Police Reformers Politicized the LAPD: Cable & Internet T.V. Series

The Full Disclosure Network® is featuring a two-part series on the impact of police reformers on the Los Angeles Police Department following the Rodney King riots in 1992. The programs are to be shown on 45 cable systems and the Internet:

L. A. CABLE CHANNEL 36
Oct. 14th Sunday 8-9 p.m.
Oct 15th Monday 4-5 p.m.

Or Click on the links below

Watch Here: PART 1 AND PART 2 (28:30 min ea) Check Other Channels & Airtimes

LAPD Chief William Bratton:

On December 27, 2002 the newly appointed Chief told Full Disclosure® Host Leslie Dutton that Los Angeles is considered a Democratic (Party) stronghold and that is why then Mayor James Hahn had hired a lobbyist to represent the City on matters before the Republican Administration of President George Bush.

LAPD Captain Kenneth Hillman (ret):

In this two-part series Hillman describes a small group of partisan police reformers as Democrats, who transformed the Los Angeles Police Department into the politicized organization that it is today. Hillman said, "they own it" referring to political leaders and the ACLU who now have complete control of the LAPD and are responsible for the direction of the Department. Full Disclosure® interviewed Captain Ken Hillman in April 2005. Having served as a Director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) prior to Bratton's appointment he had a first row seat during the selection of Chief Bratton.

Here are a few observations made by Hillman in this two part series:

• LAPD policy changes every time a new Chief is selected, because under City Charter Reform Proposition “F”
• The Mayor now has complete control over removal of the Chief of Police.
• He explains why the Police Union became so powerful following the Rodney King Riots
• Describes the reforms brought on by the Christopher Commission
• Points to the Charter Amendment Proposition “F” in 1992 that changed the Chief's position from a Civil Service postition to a political appointment.
• The police union became powerful out of self-preservation and need to protect officers rights.
• The Mayor who now controls the appointments of Police Commissioners and the Chief.
• The role of the Police Union in electing the Mayor
• The promises the Mayor made to get the Union endorsement
• The 3 day work week (12 hour days) for officers once the Mayor was elected
  

Over the past fifteen years Full Disclosure® programs have been billed as “the news behind the news” and are featured on 45 cable systems and the Internet at http://www.fulldisclosure.net/. The programs are produced by Emmy Award winning Host Leslie Dutton and Producer T. J. Johnston and sponsored by the Citizens Protection Alliance, a non-profit, educational organization.

Since 1992 the Full Disclosure® programs have explored police policies, politics, corruption and reform, interviewing all the LAPD Chiefs from Ed Davis to William Bratton as well as the Southern California County Sheriffs and most U.S. Attorneys General and Special Prosecutors involved in Presidential investigations. In 2002 the program was presented with a public affairs EMMY Award for the series “L. A.’s War Against Terrorism” featuring LAPD Chief Bernard Parks, Sheriff Leroy Baca, LAPPL Director Ken Hillman and Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas.

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".