New details of the complaints filed at the Los Angeles Police Department, which allegedly used racist officials by recruiting office officials, and Monday’s misleading comments sparked anger and called for accountability from city officials.
In February, LAPD confirmed it had launched an investigation into four officers allegedly making racist and sexist remarks while working with new recruits. Chief Jim McDonnell initially eliminated EU, sergeant and four officers from the department’s recruitment and employment department.
On Monday, the LA Times reported details of complaints filed by whistleblowers. This included around 90 recordings of police officers and supervisors making lightly parochial statements to potential recruits and colleagues based on race and orientation.
The complaint accused LAPD Sergeant. Denny John leads such a conversation.
John, recruited by Asians, was asked in a conversation with his subordinate who was talking about Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela, who died in 2024 from a septic shock. John is said to have said, “I know why he died. He ate too many tacos.”
The complaint also alleged that John commented that the female civilian supervisor looked like a man and made crude jokes about Asian women. Additionally, the officers allegedly made some dim-like comments about black applicants, female colleagues and LGBTQ+ colleagues.
The conversation was recorded between March and October in the city’s HR construction, according to the Times.
Details of the complaint prompted a response from Mayor Karen Bass, who reaffirmed her position on the issue.
Bass argued that expanding the LAPD rank was a top priority and ensures the safety of its residents. She described the statement as “outrageous and unacceptable.”
“Chief (McDonnell) and I are on the same page about the urgent need to modify the hiring and hiring process and ensure that past officers do not hurt badges for everyone else,” Bass said in a statement.
The Los Angeles Police Protection League Board, a union representing LAPD Rank and File, is seeking accountability.
“We are openly awakened to the reports of officers who are talking this way about potential recruits, colleagues and supervisors. This language of blame is unacceptable, and the languages identified as being featured in these recordings should question our ability to carry out ourselves to the high standards that we must adhere to as police officers,” the board said.
“After a thorough, fair and transparent investigation into this alleged misconduct, officers who have been found to have broken public trust must be held accountable,” the statement continued.
Lappl also noted that several officers and supervisors on the scene were removed until the results of the investigation were revealed. Board members questioned why Deputy Director General Mark Reina, who is in charge of recruiting, was not relieved by “what appears to be his lack of full surveillance,” the board added.
L.A. City Councilman Tim Makosker said in a statement that he was “angry and disappointed.”
“I have never heard of the recordings, but these reports, if true, are inconsistent with everything we have worked with the LAPD and the city for years,” Makosker said in a statement.
He also agreed that discipline and corrective action must be pursued not only in the speaker’s doubts but also in “failed leadership.”
Greg Smith, the lawyer representing whistleblowers, told the Times, where they work with inspectors, due to concerns about retaliation and personal safety.
Officers also allegedly misrepresented to show more time than the time cards were actually working, confidential information was disclosed to other agencies, and racial and sexual bias was applied to the choice of officers, the Times reported.
LAPD officials told the Times they would investigate whether the recording was illegal.
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