Episcopal Church remarks re King beating, 1991-05-17 |
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THE '" PISCOPAL CHURCI l . THE DIOCESE OF LOS A~GEL t: S YE RI CH I Rf'.\ I p~ \ f) I IU t ;, I 'I ·~CH n 13'5Hor May 17, 1991 Remarks to the Independent Commission of the Los Angeles Police Department by the Rt . Rev. Frederick H. Borsch Bishop Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles I appreciate the opportunity to appear before this Commission and to share these thoughts and concerns as a representative of the Episcopal Church in this region and as a member of the Council of Religious Leaders. First of all I want to join with those who would testify to the many fine relationships among peoples of different backgrounds in Los Angeles. We have a long distance to go to reach any ideal state of community, but in our churches and in many other places there are daily examples of people of different cultures and groups sharing with and supporting one another . In a number of ways the policemen and policewomen of Los Angeles are supportive and protective of this diversity and interaction. We can take pride in these numerous examples of support and cooperation among peoples in this diverse and complex region . I understand it to be the work of this Commission to help us find ways to restore the harm that has been done to that pride, for the pride itself can be both a resource and guide to us in strengthening harmony, democracy and community in our City. We all need to recognize, however, that the harm that has been done is severe and that the source of that harm is a sickness that runs deep in our police department, in our society and in the human heart. That sickness has a number of symptoms -- among them insecurity and anger. At a deeper level fear is both a symptom and cause -- making people afraid of what is different, afraid of each other . out of the wisdom of our tradition we would understand the root cause to be sin -- the desire to put self, or one's family or group so at the center of concern that there is no real love and therefore no real understanding of others and no strong care for the larger community. There is a question in our Christian baptismal covenant which calls upon us to respect the dignity of every human being . I do not believe the police officers involved in the now notorious action would have done what they did to Mr. King if they had had some . ))(l V\ EST FOURTH STRrET . ) Is 118 / )QI ,() . \ l::iil Poo; r Office Box 2164 . I OS ANG[LES. CALIFOR\l lA 90051 211,s similar thought in their heads and hearts that fateful night. After the beating of Mr. King, I heard a number of stories from members of our churches. One that has particularly stuck in my mind was told by a distinguished lay official in our diocese -- a black man who has lived in Los Angeles for a number of years. He told me of the times that he had been stopped for no apparent reason, ordered out of his car , spread-eagled and insulted. He told me it was hard to relate such stories because he found such instances so humiliating. This is a well dressed, well educated man driving a automobile. One shudders when one thinks of the times and similar things have happened to other people because of their color or ethnic group. I would offer these further observations and recommendations. nice ways skin Not only in Los Angeles but in many parts of o ur country the major task of the police is too often seen as protecting the well-to-do and those who are relatively well off from those who have less or little . I think this attitude is pervasive and affects ever y aspect of police work from recruitment and training to organization and strategy. In subt le if not open ways it is an assumption encouraged by elected and non-elected officials. Because people of color are a disproportionate number of the less well off in our society the assumpt i on fosters and reinforces powerfully prejudicial racial attitudes and actions. I would argue that we must work hard to alter that ass~mp,tion or all else we accomplish will end up only treating s)r's4 m'.s : In a true democracy all people should be entitled to equal police support and protection no matter what their economic circumstances. Indeed, there are obvious good reason s for holding that most police work should be dedicated to the support and protection of those in society who are more victimized and less able to protect themselves. Truly to be effective the change in this ordering of p ri orities must come form courageous elected officials and from the people themselves. To begin with, however, it must be written into the training and policy of all police and receive especially effective expression from those who lead the department. I wish also to maintain that the power of police to protect the community is mo re effective the less violence is used. Every time viol ence is used the effectiveness of the badge and uniform are lessened because a stable and just o rder cannot in the long run be enforced by violence. This understanding does not mean that force can never be used, but it runs directly counter to the belief that the use of violence s trengthens the authority and power of police by creating fear of them. I believe the City needs to have a genuinely independent Police commission, chosen by elected officials, but then protected from any interference. This Commission needs to have the means to investigate all serious allegations against police behavior using investigators other than the police themselves. As much as I respect the clergy of our Church, I would never imagine that an impartial investigation of alleged misconduct could be fairly conducted, either in appearance or actuality, by an investigative team composed only of clergy. I cannot believe the police are in any different situation. The alternative to this fully independent Commission is that the elected officials themselves would become directly responsible for the conduct of the police. This solution has some merit, but elected officials should not attempt to have it both ways, holding a body other than themselves responsible while claiming authority over that body. I support three other ideas that I understand have previously been recommended to this body. (1) More women police; I would say many more women police. I believe women police are and can be trained to be more likely to look for ways other than force and violence to resolve difficult situations. (2) More police representing different racial and ethnic groups. (3) More police out of cars and more visible and known in the daily life of our communities. What I am sure many of us look and hope for is a police department that can become more fully supportive of a multi-ethnic society and take pride in the strengths this brings to our region. I again appreciate the opportunity to share these thoughts and concerns and to commend the vital purposes of this Commission.
