Los Angeles, CA: What happens when police policy prohibits officers from using the "choke hold", steel flashlights and are instructed NOT to chase fleeing gang members and criminals on foot without back-up. Watch this seven-minute Internet video preview of a Full Disclosure® two-part Special Series on "Politically Correct Police Tactics". Six former and present Los Angeles Police officials explain the reasoning and impact on public safety, when LAPD officers and County Sheriffs are restricted from using aggressive tactics while attempting to detain violent or dangerous suspects. The full two-part series is featured on 43 cable television systems, as part the Full Disclosure Network's® regular programming. The program is moderated by Emmy Award winning host Leslie Dutton.
The following officials appeared in the preview and the series. Here is a sampling of comments on the topics below:
- Chief William McSweeney: describes how the LASD foot pursuit policy was developed for the sole purpose of assuring officer safety and acknowledges that a high number of patrol cars are manned by only one Deputy.
- Detective Roy Burns, LASD (ret): Says that Deputies cannot protect the public unless they are allowed to do their job
- Captain Ken Hillman, LAPD (ret): "It is not right that an officer should be disciplined for chasing a criminal on foot, when he is alone. The decision should be left to the officer and his or her training has taught them how to make that decision.
- Joe A. Gunn, former Executive Director Los Angeles Police Commission: After the "choke hold" was banned we predicted that would make the baton the next tactic of choice and then we had the Rodney King incident. If they could have used the "choke hold" that would not have happened.
- L.A. City Councilman Dennis Zine, LAPD (ret)(2002): Claimed that under the LAPD (Bernard Parks) administration there was an atmosphere where officers were demoralized to the point that they did not aggressively enforce the law. Now with the backing of Chief Bratton, they are once again going after gang members aggressively.
- Deputy Chief David Gascon (1996): Following the Rodney King incident said he was aware that officers use of the baton had decreased.
Billed as "the news behind the news" the Full Disclosure Network® is an independent, educational, public affairs cable program featured on 43 cable systems and the worldwide Internet website www.fulldisclosure.net. Hosted by Leslie Dutton, who in 2002 was presented with a public affairs Emmy Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for their series entitled "L.A.'s War Against Terrorism". Channels and airtimes Since 1992 the program has featured interviews with all the LAPD Chiefs, Sheriffs, most of the Police Commission Presidents on police policies. In 2000 a Special Series "The Prosecutor & the Presidency" featured all but one U.S. Attorney General and all the Special and Independent Prosecutors involved in Presidential Investigations, from Watergate to Whitewater.
Comments to date: 12. This is page 1 of 2.
Robert Los Angeles
Posted: 08:23 pm [PST] on November 27 2008
This comment that you're reading right now comes 20 months after this video Leslie and FullDisclosure made, on how our police are being "handcuffed" from doing effective jobs.
I thought it was interesting that, less than 2 months after this video came out, the May 1st MacArthur Park "Melee" incident came about, which resulted in the police being handcuffed even more from doing effective jobs.
The message from our Mayor seems to be that police should become even more passive, so that gangs can take over. This is why we need to elect Walter Moore for LA Mayor, March, 2009.
S. Robinson Los Angeles, CA
Posted: 09:05 pm [PST] on September 16 2007
I think egregious police actions against certain citizens causes politically correct police polices to be adopted which then threaten public safety.
Major Denny Long, Ret. St. Louis County PD
Posted: 11:37 am [PST] on July 29 2007
Right now the public is receiving exactly the level and quality of law enforcement that they deserve. They have failed to support the cop on the street who is confronted with split second decision making situations. That cop is damned if he/she does and damned if they don't!
karl Portland,Or
Posted: 09:39 am [PST] on May 31 2007
You cannot listen to anything a police chief says in a major us city. Their job is at risk if they tell the truth and go against the politically correct beliefs of the liberal politicians they work for. Officers have civil service and union protection so they can tell the truth generally without losing their jobs. Remember when the officers speak against the politically correct policies of their department they are assuring they will never be promoted. Who do you believe some one who has something to lose and tells the truth anyway or a chief who will be fired if he tells the truth?
Kevin West LA
Posted: 03:53 pm [PST] on May 14 2007
Special order 40 seems bad enough.
Sgt Richard Valdemar Bullhead City, AZ
Posted: 12:55 pm [PST] on April 30 2007
"Risk Management" and "Politically Correct" police policies are what police adminstrators impliment, real Leaders listen to Law Enforcement experts, use common sense and have the lives of the citizens at heart.
Anonymous Location unknown
Posted: 04:30 am [PST] on April 24 2007
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Donald A. Bickhaus II Illinois
Posted: 06:03 pm [PST] on April 12 2007
Because of the high incident of abuse by many police forces nowadays, they have brought it on themselves. It's ironic that they call themselves public protectors when they fully know that they have absolutely no legal duty to protect an individual from harm. There are no repercussions whether legal or from their superiors if they decide they don't want to get involved in a deadly force situation. Additionally these so called public servants are whining because they can't get the green light to use enough force to apprehend a criminal yet many do not want law abiding citizens to have the ability to carry concealed weapons on their persons. I guess they are starting to understand a little of what it's like to have a right to protect oneself taken away. When they learn this lesson I say allow them to use whatever force necessary. If it was up to me I think every police officer should do their job with absolutely no weapons whatsoever and they will be enlightened to the fact of how law abiding citizens feel that heve had their right to protect themselves made illegal.
Jerry Boyd Baker City, OR
Posted: 09:39 am [PST] on March 07 2007
First, a sincere thanks to Full Disclosure for presenting a realistic, rather than politically correct, perspective on a number of issues including gangs and use of force.
It is indeed a tragedy that many who lead law enforcement agencies today either do not have, or have chosen to forget, experience on the street. Politically correct police leadership is unprofessional and unethical police leadership. The bottom line must be the safety and efficiency of the men and women on the street NOT what keeps politicians and community activists happy. The good Lord knows the courts will pay more than enough attention to those folks. It is up to police leadership to protect our protectors because no one else will.
On issues such as immigration, gangs, use of force, pursuit policies, etc etc too many police chiefs and sheriffs have rolled over to whatever it takes for them personally to get ahead. In the long run, when that happens, it is the troops and the public who are done a disservice and who suffer.
Jerry Boyd
Chief of Police, ret
exlasd@msn.com
Jack Miller Torrance
Posted: 08:56 am [PST] on March 06 2007
It's crappy policies like these that have threatend the public and officer safety. Like the cop on the street decide not some bureaucrat who never worked the streets or who forgot what he learned as he went up the ladder