“The January 7, 2020 article by the Los Angeles Times, ‘Officers falsely portrayed people as gang members, falsified records, LAPD says’ is another example of why the rights of average citizens, especially those of color, must be guarded and protected against abuse of power including institutional racism, racial profiling and bigotry.
If the allegations against the officers are found to be true, they must be held accountable for their actions in attempting to disrupt and destroy the lives of those affected by false reporting.
As the Chair of the State Assembly’s Public Safety Committee, I applaud the Los Angeles Police Department for launching an internal review once it became apparent officer’s reports did not accurately match or align with video footage and audio files from field stops. Their instant reaction and review of officer’s false reporting may have saved hundreds more from being misidentified and unknowingly and falsely enrolled into our criminal justice system as a known gang member.
I will continue to monitor this situation and work with law enforcement leadership on ways to preserve the rights of those they detain while maintaining their ability to protect and serve us all.”
Contact:
Richard Garcia
Richard.garcia@asm.ca.gov
(213) 744-2111