officers - The Black Vault

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partment's failure in any wa,y to
.prohibit .the excessive use of.
force. . . . This is a typical street
justice scenario .... That is, un­
.fortunately, standard fare for the
Los Angeles Police Department."
Court records show that King was
arrested Nov. 13, 1989, in the Nov. 3
robbery of a Monterey Park.grocery
store. Grocer Tae Suck Baik test-ified
that King threatened him with a tire
iron. King was charged wit.p robbery
and assault and later pleaded
. guilty to second -degree robbery. He
W&$ semenr-e-:l in F'el:.lrua1":;". 1990. tc.
!;:7'2 years in prison. Credited for
time already served, he was released
in December.
After serving six months in prison,
King wrote a letter to Superior
Court Judge Lillian M. Steven:;;,
' asking that his sentenced be reduced.
The request was denied.
"I have seriously been thinking
about what happened," King
wrote, "and I think if it is possible
that you can give me another
chance, your honor, I have a good
job and I have two fine kids who
wish me home."
Times staff writers Tracy Wood,
Steve Padilla, Ashley Dunn, Sheryl
• Stolberg and Faye Flore contrl~uted to
·this report.
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Here is the Los.Angeles Police Department:s use of force policy as
\ cOntained in the department's official governing manual .
~ .
J
"ln a com:-lax U"b"n "-OCJetY offJCGl':l ar~ daily CJ':'lfrc:nted with
situations ~h~;~ c~nf;ol~mus(be exercised to effect arrests and to
protect the' public safety. Control may be achie_ved through B:dvice,
warnings and persuasion, or by the use of physical forc:e. ~e. the
use of reasonable physical for~e may be necessaFy . 1p. situations
:Which cannot ·be othen.vis.e controlled, force may not ~-resorted to
unless other reasOnable alternatives have been exhausted or v.:ould
\:, ~learly be ineffective -under .the particular ~ircumstances. Officers
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are permittea tO use whatever force that is reasonable and necessary
to protect others .or themselves fro~·bodilY harm.·~·- · :. .
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