'Injury On Top Of Death': Calls For Accountability Grow After LAPD Officers Allegedly Shared Image Mocking George Floyd
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Community activist Najee Ali read a statement Monday from the attorney for George Floyd's family in reaction to reports of a photo of the slain Black man with the words, "You take my breath away," in a Valentine-like format being circulated by Los Angeles Police Department employees.
"The Floyd family is outraged," he said, reading from the statement. "This is beyond insult on top of injury. It's injury on top of death."
LAPD said it had launched an internal investigation after an employee reported the image was being circulated.
"The man has a foot on his next for over eight minutes and died at the hands of the police and yet someone within LAPD thinks it was funny," Ali said. "And LAPD mocking the death of George Floyd should be terminated."
Over the weekend, Chief Michel Moore said on KNX Radio that he was disgusted and that there was no place in LAPD for anyone who shares racist material.
"It's a privilege to be a member of this organization, and it's a privilege that can be lost," he said.
LAPD said Monday that it was unable to comment further on the pending personnel investigation, but the police union released a statement that said, in part:
"If that image was created, 'liked,' or shared by a member of the LAPD, the Chief of Police must act swiftly to hold those individuals accountable. There must be zero tolerance for this behavior in our profession."
District Attorney George Gascón also issued a statement that said, in part:
"The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office will be looking into this matter to determine if the integrity of any of our cases may have been compromised by biased police work."
And City Attorney Mike Feuer issued a statement that said, in part:
"No one with racist views has any place in our police force. It is outrageous that anyone sworn to serve our City would ever conceive of creating or distributing this image. ... Whoever participated in this incident stains the badge, and undermines the efforts of officers throughout the department who strive to earn the trust and respect of the communities they serve."
But some in the community are hoping that this latest controversy does not further strain relations with the department
"I don't want no one to be putting out things to destroy our relationship with law enforcement, because we got to have a relationship," Lawanda Hawkins, a community activist, said. "I hope this builds us stronger."
