- The problem of excessive force in the LAPD is fundamentally a problem of supervision, management and leadership.
- - Report of the Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department1
After decades of brutal behavior by officers, poor management by the chief and his deputies, and racist attitudes expressed at all levels of the department in word and deed, the troubled Los Angeles Police Department appears to be, slowly, on the mend. Unfortunately, the department waited until its shortcomings became so overwhelming that building trust in many, particularly minority, communities will require a Herculean effort. Thanks in large part to the blueprint provided by the July 1991 Report of the Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department (known as the Christopher Commission report) and consistent pressure from community activists, it has been possible through subsequent reports to measure some progress on the commission's recommendations for reform. Because the 9,500-officer department has received such scrutiny - and because its flaws are mirrored in police departments around the country - what it does to create and maintain a culture of accountability will have important ramifications.2
1 Report of the Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department (hereinafter "Christopher Commission report"), July 9, 1991, p. 32.
2 It should be noted that many Los Angeles residents and others in Southern California believe the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is more abusive currently than the LAPD. Similarly, neighboring cities have been identified as having serious police abuse problems. Because this study focuses on major U.S. cities, the LAPD is receiving our attention at this time. This in no way should suggest that we are not concerned by allegations of abuse in the county and in nearby cities.
© June 1998
Human Rights Watch