•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
- . ~
TOPIC 11.
WORKING OUTLINE
RACIAL AND ETHNIC BIAS/
DISCRIMINATION/ HARASSMENT
Introduction.
DRAFT
There have been numerous and vocal allegations by
leaders and members of minority communities in Los Angeles,
particularly the Black community, as well as from the public
at large that the beating of Rodney King was , in large part,
racially motivated. In the aftermath of the King incident,
the minority communities have reiterated the complaint that
LAPD officers routinely treat minorities in a racist manner,
evidenced by verbal abuse, including racially derogatory
comments, harassmant and a greater tendency, unwarranted by
thG circumsztancQs, to us@ force, and excessive force,
again~t minoritias_
Thie portion of thQ rQport will addrca~s: the issues
of racism and raoially/ethnioally motivated conduct on the
part of the LAPD with respect to th9 minority communiti~s,
as well as the trt~tment within the department of minority
police otticers.
Testimony presented to the Commission to date and
other research by starr suqgests three discrete, though
101210(99786]1061 -1- 20-APR-91 12:32:59
2"d
relatedr areas or inquiry which the invee~igation ~hould
pursue.
I. WORKING CULTURE OF LAPD.
The investigation will seek to determine if the
environment or culture within tne LAPD 1s one wn1cn
tolerates or encourages racial and ethnic bias on the part
of police officers which tends to translate into
racially/ethnically motivated conduct by police ~ff1cers in
dealing with citizens in minority communities.
The transcript of computer transmissions between
squad cars and the watch commander's office of LAPD's
Foothill Division on the night of the King beating,
rGf lQcting conv9rsation of two of the officers who took part
in tha k>Gating, contains offensive, racially derogatory
comment~ made by thosa officers. Some community leaders
E"d
have evidenced a concern that the comments reflect a
pervasive attitude of racism among LAPD officers. It
will therefore be important to establish if such
comments and behavior are commonplace among Foothill and
other divisions within the LAPD, and if so, what actions,
if any, have been taken by the department to discourage
such behavior and the attitudes it reflects.
I01210[g9786]1061 ZO•APR-91 12:33:00
~·d
Methodology. rn re!erence to this aspect of the
inquiry, staff proposes the following actions:
review of transcripts or police computer
transmissions for several geographically strategic divisions
during the year preceding the King incident and tne period
since March 3;
to the extent available, review audiotapes ot
radio car transmissions for a comparable period;
review of records of departmental disciplinary
actions against officers related to racially/ethnically
derogatory comments/verbal abuse/harassment of minority
review police academy and in-service training
matQrials relat.Gd to roanaginq racial/ethnic diversity and
human rQlatiomi;
interviews of polica officers (minority and
majority) on a random baeie to accertain attitudeg toward
and reaction to police "working oul ture. ''
101210(99786]1061 20-APR-91 12:33:00
Expert and Teohnical Consultant ServM.tces.
To assi5t etaf £ in undor~tanding the more
subtle manifestations of raoism and biaG ! as WQll a~ to
assist in the development of appropriate investigative
techniques, staff will seek to interview Dr. Martin RQadQr,
LAFD'S chief psychologist, as well as to interview (with tho
assistance of deputy general coun~el Larry Gotlieh) retirsd
UCLA medical school psychiatry profe~sors Loui~ West and
Judd Marmur and or. Peter Gruenberg, pre5ident of the
Psychiatric Society ot Los Angeles.
To assist start in aecipnering and tranelatinq
what may be "coded" language in tne computer transcripts, we
will seek the services of one or more, preferably recently
retired, LAPD officer as an unpaid statf consultant.
S"d
Depending upon the volume and manageability of
the computer transcripts, staff will consider using the
technical services of a computer programming specialist to
design software programs to facilitate and expedite the
prooass of review and analysis of the transcripts.
II. PATTERNS OF RACIALyY MOTIVATED CONDUCT :SY LAPD IN
DEALING WITH MINORITIES.
I01210[997S6]106l -4- 20-APR-91 12:33:00
The invastigation will seek to determine if there
i~ evidence of disca~nible, p~rsistent patterns of
racial/ethnic di~crimination and/or harassment in the
conduct of LAPD officers with m~mhers of the minority
conimunities. This ar9a of inva~tigation will consist of two
components: interaction of policQ with minorities "on the
streets" and the experiences of minoritiQs in utilizing
~epartmental complaint procedures.
