November 24, 2015
Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners
Dear Commissioners:
The Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, the Los Angeles Community Action Network, and Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles have continuously brought to your attention matters of grave concern to our communities yet you continue to dismiss and ignore our demands and have failed to take meaningful action.
We demand you take immediate action on the following:
1. Move the Board of Police Commissioners meeting time and location that is convenient for the community to attend and fully participate. We demand that these meetings be held in the evenings and away from LAPD Headquarter;
2. The power to discipline LAPD officers should be re-instated to the LA Board of Police Commissioners with immediate effect;
3. Conduct a thorough investigation of the sabotaging of the federal consent decree by LAPD officers who tampered with the Digital In-Car Video and Audio Devices. 90 out of 300 patrol cars were impacted;
4. Rescind Special Order 17 and terminate the Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) and the iWATCH program with immediate effect. Hold public hearings on the human and civil rights violations, and racial profiling resulting from these programs. Both the 2013 and 2015 Inspector General audit of the SAR program showed glaringly disproportionate impact of SAR on LA’s Black community;
5. We reject the use of drones by LAPD. Order the removal and destruction of the 2 Draganflyer X6 Drones currently housed at the Inspector General’s office with immediate effect and prohibit LAPD from using drones;
6. Discontinue “special” policing initiatives, such as “Safer Cities Initiative” that are formed to address social conditions and problems that are not criminal in nature;
7. Stop selective enforcement of neutral laws (Racial Profiling) such as jaywalking, loitering, and open container laws against people who are Black and Brown in the city of Los Angeles, specifically in areas that are gentrifying;
8. Fire LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.
Click HERE for a downloadable PDF version of the letter.