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Data on police use of force is notoriously hard to come by. But in an investigation for LAist, Aaron Mendelson found and broke down the numbers — and his report should surprise exactly no one. According to the state of California, law enforcement officers in L.A. used force on Black Angelenos at a higher rate than any other racial group .
"The racial disparities are a natural outcome of this entire system that we've created," civil rights attorney Connie Rice told Aaron.
Police shootings tend to get the most attention, but the most common type of force used against Black people in L.A. is physical force, including kicks and punches.
And lest you think that somehow doesn't sound as bad, in order to qualify for the state database that Aaron combed, those kicks and punches have to represent "substantial risk of death, unconsciousness, protracted and obvious disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ.”
Keep reading for more on what’s happening in L.A. today.
Coming Up Today, July 8
A new Bridge Shelter opened in San Pedro to provide temporary housing for homeless Angelenos. Matt Tinoco reports on its progress.
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The Past 24 Hours In LA
L.A. Law Enforcement: Police in L.A. County use force on Black people at hugely disproportionate rates , and at higher rates than any other racial group. County officials voted to study how to close Men’s Central Jail within a year, and invest the funds in mental health programs.
From COVID-19 To TB: L.A. County moved everyone who was doing contact tracing for tuberculosis to COVID-19. Now the chief medical officer is worried about a potential TB outbreak .
Today In Education: The LAUSD board reelected Richard Vladovic to a second consecutive term as board president. International students could lose their visas if they don't attend in-person classes, but that's a serious problem with many schools going online this fall.
The Devil’s Gate: A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit against L.A. County to reduce the scope of a project attached to the Devil’s Gate Dam.
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Photo Of The Day
The Laugh Factory unveiled a 148-foot-long mural as a tribute to Black Lives Matter, believed to be the largest tribute to BLM in the nation. Five artists were involved in the project.
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