LA Police Commission's Role in Oversight and Review of Use of Force Incidents
Mayor Karen Bass and LAPD Deputy Chief Answer Questions During Town Hall
During an Immigrants’ Rights virtual town hall, Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides answered questions from the public.
We have been publishing the questions and the answers given during the town hall. Below is a portion of the transcript.
Mayor Karen Bass Staff:
Ryan Johnson, right? And how can those individuals be held accountable for the wrong decision? Assistant Chief Tingirides, can you walk us through how those decisions are made and then also maybe mention some of the police commission activity and oversight?
LAPD Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides:
Yes. So there isn’t one specific individual that decides when a force can be used. It’s actions done by another individual. LAPD will call an unlawful assembly or dispersal if that’s what you are, like we did a few nights ago when the Dodgers won.
We have crowds that are encroaching on traffic. They’re lighting high-grade fireworks. They’re throwing A-flames in the middle of the street. There’s an attempt to loot the 7-Eleven intake property.
When we see actions rise to the level of destruction and not allowing a peaceful gathering, then LAPD will declare an unlawful assembly. Oftentimes, this could include an officer being attacked, rocks, and bottles being thrown. At the federal building, we saw agents. That prompted a help call on LAPD having to respond. So when there are acts of violence and disruption, the LAPD will call a dispersal order. And at that time, individuals are asked to leave the area. The area should be considered closed. And then our actions are to move the crowd so that they leave and clear that area.
We do have a use of force investigation for every force. We view CCTV. There is an extensive investigation that’s done from the onset when we do utilize force. Oftentimes, some of the uses of force, including our categorical uses of force, go all the way up to our police commission, who will also view those same incidents and render a decision on whether or not it’s in policy or out of policy.