Gangs. Police Tactics, Prisons, Judges & ACLU

Los Angeles, CA. This Sunday and Monday on Cable TV the Full Disclosure Network® feature six Video News Blogs covering the latest hot button issues and top law enforcement officials as follows:

L.A. CABLE CHANNEL 36
Sunday, March 2nd 8:00 p.m Part 1
Sunday, March 2nd 8:30 p.m. Part 2
Monday, March 3rd 4:00 p.m. Part 1
Monday, March 3rd 4:30 p.m. Part 2
Click here for 45 other cable channel numbers & air times

WATCH THE VIDEO BLOGS HERE ONLINE NOW:
Click on the title/link to access the streaming video page.

PART 1
Video News Blog #40 “Massive Prison Release Intended” (8:15 min) Steve Ipsen, President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys claims the agenda of anti-law enforcement politicians are setting the stage for a massive prision release. He describes who, why and how they have been undermining the “Three Strikes Law” for the past ten years.

Video News Blog #42 “Prison System Condemned in Concealed Report” (10:30 min) California’s Corrections Independent Review Panel, headed by former Gov. George Deukmejian, issued a little known 400 page report costing over $1 million. According to Executive Director Joe A. Gunn, they found the system was in “chaos, a disaster and total disarray” but the Governor Schwarzenegger has ignored the findings.

Video News Blog #41 “Police Solo Foot Pursuit Ban Debated” (8:30) Three top cops debate whether or not police should chase gang members or criminals on foot without back-up or partners. Features LASD Chief Bill McSweeney, former Det. Roy Burns and LAPD Capt.Ken Hillman (ret).

PART 2
Video News Blog #43 “Are Jails Intended To Be Punishment?” (8 min) A dynamic echange of views about whether jail time should be considered punishment for convicted criminals. Featuring LASD Sgt. Paul Jernigan, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Police Reformer Merrick Bobb.

Video News Blog #45 “Jails, Judges & The ACLU” (7:02 min) Featuring Sheriff Leroy Baca, Former U. S. Attorney General Edwin Meese, III, LASD Sgt. Paul Jernigan, LASD Captain Tim Cornell and Glendale Police Lt. Don Merideth. Revealing discussion who’s behind the early release program in L. A. County jails and why convicted criminals are being released without spending any or very little time in jail.

Video News Blog #44 “The Ultimate Gang Solution” (13:01 min) Should the Courts require juvenile gang members to wear GPS tracking devices to deter adult gang members from using them for unlawful and violent activities? Features Steve Ipsen, President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys, and Jeremy Thompson a retired LASD Deputy from gang detail.

The Full Disclosure Network® is a reality news show, known as “the news behind the news” since 1992 and is an independent, public affairs cable program produced by Host Leslie Dutton and Producer T. J. Johnston. In 2002 the FDN program 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”. Previews of the full programs are featured on the website at http://www.fulldisclosure.net/.

CIVILIAN POLICE MONITOR: MERRICK BOBB ON THE RECORD Internet Video Preview (4 min)

Los Angeles, CA: What qualifications does it take to become the civilian police monitor for the largest county in the nation? In a newly released two-part interview, on the Full Disclosure Network® (FDN), UC Berkeley educated attorney Merrick Bobb, reveals his background on how he got the job as the civilian monitor of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He describes how he develops recommendations on strategic police tactics and jail operations while under contract to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and responds to a critical report prepared by the Sheriffs Deputy’s union.

Viewers are invited to watch a FREE four-minute preview of this two-part interview with Bobb, conducted by host Leslie Dutton and now available online, 24/7, on demand, as a public service. Also featured in the interview and preview is Roy Burns, former President of ALADS, the Association of L.A. Deputy Sheriffs. The full interview is featured on 43 cable TV systems and eventually available online to FDN subscribers.

Highlights of the full interview are:

Part I: Background & Foot Pursuits

Segment #1
Merrick Bobb describes in detail how he became interested in law enforcement policy and tactics following the Rodney King incident when he served as a Deputy Legal Counsel on the Christopher Commission to reform the LAPD.

Segment #2
Bobb describes how he developed the LASD policy to ban solo foot pursuits by Deputies chasing fleeing suspects and expresses the concerns that motivated him alone to initiate this policy recommendation.

Segment #3
He fields criticism leveled at him by the ALADS (Sheriffs Deputy’s Union). He details his recommendations on when, how and why Sheriffs Deputies should call for back up. This segment features Roy Burns, former LASD Detective who was instrumental in organizing a scathing rebuttal to Merrick Bobb’s Report to the Board of Supervisors on the solo foot pursuit ban.

Part II: Methodology & Jail Operations

Segment #1
As the civilian monitor Bobb describes his goals and methods used to develop recommendations while not having a law enforcement background or training. He points out his experience on the COLTS Commission as having been important. And he describes the values and traits found in most law enforcement officers as being important considerations for the motivation behind their actions.

Segment #2 In this segment Bobb explains the purpose of JAIL and the difference between county jails and state prisons and the role of jailers. He comments on the strikingly different jail operations in Maricopa County and condemns conditions that would make inmates uncomfortable, citing rehabilitation as a goal and the Constitution prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment.

