The Los Angeles Police Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved significant changes in the way the LAPD handles shootings by officers, directing the department to release information to the public more quickly and expand training designed to reduce the number of shootings.
The proposals stemmed from an extensive study of how other major departments deal with police shootings. The report, made public last week, found that some provide the public with more details faster and used more training based on real-world scenarios.
[sc name=”Article Mobile Ad” ]
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck signaled his support for the recommendations, but noted that the other agencies cited in the inspector general’s report operate under different state laws and union agreements — “not one size fits all,” he told reporters Tuesday.
The chief, however, said he liked some of the approaches adopted by police in Las Vegas and San Diego on releasing information about police shootings, which he said the department has been examining.
But the union representing rank-and-file officers blasted the recommendations, accusing the Police Commission of avoiding more pressing issues facing the LAPD — such as keeping an adequate number of officers working in the field or reducing the uptick in violent crime — and instead folding to pressure from police critics.
The report detailed that the LAPD offers some reality-based training but more is now expected.