A. Street Interaction. Alle9ationa of polic~
racism and discrimination in encounters betwagn minorities
and police ten~ to fall into three broad categories:
(1) verbal abuse/harassment where no arro~t
is made;
(ii) the use or tactics intended primarily to
humiliate or intimidate, such as the "proned-out" position,
or instigating attacks by police dogs; an~
(iii) unwarranted and excessive use ot force.
B. U~ilization of LAPD Personnel Complaint
Procedure. Evidence presented to the Commission suggests
-5- 20-APR-91 12:33:00
that many of the citizen complaints lodged against police
officers for misconduct are made by minorities. There have
also been continuing allegations by members of the minority
communities that the LAPD has been, on the whole,
unresponsive to such complaints, and that generally, the
existing d~partmental procedur~s for personnel complaints
are an ineffective means of redress for minorities&
MQthodo1oq¥•
materials in other areas of study,
with staff working on
~taf f proposQ~ to
review and analyze reoorde of LAPD relating to
(i) complaints filed during the last five yeare by
minorities againet the LAPD officer~, with a particular
focu5 on complcint5 alle9ing use of excessive force and
racial harassment/discrimination, including the ultimate
disposition of the complaint and any resulting discip1inary
action taken against the officers(s) involved; and
~·d
(ii) arrest reports indicating use of rorce or medical
treatment o! the arrestee following detention or arrest
where h~ or she is a minority, and reports of any related
departmental review or other action initiated on the basis
of information in the arrest report.
In addition, staff proposes to conduct interviews
of the leadership and members of representative minority
101210(99786]1061 -6- 20-APR-91 12:33:01
organizations in the conutunity regarding experiences and
relations with the LAPD, includinq tha p~rceivad
eff~ctiveness of community relations programs established by
LAPD. An initial working list of such persons and
orqanizations is attachQd 3s Appgndi~ I.
Expert~ and Con&ultant~. To a~ai~t in thQ dQaign
and structure of appropriate questions and tQchniqu9s for
the interviews of private citizens and group
repreeentativee, staff will enlist the aseietance of a
leading social ecienti~t/p~ychologi:5t to help maximiee the
utility and reliability of the inforruetion elici~ed in the
interviews.
III. CULTURE OF DIVERSITY WITHIN LAPD.
ot no less signiticance in examining the issue ot
racism in tne LAPO is tne status an~ experience or minority
police o!t1cers within tne aepartmen~.
I01210C9978611061 -7- 20-APR-91 12%33:01
8"d
A. Blake consent Decree. In 1973, Fanchon Blake
initiated a civil suit against the City of Los Angeles, LAPD
and others alleging sex discrimination in the promotion of
female police officers above the rank of sergeant. In 1977,
the U.S. Attorney General filed an action against the City
and the LAPD alleging emplorrnent discrimination on the basis
of sex, race and national origin for sworn officer
positions.
In the settlement of these actions, the City and
the LAPD agreed to a consent decree which prescribed an
affirmative action program to recruit and hire minority and
fQmale candidates as sworn officers. According to a July,
1290 study conductQd by thG ClarGmont GraduatQ Schoel
(Claremont Study) on tha impact of the Blake con~ent dQcrQe,
citing figure$ provided by the LAPD, in 1990, of LAPD sworn
pQrsonnol, Blacks oomprisgd 13.2% (comparQd to €.7% in 19BO)
and Hispanics comprised 20.4% (compared to 10.7% in l9BO).
While there ha5 been a significant increase in the overall
representation of minorities among the swotn personnel of
the LAPD, the Claremont Study indicates several areas of
concern affectin9 the pro9res3 and succes~ of minoritie5 in
the department.
I01210[99786]l06l -8- 20-APR-91 12:33:01
6"d
An inquiry into such issues for purposes of
de~ermin!ng compliance with the Blake ccnsent decree is, of
course, beyond .the scope of the charge of the Commission.
However, some level of examinatton of these issues would be
appropriate to help determine if one or more such factors
contribute to a perception among minority officers of
racial/ettmic bias or discrimination within the department
which may adversely affect the job performance of minority
officers and the rnanner in which they relate to the minority
communities.
These areas of concern include:
(i) Minorities in Investigative, Supervisory
and Management Positions. The Claremont Study indicates
that in 1990, Blacks and Hispanics together comprised 18.4%
(8.0% and 10.4~, respti;.ctively) of ~taff, command and
supervisory positions1 in LAPD. Of the DQtective positions
within tho dopartmont, Blacks;; and His:panio~ compri;:'-d an
aggregate 44.7%2 (6.5% and 18.2%, r~spQctiv~ly) •
.!I Staff positions con~ist of Commender, Deputy Chief,
A~~i~tcnt Chief and Chief. Command po=itions con~ist of
Cftptains only. Supervisory positions con~ist of Ser9e~nt
o.nd Lieutenant..
