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The Civil Committee overseeing the Los Angeles Police Department has called for a thorough internal investigation into racist, sexist and homophobic comments captured in LAPD officer records.
One source said the tapes first disclosed in the era this week exposed the “toxic environment.”
Police Chief Jim McDonnell has promised that the department takes the matter seriously, but warned that city law prohibits the full termination of officers without legitimate procedures.
The Chief spoke at a weekly meeting of the LAPD Police Commission, a day after news broke that officers from the department’s recruitment and employment department had made unwitting comments, including when talking about police applicants.
At least six staff members from the recruitment and employment department have been assigned to the home waiting for the completion of the interior audit.
“It comes from everyone, it comes from black officers, it comes from women, it comes from Asians,” said Commissioner Teresa Sanchez Gordon, a newest member of the panel and retired Superior Court judge. “And we hope this research will really impact and send a message that our department cannot continue that toxic environment.”
Sanchez Gordon said she was recently at her first police graduation and was sincerely at the size of the crowd attended despite the well-documented recruitment challenges.
“We are low numbers,” she said. “These comments are completely unacceptable. They really don’t allow people to seriously consider those interested in joining LAPD.”
Maria “Lu” Caranche, the longest serving committee member, called the statement “completely inappropriate comments made at work.”
McDonnell said the officers involved were excluded from their obligations. He also notified the mayor and said he moved to fill their positions to ensure that the department’s recruitment efforts were not disrupted. Still, he admitted that the episode was “certainly a big set-off for all of us.” At the end of the department’s investigation, “Appropriate action will be taken.”
“I’m happy to hear you took the action,” Karanche said.
The usual period of public comment during Tuesday’s meeting was dominated by criticism of the committee that allowed such scandals to occur on the clock.
University professor and well-known civil rights activist Melina Abdullah blasted McDonnell for messing up the case at a regular department briefing, refusing to call the comment “racist.”
“Is this how they talk about recruits? People who want to be police officers. How do they talk about the people?” said Andrew Grebner, a longtime meeting attendee.
At a meeting shortly after the allegations were made public, several commissioners expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that certain cases of officer discipline were kept in the dark.
Speaking at Lampert station on Monday, McDonnell declared: It is especially important now to have a trust force that claims to have carried out this type of activity in light of our recruitment efforts and that we take very seriously. ”
Within minutes of that comment, the union representing Rank and File officers called for McDonnell to remove the assistant training officer.
“We are awakened to the reports of officers talking in this way about potential recruits, colleagues and supervisors,” the union statement said. “This rebukeable language is unacceptable and the languages identified as in these recordings should question their own ability to do their own thing to the high standards that we must adhere to as police officers.”
Authorities say captain Robin Petillo, who directly oversees the force, has already been released from the mission in another investigation.
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