Police commission meeting on Ezell Ford ruling leads to heated debates

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The decision in the Ezell Ford case made for some heated debate between the president of the police officers' union and activists during a police commission meeting Tuesday.

Lt. Craig Lally, the president of the union that represents the Los Angeles Police Department, expressed his dissatisfaction with the commission's ruling that one of the officers involved in the shooting acted "out of policy."

Lally said that Ford was a gang member and that the shooting was justified.

"They're not talking about that he's a gang member in a gang neighborhood. They're not talking about that. They're talking about because he's a mentally ill black person. That's what (the media) is portraying him as. He's got a whole different side to him," he said.

But several activists in attendance took issue with Lally's statements.

Lally and other union officials reiterated their position that LAPD officers are now reluctant to be proactive while on patrol for fear that they could be second-guessed by the citizen oversight panel.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said he has not seen any evidence of fewer arrests.

Ford was shot to death in August 2014. The shooting in South Los Angeles came amidst a string of other controversial shootings nationwide. The two officers involved said Ford tried to take one of their guns during a struggle.

As to whether either of the officers will be disciplined following the ruling, the decision comes down to Beck. The shooting remains under review by the district attorney's office.