1f Datective positions consist of Detective I, II and II!.
I01210(99785]10el -9- 20-APR-91 12:JJ:ol
(ii) Minorities as Training Officers. While
not specifically addressed by the Claremont Study, a related
issue is the degree of participation by minorities as
training officers. Present evidence suggests that few of
the minority and female sworn officers are involved as field
training otf icers; and
(iii) Minority Officer Attrition. The
Claremont study indicates that for Black off i~ers in
particular the field probation attrition rate (i . . e., rate of
terminations during the first year following graduation from
the academy) has been disproportionately higher than for
other groups, including Hispanics. The Claremont study also
discloses that over the period of the study, 1981-89, a
relatively greater percentage of Blacks were terminated for
poor "duty performance," poor "record writing" and resigned
"in lieu of" termination.
Methodology. In conjunction with staff working on
materials for Chapter 5 of the Report, staff proposes the
following action:
(i) review ~tati~tic~ and r~eordc of tho
dopartmont ralatinq to appointments to suparvi~ory and
management positions within the dapartmant ovar tha lagt
101210[99796]1061 -10- 20-APR-91 12:33:02
H"d
five yeara to determine if there are any npparent recurring
pattern~ with respect to the experience/treatment of
Bleck/Hispanic applicants for such position~;
(ii) examine proce~s by which training
officers are selected, (~, Topic 4) with respect to
qualifications and selection or minority officers as field
training ot!icers;
{iii) conduct interviews with minority orr1cers
regarding the perception of real opportunities for progress
and promotion of minorities within the department.
Interviews should preferably include officers currently in
supervisory/management positions as well as officers who
have applied and were unsuccessful.
B. Patterns of "Self Segregation" of Minority
pfficers in Division Assignments. In his testimony b&fore
the connnission, former Assistant Chief Brewer observed that
in selectinq division assignments, Black and Hispanic
officers tended to congregate in particular divisions within
the department. By way of explanation of this pattern ,
Chief Brewer expressed the opinion that, to the @xtent the
officer has a choice in the matterr see, Topic 6, re:
Memorandum #4, minority officers preferred not to work with
I01210(997S6Jl06l -11- 20-APR-91 12133:02
2t"d
race problems and wanted to work where there is a level of
acceptability and a more hospitable environment. He noted,
for example, that Black officers tended to congregate in the
Wilshire and Southwest Divisions, while Hispanics tended to
conqreqate in the Hollenbeck Division.
In this regard, the investigation will seek to
identify the reasons for the "self-segregation" by minority
officersr and to determine if ther@ ar@ divisions within the
LAPD with rQputation~ aSi; being ''racist'' or inhospitabl~ to
minority officars, and if so, what, if any, action has been
takQn by the LAPD administration, fo;t;Jnally or informally, to
address this issue.
El"d
Methodology. In conjunction with etaff working on
materials for Topic 6 of the Report, ~taff propo~es the
following action:
(i) review of assignment rosters for the
department to ascertain the allocation of minority officers
among divis1ong within the LAPD;
(ii) to the extent feasible, determine which
assignments of minority officers were (a) voluntary
101210(99786]1061 -12- 20-APR-91 12:33:02
selections under Memorandum #4 or (b) departmental
decisions;
(iii) interview, on a random basi8, minority
off leers self selecting assignments in divisions with
s1gn1tican~ numbers or members or the same minority group
regar~ing reasons ror cnoice of assignment;
(iv} interview LAPD supervisory;command
personnel regarding the composition of the ranks of sworn
personnel at certain of the divisions in the. department
identified as inhospitable to minorities and any
departmental response/action concerning such reputations.
c. Minority Officers Experiences/Perceptions of
Environment Within LAPD With Respect to Racial/Ethnic Bias
and Discrimination. one of the most important sources cf
information about the LAPD and the existence and extent of
racial/ethnic bias and discrirninationr within the community
as well as the dapartl?lQnt will b~ minority police officers.
