Web Video Leads to Personnel Complaint Investigation

Los Angeles:  Yesterday morning a video depicting an encounter between a police officer and a street photographer came to the attention of the Los Angeles Police Department.  The video was taken in approximately February of 2010.  After viewing that video tape, the LAPD immediately initiated an internal investigation to be conducted by Internal Affairs.   

The video depicts an encounter between a street photographer and an officer of the Los Angeles Police Department.  On the video, two LAPD officers can be seen conducting what appears to be a traffic stop in the area of Hollywood Boulevard and Normandie Avenue when their attention is drawn to a street photographer with a camera in his hand.  

On the video, which appears to have been captured by a second video camera, one officer can be seen dividing his attention between an apparent traffic violator and the street photographer who had taken an interest and was photographing the enforcement activity.  At a point in the video footage, the involved officer directed some words toward the photographer that warrants an investigation by Internal Affairs and a review by the officer’s chain of command.  

Commander Richard Webb said, “Internal Affairs will conduct an exhaustive and impartial investigation into this matter.  Constitutional policing is very important to Chief Beck and we examine cases through that lens.  We will keep the Inspector General informed of the progress of the investigation which will ultimately be presented to the Chief of Police to determine if any discipline or retraining should take place.”

Comments

[El Gallo]

You forgot to mention kicking the front tire of a bicycle still in motion. You can get seriously hurt. And for what to enforce light on a bike at night? They were with 400 other cyclists, this was not the time to be enforcing these tiny rules, usually reserve for pretext stops on druggies or possible susps.

[Roberto y Manuela]

Man, that's just evil. I think I would rather get kicked in the guts by the Police than get my front tire kicked. Bicyclists have no rights in L.A.

[Lupita from Rampart]

Dear Mr. Policeman,

I am 7 yrs old, I just learned how to ride my bike without training wheels. Please don't kick my bike while I'm biking through the streets. Thank you.

Lupita

[Ray Pinker]

Intersting how this LAPD blog refers to the citizen as a "street photographer". Shouldn't he have been described as a citizen on a public street conducting himself in a lawful manner when accosted by a member of the Los Angeles Police Department. It would have been nice if LAPD had mentioned that ALL people in Los Angeles are protected by the constitution and that LAPD takes the rights of the people seriously. I guess you all don't. Bring back WIlliam Bratton - He knows how to protect our rights.

[Why]

Stupid whiny liberal "photographer" deserved it.

[St Michael]

I was not aware this bike ride was sponsored by the Christian Community for a positive and beneficial cause. Shame on you, bad police....

[Kicking Bikes is not Cool]

Sorry, Lupita. You should ask your Mom and Dad to move out of the inner city and go to the suburbs where cops are more respectful of people.

[Constitutional Scholar]

The primary officer's aggression shows he has not appropriately segway'ed from the military to civilian law enforcement duties. What's astounding is his complete ignorance of the law, which is a direct reflection on the LAPD and its academy and in-service training programs. Time for some new blood in the Assistant Chief's position who oversees training.

[Blu9ght]

I'm surprised no one has yet claimed the race card!

[citizen]

Cop with a bad attiude.

[Josefina Del Mar]

The biker was White and the photographer was White, so there's no Race Card to play. Just a Rude officer in Hollywood.

[pay attention]

I've seen this video on you tube...NO BICYCLE involved. Get a clue people, and figure out what you're talking about.

Good job on ignorantly complaining about overworked and underappreciated cops though. Standard.