officers - The Black Vault

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·.The -u. ·s, Justice Departm~nt
must seize an important
· opportunity to· help restore
public confiqence in· the Los
Angeles Police Department in
, the wake of .. the Rodne& King
beating. . · ·
· Police Chie(D?,ryl.Gates has
announced his · o~n plan to
· evaluate and .improve police
services. But outside, independent
authorities familiar
with law enforcement, such as
the .FBI, can. do a better job o~
examining the LAPD's system
to determin~ if problems exist .
with.training, discipline or the
chain of command.
· . The FBI began investigating
the King incident shortly
after a videotape of the beating
was widely telev.ised. The
quick response was unusual
because federal authorities
typically wait until local
probes and prosec-qtions have .
bee11 completed. But the.King to cooperate with the FBI
case warranted special atten- without guarantees of immution,
and the FBI probe now nity from future prosecution.
includes contacting all 246 Officers have the right not to
officers in the LAPD's Foot- make statements, but federal
hill Division. ·
investigators must not be.de-•.
As many as 21 J.,APD offi- terre4. by efforts · t6 close ·
cers were at the beating ranks and styz:nie the probe. ·
scene, anq additional officers The FBI investigatiol1 is n~t .
participated in an exchange of a fishing; expedition. It was ·
derogatory messages. ·On pa- prompt~d by· a specific crime.
trol car computers; that same To determine whether disnight.
That raises troubling criminatory patterns or poliquestions.
Was the verbal be,:·· -cies led to. that incident or
havior consistent with the· other incidents that may have
physical behavior in the King denied suspects their civii' ·
case? Did officers feel fr.ee to.. rights, federal agents must
joke about racial groups, or interview as many officers as·
the use. of force, in transmis- possible. .
sions? Was this a callous dis- · . Tlie King case Is an extreme .
regard of. department policy? example of what many minor­
Were there no sanctions for ities have complained about
making such comments? The for years, and not just in Los
answers are best obtained by Angeles. A speedy and thorindependent
investigators. ough federal probe could help
Many officers. have refused assuage the national outrage.