Charlie Beck, chief of the Los Angeles’ police department, is presented a report to the city’s police commission on Tuesday that says there is no bias in his officers’ actions … only in the public’s perception. The report, released on Monday, is based on a survey of L.A. residents that was requested last September by the police commission. That survey found:
“ … just 48 percent of African Americans view LAPD officers as honest and trustworthy. That compares to 74 percent of white residents, 71 percent of Latinos and 68 percent of Asians.
On the question of use of force by officers, just 30 percent of black residents said officers use it only when necessary, compared to 62 percent of Asians, 59 percent of Latinos and 51 percent respondents.
But residents of various backgrounds expressed concern about whether the LAPD treats people equally. When asked whether officers treat people of all races and ethnicities fairly, only about half of all residents agreed.”
Although it was noted that a majority of the city “strongly or somewhat approves of” the job the LAPD is doing, black folks, unsurprisingly, do not:
Yet the overall approval rating sunk among African Americans. Just 57 percent of black residents approve or somewhat approve of the LAPD’s work. Whites were most approving (79 percent), followed by Latinos (74 percent) and Asians (61 percent). There were geographic differences too, with more than three-quarters of San Fernando Valley residents approving of the department's performance and about two-thirds of South Central residents approving.
The report mentioned the 1,300 complaints against the department that had been dismissed last year. That number remains a point of contention: the LAPD stands by its determination that the complaints were “unfounded,” while the police commission president kinda-sorta thinks that’s bull:
The report says the department has received more than 1,300 complaints of biased policing by officers over the past four years, but none were upheld by department investigators. It says proving such allegations is “very difficult.”
“Although engaging in biased policing is distinctly unconstitutional, if and when it does occur, it is likely to be hidden in the accused officer’s beliefs rather than conspicuous or overt,” the report stated.
Police commissioners and activists alike have raised concerns about this. Commission President Matt Johnson has said he does not think there are zero incidents of biased policing, but believes the department does not have an effective way of making a fair determination of whether an officer has engaged in it.
And so, the struggle continues.