George Floyd protests: 7 LAPD employees reassigned to non-field duties amid 28 use-of-force investigations, police say
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Several advocacy organizations have filed lawsuits against the Los Angeles Police Department as the agency faces criticism for the tactics used by some of its officers during recent protests over the death of George Floyd.
At a news conference outside police headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, community activists displayed canisters they claim were left in the streets that were used by police to fire rubber bullets into the crowd.
"This case is about the irony of people in the streets protesting against police brutality, and they're met with police brutality," said attorney Jorge Gonzalez.
In a statement Wednesday, the LAPD said 40 investigators have been assigned to ongoing investigations into "allegations of misconduct, violations of department policy, and excessive force during the recent civil unrest.
"We will look into every complaint thoroughly and hold every officer accountable for their actions," the statement said, adding that 56 complaint investigations have been opened, 28 of which involved alleged uses of force.
Black Lives Matter co-founder Melina Abdullah said: "We also need to think about what the intention is. The intention is not just to cause harm against those who are directly met with batons, but also to have a chilling effect on protests."
Seven LAPD employees have been assigned to non-field duties as a result, the news release said.
Lawyers say the protesters were overall peaceful, yet the department used dangerous tactics. They say after the arrests, people were held for eight to 12 hours even though the offense was a violation of the curfew.
Mayor Eric Garcetti has said the police commission will look at video and the tactics used by the department during the protests to see if laws were followed properly.
