LAPD Probe Into Alleged Gang Framing Expands, 20 Officers Reassigned
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore announced Tuesday that 20 officers had been reassigned as the internal probe into allegations that officers falsified data collected during traffic stops expanded.
The announcement came as the Police Commission called on the agency's inspector general to oversee the LAPD investigation and conduct his own inquiry.
Moore told the commission a report on the allegations that officers falsely categorized some motorists as gang members was forthcoming, but he said new information provided to the department led to the expansion. In total, he said 20 officers have been reassigned — 10 have been assigned to home duty and have had their police powers suspended, and the other 10 were taken off street patrol duties.
Moore also said that the department now requires a gang lieutenant to review body-worn video to ensure it matches the field interview cards before adding someone to the gang member database, as an additional protective measure.
The allegations were traced back to early 2019 when the mother of a San Fernando Valley man was notified that LAPD believed her son was part of a gang, but she told officers they were mistaken. The mother subsequently met with a division supervisor to challenge the gang status and was told he would be removed from the list.
"Over the course of several months, the investigation has continued and has actually expanded, and as it moved from that initial stop, we caused the investigation to include other stops and interactions of these (initial) three involved officers," Moore said. "The investigation has now identified, I believe, additional inconsistencies based on the preliminary briefing I have about the information I have today."
Moore said he would not provide recommendations to the board on any further disciplinary measures for the accused officers until the investigation is completed.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
