Garcetti announces LAPD reforms designed to reduce officer misconduct
As protests continue throughout the nation over the death of George Floyd, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a series of reforms aimed at reducing police misconduct.
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- As protests continue throughout the nation over the death of George Floyd, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced a series of reforms aimed at reducing police misconduct.
Garcetti said new policies for the Los Angeles Police Department will include requiring officers to intervene if they see their fellow officers engage in inappropriate use of force, and requiring them to report misconduct.
"Nobody hates a bad cop more than a good cop," Garcetti said. "We have to make sure there is no culture of silence, there is no culture of acquiescence. That there is no culture of being a bystander. There is only right or wrong on our streets and on streets across America."
The city of Los Angeles budget has already been devastated by the coronavirus crisis. Garcetti said the LAPD can expect a $100 million cut in its budget.
At the same time, he said, the department will increase programs that train officers to recognize their own implicit bias in dealing with the public. There will also be increased disciplinary measures against inappropriate conduct by officers.
At the same time, the mayor said, the city wants to help local youth to help prevent them from turning to crime by investing in community services and youth development programs.
In addition, he said, the city will have a moratorium on adding new names to the statewide gang member database, until that issue can be further studied.
Los Angeles Police Commission President Eileen Decker further outlined the proposed changes for what she called an "aggressive reform agenda."
The commission will support the use of an independent prosecutor to oversee police misconduct cases, rather than the District Attorney's office which often works collaboratively with officers to build criminal cases.
She said the city will also support legislation for increased juvenile diversion programs, to ensure fewer youths enter the criminal justice system.
This will also include accelerated efforts to train officers in de-escalation and crowd control.
The department will also review the process governing use of force reviews to see if an early warning system can be developed for officers displaying problematic behavior.
The planned reforms were announced amid a renewed spotlight on police misconduct brought about by the George Floyd case in Minnesota. All four officers involved in Floyd's arrest were fired and are now facing criminal charges.