Mothodology. Staff will conduct a £orios of
interview• with individual strGot lovQl and supervisory
officers, ft~ well as representatives of local minority law
enforcement a~eociations and orqani~ations, inoludin9 local
I01210[99786JlO~l -13- zo-APR-91 12:33:02
branch~s of national organizations. Included among the
individual officers which WQ havQ thus far idQntifiad as
prospective interviewees are Garland Hardeman, Don Williams,
Floyd A. Henry, Janice Bovey and Kevin H. Williams, all of
whom contributed to an April 15, 1991 article in the Loe
Angeles Times concerning the experiences of Black officers
in the LAPD since the King incident.
In addition, staff will request the names of all
minority orticers in the LAPD. on a random basis, staff
will conduct [~OJ interviews ot orr1cers at each personnel
level, Police Officer r-Il!, sergeant !-II and
Detective I-III.
The minority law enforcement organizations which
staff has identified and will contact for interviews
include:
(i) Association of Black Law Enforcement
St"d
Officers;
(ii) La Ley, the Union of Hispanic Law
Enforcement Officers:
101210[99786]1061 -14- 20-APR-91 12:33:03
1S:11 16, 02 ~d~
(iii) Latin American Law Enforcement
Association; and
(iv) National Organization of Black Law
Enforcement Executives.
101210(99786]1061 -15- 20-APR-91 12:33:03
APPENDIX I
MINORITY COMMUNITY CONTACTS
(PROPOS2D - SUBJECT TO CHANGE)
African-American
DANNY B>.J(EWELL
BROTHERHOOD CRUSADE
200 E. Slauson Avenuo
Loa Af\9elo•, CA
213 - ~31-2171
FAXt 213 - 235-553'
JOSEPH DUPP
NAACP
2~07 w. Vernon Drive
to• Angeles, CA
213 - 29,-2630
PAX: 213 - 294-9435
213 - 563-4800 (Drew Sahool)
CONNIE R%CB
If AACP - LOP
213 - 624-2405
PAX: 213 - 624-0075.
GEORGE MALLORY
t.AHGSTON LAW CLUB
213 - 470-2804
JOlllf KACIC
I.A URBAN LEAGUE
34'0 Jlt. V•rnon Drive
Loa Angele•, CA 90001
213 - 299-9610
FAX: 213 - 2tt-oe1a
AL HUDSOll'
BROADWAY l"SDDAL
4501 south Broadway
Lo• Anqalea, CA 90037
4!1l - a:sa·4~7l
PAX: 213 - 232-1403
TED WATKINS
LllOR
Jiii LAWSOlf
SCLC
..-ia ...
·-- -
FRANK HIGCINS
BAPTIST MIHISTERS CONFERENCE
IVAN HotJSTON
COLDEM STl.T2 INSURAHC£
ANN SHAW
COMMUNITY ACTIVIST
BONDIE CAXBRELL
COMMERCIAL t;UARDIAJI
sass · centir.ela.
Lo• Angolea, CA 900'5
213 - 6-45-4886
Z.L. BROWM
AME CHURCH
Hi1paniq
RAUL AYAIA, ESQ.
PRESIDENT
Mexicen Allerioan Bar AGeooiation
213 - 365-3400
TERESA EUSTILLOS, ESQ.
SAPERSTEIN, SBLIGMAH, MAYEDA i. LARJCIH
10951 Weat Pico Blvd., 3rd Ploor
Lo• Angeles, CA 900'4
213 - 474-7790
(BJDployment Practices)
- LlC. JOSE ANTOlflO OR'l'IZ-PEDRAZA
CONSUL OF ClTIZBH PROTECTIVE SERVICES
coneulat• General of Mexico
~401 Ea•t Sixth Street
LO• Angelee, CA 90097
213 .. 3~1-025
(Brut.11ty/deatluf of Maxican nationals)
- ID H:IJlRlm&
c:BAIJtPDSOlf
Hi•panlc Advisory co .. ittee to IAPD
213 - 444-1138
- DR. AIUIMDO llOMLES
UCLA .JfEURO-PSICHIATRIC IRSTITUTI
(Police-comaunity Relation•>
.......
81"d
6l"d
_. DR. GIDRIA ROMERO
Depart.ant of Socioloqy
cal State,. LA
Dtl. DIBGO VIGIL ~ :A J/J.1 J, ?
Departaent ot AnthropolOCJY ~
(Cllft9 Violence)
MR. LUPE OE LA CRUZ
POST, Sacramento
(Police Traininc; standards)
AN'l'OM!A HERNANDBZ
K A L D E JI
,3, ·so. sprin9 Street, 11th Floor
Lo• Ang@l~•, ~ 9001,
213 - 629-251.2
FAX: ~13 - 629-8016
- LYDll UJPEZ
COIDIUHITY YOUTH GANG SERVICE
144 so. Pot~•rly ~v@nua
Lo• Anqalea, CA 90022 213 - 2,,_,:I,.
