Oh well I'm glad they cleared that up.