Object Description
Title | Commission meetings, 1990-11-06 - 1991-05-17 |
Description | Commission meetings, 1990 November 6 - 1991 May 17. PART OF A SERIES: Materials in the series fall into one of several categories related to the Independent Commission's work product: (1) Commission meeting materials, which include meeting agendas, work plans, memoranda, and articles about police misconduct that were circulated and reviewed during the Commission's internal meetings; (2) public correspondence, which includes citizen complaints against the LAPD in the form of written testimony, articles, and an audio cassette tape, as well as letters drafted by citizens in support of the LAPD; (3) summaries of interviews held with LAPD officers regarding Departmental procedures and relations; (4) public meeting materials, which include transcripts, supplementary documents, and witness statements that were reviewed at the Commission's public meetings; (5) press releases related to the formation and work product of the Commission; and (6) miscellaneous materials reviewed by the Commission during its study, including LAPD personnel and training manuals, a memorandum of understanding, and messages from the LAPD's Mobile Digital Terminal (MDT) system. |
Coverage date | 1970/1992; 1990-11-06; 1990-12-07; 1991-01-24; 1991-04-07; 1991-04-19; 1991-05-01; 1991-05-03 |
Publisher (of the digital version) | University of Southern California |
Date created | 1990-11-06; 1990-12-07; 1991-01-24; 1991-04-07; 1991-04-19; 1991-05-01; 1991-05-03 |
Date issued | 1991-05-16; 1991-05-17 |
Type | texts |
Format | 58 p. |
Format (aat) |
codes (regulations) editorials memorandums presentations (communicative events) résumés (personnel records) resumes (personnel records) tables (documents |
Format (imt) | application/pdf |
Language | English |
Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
Part of collection | Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department, 1991 |
Series | Independent Commission file list |
File | Commission meetings |
Box and folder | box 22, folder 12 |
Provenance | The collection was given to the University of Southern California on July 31, 1991. |
Rights | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained. |
Physical access | Contact: Special Collections, Doheny Memorial Library, Libraries, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189; specol@dots.usc.edu |
Repository name | USC Libraries Special Collections |
Repository address | Doheny Memorial Library, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189 |
Repository email | specol@dots.usc.edu |
Filename | indep-box22-12 |
Description
Title | Episcopal Church remarks re King beating, 1991-05-17 |
Description | Remarks to the Independent Commission of the Los Angeles Police Department by the Rt. Rev. Frederick H. Borsch, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, 1991 May 17. |
Creator |
Borsch, Frederick H. Episcopal Church, Diocese of Los Angeles |
Date issued | 1991-05-17 |
Type | texts |
Format | 3 p. |
Format (aat) | presentations (communicative events) |
Format (imt) | application/pdf |
Contributing entity | University of Southern California |
Series | Independent Commission file list |
File | Commission meetings |
Box and folder | box 22, folder 12, item 2 |
Physical access | Contact: Special Collections, Doheny Memorial Library, Libraries, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189; specol@dots.usc.edu |
Full text | THE '" PISCOPAL CHURCI l . THE DIOCESE OF LOS A~GEL t: S YE RI CH I Rf'.\ I p~ \ f) I IU t ;, I 'I ·~CH n 13'5Hor May 17, 1991 Remarks to the Independent Commission of the Los Angeles Police Department by the Rt . Rev. Frederick H. Borsch Bishop Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles I appreciate the opportunity to appear before this Commission and to share these thoughts and concerns as a representative of the Episcopal Church in this region and as a member of the Council of Religious Leaders. First of all I want to join with those who would testify to the many fine relationships among peoples of different backgrounds in Los Angeles. We have a long distance to go to reach any ideal state of community, but in our churches and in many other places there are daily examples of people of different cultures and groups sharing with and supporting one another . In a number of ways the policemen and policewomen of Los Angeles are supportive and protective of this diversity and interaction. We can take pride in these numerous examples of support and cooperation among peoples in this diverse and complex region . I understand it to be the work of this Commission to help us find ways to restore the harm that has been done to that pride, for the pride itself can be both a resource and guide to us in strengthening harmony, democracy and community in our City. We all need to recognize, however, that the harm that has been done is severe and that the source of that harm is a sickness that runs deep in our police department, in our society and in the human heart. That sickness has a number of symptoms -- among them insecurity and anger. At a deeper level fear is both a symptom and cause -- making