PAX: 213 • 2&7-0338
PllJL llONTRZ
DIUC!'OR
US CIVIL RICHTS COMMISSION, REQZOH 9
3CCO Wil•bir• Boulovard, Suit• 810
Lo9 Angele•, CA 90010
213 - 114•3437
PAXa 213 • 894•0508
S»IJBL R. PAI
HISPARIC ADVISORY COllMISSION TO LA.PD
1135 So. C.rf ie14 Aven~•
Albllllbra, CA 91101
811 - aa9-4a''
PAX: 811 - a1a~3110
-Lit.A eAlll'08
tJllO
213 - llt-0577
DUllY V%LLMVBVA
213 • t33•t903
ltVDI ACUlfA
c& STATZ lfO'_aT_mt_...IDGB, JIISPAM:IC aTUDIBS
811 - 119-2739
~ ....
..,-MOTHERS OF DS'l' IA
:.213 - 264-1892
FRANK VILI.U.DBOS
BUSINESS1Wf
213 - 726-7734
JOI SANCHEZ
MEXICAN AMERICAN POLITICAL ASSN.
213 - 223-1348
.... MARY SALINAS DtJROH
VICE PRESIDENT ' MANAGER
Urban • Co11J1Unity Affairs
First Interstate Bank ot California
707 Wilshire Boulevard, W35-12
Los Anqeles, CA 90017
213 - 614-3147
PAX: 213 - 614•3611
JGt. JORGE FERNARDIZ ISLA., ESQ.
- PRESIDENT
CUba.n Aaerican Bar Association
2975 Wilshire Boulevard - Suite 525
Loe Anqeles, Cl 90010
213 - 387-8101
SARAH PLORES
FIELD DEPUTY FOR MID AHTOHOVICH
400 Civic Canter Plaza
superior court: Rooa I 106
Po11ona, CA 91765
714 - 620-5217
PAX: 714 - 620-3277
- IGHACIO E. IDZAllO, JR.
02"d
RD?TOR IM Clll:D
La opinion (Spani.ab Kw•paPftr)
'11 W. Stb St.r~
Lota .lrMJ•lH, CA IG013
213 - ••&~2~33
VJ:UG 8. KlM'DUr &IQ.
PARTllD
Jl\lnf•r, Toll•• ' 01•on
351 8. Crand Avenue, 35t.h l'loor
Lo9 Angel .. , CA 90071-1110
--·-
... SDGIO MUlfOZ
BDITOJt
ta Opinion
411 w. 5th Stree~
U>a An9eles, CA 90013
213 - 89CS-2333
MA1tTlfA C.. DE LA TOMB
PRESIDENT
El c12siticado (Spanish Maqazine)
790 s. Ferr39 Avenue
!Qs AnCJeles, CA 90022
313 - 263-6649
JULIO JI. TORRES, K.D.
PHYSIC:IAH
Torres Medical center
25636 Narbonne Avenue
I.ml1ta, CA 90717
4113 • 326-3214
- CAJUllEN ZAPATA
PRODUCING DIRECTOR
l2"d
B111nqual Foundation of th• Arts
421 N. · Avenue ig
I.Qa Angeles, CA 90031
213 - 225-4044
Ali an
WILLIAM G. OUCHI
PROPFUSOR
UCLA Anderson Graduate School
•OS Hilgard Avenue
Loe Angeles, CA 90024
213 - 825-5841
PAX:
J.D. HOIOYAllA
IX. DIUCTOR or I.ZAP
(Include• aeveral A•ian Group.e)
213 - 481-1422
TORG soo annrc;
PARTRBll • UJI I ARDJtElfS
ArQO C•nter Bld9.
Suite 2100
1055 w. 7th Street
Lo8 Anaele•, CA 90017
213 - 484•9853
-. ...
\ .
XYtJJf G WON LIB
EDITOR, ENGLISH EDITION
Th• Korea TiJles
141 M. Vermont
Loa Angeles, o.
213 - 487-5323
YANC IL l:IM
PRESIDENT, KOREAN AMERICAN
GROCERS ASSOCIATION
213 - 921-6883
CBOOM HOON LIM
DIRECTOR/ANCHOR
Radio Koraa
2001 W. Olympic Boulevard
Lo• Anqale•, CA 90004
..........