Segment #3 Finally, Bobb points out that there is one major reason why there are problems in jail operations. He carefully states that he does not fault the County Board of Supervisors for the problem. He addresses the early release of inmates versus the need to build more jails. And, defers to a “smarter and safer” approach to law enforcement over a “softer and gentler” one.

The Full Disclosure® program is billed as “the news behind the news”. Host Leslie Dutton has been conducting interviews with law enforcement officials regarding police politics and public policy since 1992, interviewing all the Chief's of Police from Ed Davis to William Bratton and most of the Police Commission Presidents and Los Angeles County Sheriffs Block and Baca. In 2002 Dutton was presented with a local public affairs Emmy Award by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the series "L.A.'s War Against Terrorism".

Police Reformers Control The LAPD: Online Video

Los Angeles, CA The Full Disclosure Network® presents two part exclusive intertview with retired LAPD Captain Ken Hillman about how the Los Angeles Police Department was politicized after the Rodney King incident and the 1992 L.A. Riots. Here is Part 1 of the Interview (28 min) and here is part 2 of the interview (28 min) both available FREE, 24/7, on demand as a public service. This 2005 interview is being re-released to provide background on the LAPD in light of the current controversy involving the May Day Immigrant demonstrations in MacArthur Park and who controls the LAPD.

Here are some of the highlights of the interview:

• POLICE REFORMERS POLITICIZE LAPD: Captain Hillman describes the circumstances following the resignation of LAPD Chief Daryl Gates when "police reformers" pushed Charter Amendments. The first reform was "Proposition "F" that provided for the Police Chief's position to become a political appointment giving the Mayor and his hand picked Police Commissioners the power to remove the Chief. A few years later Charter changes made the Deputy Chiefs political appointees as well.
• PARTISIANS OWN THE LAPD: According to Hillman, whose long career included leadership roles in both the Police Union, as member of the Board of Directors and Captain of the Pacific Division (Command). He describes how powerful partisans seized control of the LAPD. He explains that it was a small politically powerful group who were the masterminds who "reformed" the LAPD. "They own it", he says, the LAPD is now completely politicized. In part-one of the interview Hillman said "the LAPD Chief is now the Mayor's mouthpiece".
• POLICE UNION EMPOWERED Captain Hillman explains that when the (Civil Rights) partisans took control of the Department it also resulted in empowering the Los Angeles Police Protective League (police union). Hillman describes how the police union was mostly a social, golfing organization until they were threatened by the anti-law enforcement reformers. Prior to the take-over the police union had not played a signifigant role in City politics, but when they did there was an immediate need to protect the rights of officers if the face of the "so called" reforms. He now says the reformers, including the powerful ACLU partisians have complete control over the LAPD .
• POLICE UNION SUPPORTS MAYOR CAMPAIGN: On this part-two of the Full Disclosure® interview, Captain Hillman said the Police union made a deal with then-candidate Mayor James Hahn, to support his campaign in exchange for his approving the 3/12 work schedule for police officers. This was accomplished due to successful union organizing due to the threat of the anti-police reformers posed. He claims the police union was forced to become more aggressive to defend and protect the rights of officers.

Full Disclosure® host Leslie Dutton has been conducting interviews with law enforcement officials regarding police politics and public policy since 1992, interviewing all the Chief's of Police from Ed Davis to William Bratton and most of the Police Commission Presidents. In 2002 Dutton was presented with a local public affairs Emmy Award by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the series "L.A.'s War Against Terrorism".

POLICE FOOT PURSUIT POLICY DEBATE: OFFICER SAFETY VS PUBLIC SAFETY ( 8 min Video News Blog)

Los Angeles, CA: Three top cops debate whether or not police policy should prohibit officers from chasing criminal suspects on foot when they are alone or without police back-up. In an eight minute Video News Blog, Full Disclosure Network™ presents a dynamic exchange of views as presented by LASD Chief William McSweeney, Detective Roy Burns,(retired LASD) and LAPD Captain Ken Hillman, (retired). The video is available for viewing FREE, on demand, 24/7 as a public service of the Full Disclosure Network™.

Here are a few points made during this debate:

1. CHIEF BILL McSWEENEY: Says that Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has a policy prohibiting a single patrol Deputy from chasing and challenging a suspect on foot. The Department policy says that they are not to physically engage the suspect so as not to endanger the officer or the suspect.
2. DET. ROY BURNS, LASD (ret) Points out that in Compton, the 4th most dangerous city in America, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department only has one officer assigned to each patrol car. He says foot pursuit ban is not needed due to the fact it has been over 20 years since the last LASD Deputy was killed in a foot pursuit and only four in the last 50 years.
3. CAPTAIN: KEN HILLMAN: Says management should “never restrict officers from doing their duty" and then asks..."what kind of a message does that send to the community and to gang members?” “Do we really want our officers only to be a clean up crew to crime scenes?”

Following the video news debate viewers are asked to participate in an online survey by casting their vote on questions pertaining to the issue. They are also asked to leave their comments and to join in the online blog discussion of the issue.

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 can be found on the website.