LAPD Apparently Has Its Own Internal Cop Gang Problem

from the calls-are-coming-from-inside-the-house dept

The more things change, the more they remain the same. That could be said of anywhere in this country, now that the Trump administration is trying to turn the clock back to 1940, if not 1840.

But it’s especially true in Los Angeles, where law enforcement agencies have apparently learned nothing, despite being the ignition source of two riots. The 1965 Watts riot was provoked by racist, abusive actions of the LAPD. The 1992 riots were similarly provoked by the racist, abusive actions of the LAPD.

Before, between, and after, Los Angeles law enforcement agencies haven’t done much to improve. When not actively thwarting federal investigations and running illegal jailhouse informant programs, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department has hosted any number of “gangs” composed of officers who are more willing than others to engage in violence and rights violations.

The LASD’s gangs have made headlines for most of the last decade, including stuff that would otherwise seem to be the broadest of satires:

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Deputy Allegedly Removed ‘Unauthorized” Sheriff’s Gang Tattoo With A Bullet

It’s admittedly hilarious, but only in the darkest sense. While absolutely absurd, it also indicates that LASD officers (especially those who are in LASD gangs) feel the solution to every problem — including tattoo removal — is to start blasting.

A handful of people who’ve run on “reformer” platforms have either failed to be elected, or have been elected only to renege on their reformation promises.

The LAPD covers less area and has fewer officers than the Sheriff’s Department. But it still has nearly 9,000 officers, which is only about a grand short of the LASD total (10,000 officers). If nothing else, basic mathematics would strongly suggest the LAPD would be just as receptive to internal gangs as the Sheriff’s Department.

The LAPD internal investigation leveled a troubling allegation: Officers in a specialized unit tasked with combating street gangs had themselves behaved like a gang.

In 2023, officers in the San Fernando Valley were accused of making dozens of improper traffic stops and attempting to hide their actions from their supervisors by switching off their body cameras.

When confronted by Internal Affairs detectives, according to the findings of a months-long probe, officers in the Valley’s “gang enforcement detail” said they were engaged in a “gun hunting competition,” with each firearm-related arrest tracked on a whiteboard in their office. Cops with the most seizures would pose for pictures with pro-wrestling-style championship belt that had “Mission GED Pistoleros” emblazoned on the buckle.

And so it is. While this opening salvo of paragraphs merely suggest some members of the LAPD were more prone to doing bad stuff than others, the Internal Affairs report makes it more explicit.

The report said the Valley unit was a “law enforcement gang.”

That report was buried by the LAPD for almost three years. But that burial proved temporary. The report — which had previously only been seen by LAPD officials and some city lawmakers — prompted further inquiries. And those further inquiries generated answers that raised even more questions:

LAPD leaders said at the time that the problems were confined to that one division. But a new case involving similar allegations against anti-gang officers operating out of South L.A.’s 77th Street patrol area has reignited questions about whether there are deeper issues across the department.

Oh, the fucking irony. An anti-gang squad that behaves like a gang. Wow, imagine if we’d ever seen this anywhere else multiple times. I mean, say the first thing that comes to mind when I say “rampart.”

It’s tempting to simply say that no one cares. But I don’t think that’s true. I do think a lot of people care, including LA lawmakers who want to see real reform. The problem is that the people with the most power don’t care. That not only includes law enforcement unions, law enforcement officials, elected officials (including sheriffs), but also the handful of lawmakers who actually think law enforcement officers should be allowed to violate rights while performing their duties.

That’s the headwind reform efforts face. While thousands (or millions, in this case) may recognize the problem and want reform, it only takes a handful of powerful people to prevent their voices from being heard. And while it’s easy to tell people to vote their way back into power, we only need to look to the White House to see how facile and futile the “vote the bastards out” suggestion is. It’s something that should have been addressed years ago, because if you give the bastards an inch, they’ll entrench a mile. If Los Angeles is going to fix this, it will require the concerted efforts of people who are more motivated to protect their paychecks than serve the public. I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Filed Under: gangs, lapd, lasd, los angeles, los angeles county sheriff’s department, los angeles police department, police gangs, police misconduct, police violence