SHOULD COPS DISCLOSE PERSONAL FINANCES? Internet Video News Blog (11 min)

Los Angeles, CA. According to Hank Hernandez, chief legal counsel of the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), the City of Los Angeles entered into a collective bargaining agreement with the police union four years ago. And now the City is attempting to change the agreement that was negotiated in good faith. Hernandez says the Police Commission’s vote to require gang and narcotic officers to disclose their personal finances is “unacceptable.”

The FULL DISCLOSURE NETWORK® presents an exclusive eleven minute Video News Blog featuring Hernandez, a former LAPD Lt. who has served for over 20 years as the legal counsel to the Los Angeles police union. He describes the Federal Consent Decree as the reason the Police Commission voted to require financial disclosure. Among the disclosure requirements for gang and narcotic officers, to be implemented within ten days of the vote are:

• List of assets, investments and liabilities, even if jointly owned.
• Proof of bank accounts and mortgages with statements.
• Individual financial disclosures to be reviewed and questioned.
• Positions could be denied based upon the review.

Hernandez also describes how the LAPPL is advising the officers whether or not to comply and suggests the perils when an employer requires employees to turn over their personal information.

Viewers are asked to participate in an online opinion survey and to post their comments for discussion. Here are the survey questions:

1. Elected officials don't have personal financial disclosure requirements. Should police officers?
2. Do you think the financial disclosure requirement will deter quality officers from working gang or narcotics units?
3. Or do you think the Federal Consent Decree has gone too far?

Known as “the news behind the news” Full Disclosure Network® cable television programs are featured on 45 cable systems and the Internet since 1992 and produced by host Leslie Dutton and Producer T. J. Johnston. In 2002 the Full Disclosure® special series “L. A.’s War Against Terrorism” was recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a local Emmy Award for a public affairs, informational series. Channels and airtimes can be found on the website at http://www.fulldisclosure.net/.

How Did Belmont Cost the L A Unified School District A Half $Billion? DVD Documentary Series (Preview 7 min)

Los Angeles, CA. Learn how the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) managed to spend over a half a Billion dollars building the still incomplete (2007) Belmont Learning Center, renamed Vista Hermosa. Now available in a Documentary Collectors Series of 23 DVDs. Watch 7 min preview here.

The Full Disclosure Network® has recorded the historical battle within the L.A. school district that started back in 1994. Fourteen years later the school has never been occupied, partially demolished and under re-construction, with costs mounting.

From start to finish, find out how the L.A. Unified School District got into this mess and hear the participants offer their opinions regarding who was responsible.

“Belmont: The World’s Most Expensive High School” DVD collectors series provides in-depth background of the deep conflict between an out of control school district and unaccountable administrators who, empowered by a political powerful law firm, confounded the issues of conflicting interest. The participants describe the frustration of the investigators who were neutered by a District Attorney whose political ambitions rendered him unable to take action.

THE SERIES:

Comprised of ten interviews with experts each describe their role:

• Planning & Development
• Legal & Financing
• Toxic hazards
• Investigation of fraud.
• Purchase of land
• Failure to prosecute crimes

Each DVD contains two-part interviews with the major players involved, and the series includes two summary programs: “The Best of Belmont” and “The Black Hole of School Construction” and include exclusive footage of the December 2004 demolition of 60 percent of the brand new, never occupied buildings. Click here for a downloadable flyer listing all those interviewed is available here.

Produced by Emmy Award winning Host Leslie Dutton and Producer T. J. Johnston, the series was videotaped originally for cable television and aired on 45 cable systems in California.
The DVDs are available individually or as a set with special prices for institutional organizations. For individual or institutional savings contact Full Disclosure Network® Executive offices at (310) 822-4449 or http://www.fulldisclosure.net/

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.

Public Safety Pensions & Union Politics: Sheriff vs County Supervisor (Internet Video Preview 8 min)

Orange County, CA. The Full Disclosure Network ® presents two half-hour cable TV programs in an on-going series covering the escalating Public Pension Crisis. These latest episodes concern the Orange County California battle over public safety employees retroactive pension benefits granted by the Board of Supervisors in 2002. Watch this 8 minute video preview (click here).

Featured in the preview and the programs are:

• Supervisor John Moorlach who is leading the battle to rescind the “retroactive” portion of pension benefits granted to Deputies and District Attorney’s personnel who have already retired.
• Sheriff Mike Carona. Defends his Deputies while suggesting that Supervisor Moorlach's motive could nothing more than an adverse reaction to the Deputies Union campaign against him.
• Mario Mainero, Chief of Staff and legal advisor to Moorlach describes his role in the controversy.

The programs are hosted by Leslie Dutton and featured on 45 cable systems. An eight minute Internet video preview is available (Click Here) on 24/7, on demand from the Full Disclosure® website as a public service.

MAJOR ISSUES RAISED

DEPUTIES PAID TWICE? Supervisor John Moorlach describes state legislation sponsored by public employee unions that enabled public safety employees to receive “retroactive” pension benefits, saying it amounted to being “paid twice for services rendered.” Other Constitutional violations are cited.

BENEFIT ENHANCEMENT: Sheriff Mike Carona explains that the legislation was intended to provide “a benefit enhancement to aid recruiting and retention” of badly needed public safety employees. And, the Board of Supervisors knew the risk and liability before they approved the benefits.

BLINDING GREED? Moorlach claims the reason public safety unions pushed for overly generous benefits is because the Deputies say to themselves “I deserve this” and he says “they are not thinking about the other services that will have to be cut…. “other public services for the homeless, welfare, healthcare and layoffs, people will have to stand I line” he said.

DRACONIAN TACTICS: Sheriff Carona takes issue “with the way he (Moorlach) is going about this”. He says both he and Moorlach were opposed by the public safety union but describes Moorlach’s actions as retaliation and Draconian tactics, by also threatening to take away the Harbor Patrol duties from the Sheriff’s Department, creating a Citizens Oversight Commission for the Sheriff’s Department and removing Department control of a Special Needs Funding Account.

RIGHT THING TO DO ? While John Moorlach describes the move to rescind retroactive benefits as “the right thing to do”, Sheriff Carona describes John Moorlach’s actions as a: full frontal assault against the Deputies” and that it “is not good Statesmanship” saying “He should not be using his authority (as Supervisor) to take it out on them.”

RULE OF LAW: Mario Mainero, Chief of Staff to Supervisor Moolach, cites the Sections of the Constitution where the pension benefits could be considered unlawful and states that this is a “Rule of Law” issue