people afraid of what is different, afraid of each other . out of the wisdom of our tradition we would understand the root cause to be sin -- the desire to put self, or one's family or group so at the center of concern that there is no real love and therefore no real understanding of others and no strong care for the larger community. There is a question in our Christian baptismal covenant which calls upon us to respect the dignity of every human being . I do not believe the police officers involved in the now notorious action would have done what they did to Mr. King if they had had some . ))(l V\ EST FOURTH STRrET . ) Is 118 / )QI ,() . \ l::iil Poo; r Office Box 2164 . I OS ANG[LES. CALIFOR\l lA 90051 211,s similar thought in their heads and hearts that fateful night. After the beating of Mr. King, I heard a number of stories from members of our churches. One that has particularly stuck in my mind was told by a distinguished lay official in our diocese -- a black man who has lived in Los Angeles for a number of years. He told me of the times that he had been stopped for no apparent reason, ordered out of his car , spread-eagled and insulted. He told me it was hard to relate such stories because he found such instances so humiliating. This is a well dressed, well educated man driving a automobile. One shudders when one thinks of the times and similar things have happened to other people because of their color or ethnic group. I would offer these further observations and recommendations. nice ways skin Not only in Los Angeles but in many parts of o ur country the major task of the police is too often seen as protecting the well-to-do and those who are relatively well off from those who have less or little . I think this attitude is pervasive and affects ever y aspect of police work from recruitment and training to organization and strategy. In subt le if not open ways it is an assumption encouraged by elected and non-elected officials. Because people of color are a disproportionate number of the less well off in our society the assumpt i on fosters and reinforces powerfully prejudicial racial attitudes and actions. I would argue that we must work hard to alter that ass~mp,tion or all else we accomplish will end up only treating s)r's4 m'.s : In a true democracy all people should be entitled to equal police support and protection no matter what their economic circumstances. Indeed, there are obvious good reason s for holding that most police work should be dedicated to the support and protection of those in society who are more victimized and less able to protect themselves. Truly to be effective the change in this ordering of p ri orities must come form courageous elected officials and from the people themselves. To begin with, however, it must be written into the training and policy of all police and receive especially effective expression from those who lead the department. I wish also to maintain that the power of police to protect the community is mo re effective the less violence is used. Every time viol ence is used the effectiveness of the badge and uniform are lessened because a stable and just o rder cannot in the long run be enforced by violence. This understanding does not mean that force can never be used, but it runs directly counter to the belief that the use of violence s trengthens the authority and power of police by creating fear of them. I believe the City needs to have a genuinely independent Police commission, chosen by elected officials, but then protected from any interference. This Commission needs to have the means to investigate all serious allegations against police behavior using investigators other than the police themselves. As much as I respect the clergy of our Church, I would never imagine that an impartial investigation of alleged misconduct could be fairly conducted, either in appearance or actuality, by an investigative team composed only of clergy. I cannot believe the police are in any different situation. The alternative to this fully independent Commission is that the elected officials themselves would become directly responsible for the conduct of the police. This solution has some merit, but elected officials should not attempt to have it both ways, holding a body other than themselves responsible while claiming authority over that body. I support three other ideas that I understand have previously been recommended to this body. (1) More women police; I would say many more women police. I believe women police are and can be trained to be more likely to look for ways other than force and violence to resolve difficult situations. (2) More police representing different racial and ethnic groups. (3) More police out of cars and more visible and known in the daily life of our communities. What I am sure many of us look and hope for is a police department that can become more fully supportive of a multi-ethnic society and take pride in the strengths this brings to our region. I again appreciate the opportunity to share these thoughts and concerns and to commend the vital purposes of this Commission. |
Filename | indep-box22-12-02.pdf |
Archival file | Volume73/indep-box22-12-02.pdf |