KTLA News: "Eula Love protests flare up during a meeting of the L.A. Police Commission" (1979)

[Protester #1] We don't own the problem. [Black Protester] Because we know it that all that's going to be you, which is what needs somebody else to rubber stamp [Protester #2] And so we don't need this guy. We don't need to talk about no high positions and stuff like that. The people gonna get justice. And it's gonna be in the street. [Applause, protesters chant] [?] That's what makes democracy! [?] U.S.A. [?] That's what makes democracy! [No Audio] [Unidentified Man #1] The police cannot police themselves, nor can the District Attorney's Office, who works daily hand-in-hand with the Los Angeles Police Department, prosecuting selected citizens for alleged misconduct. Then changes hats and becomes the investigator and prosecutor of the police accused of misconduct, sometimes by the same citizens themselves. Thirdly, the, this Police Commission, this citizens Police Commission. I don't believe it can do the job either. [No audio] [Mayor Tom Bradley] There is a widespread feeling which I share. [Bradley] That the shooting might have been avoided. I am therefore requesting, [Bradley] that you initiate an immediate review of this case, [Bradley] including meetings with, [Bradley] citizens in various parts of the city. [Bradley] With the objective of making changes in the policies, procedures, [Bradley] and tactics, utilized by LAPD, in the training, performance and supervision of its officers. [No audio] [Bradley] Was a terrible tragedy for this city. [Bradley] It compels us to renew our commitment to alleviate those social forces that, [Bradley] sometimes divide the people from their government. [Bradley] What continues to confront us, [Bradley] after the tragedy of January 3rd, of this year, is a question, [Bradley] for which all city administrators must find an answer. [Bradley] How can an event, such as this one, be avoided in the future. [Bradley] If we as civic leaders, [Bradley] do not learn from this tragedy, [Bradley] there looms before us, the terrible prospect of further loss of life and other psychological, [Bradley] and emotional scars. [Bradley] Although the district attorney and the police department reports have determined that the shooting [Bradley] of Mrs. Love does not warrant the filing of any criminal charges. [Bradley] As well as your recommendations. [Bradley] It is our responsibility to assure the public, that we are taking every step necessary, [Bradley] to prevent the recurrence of this unfortunate incident. [Bradley] Mr. President, I should like to present this letter to the Commission through your secretary. [President of Commission] Thank you very much. [Bradley] Thank you, thank you, members of the committee. [Camera start up noise] [White protester] [?] capitalist, establishment pigs and everything else the county justice people, de, deserve, [Protester #1] you guys deserve to get. What we're saying, hey, Eula Love's death was at the hands of the bloody, blood at the hands of you, you capitalist pigs, who have nothing else but white washed, you come, you're coming down in a Black community right now this weekend. You know, a rain of terror that took place where, you know, cop cars, shot guns at people, [?] the other end, you talked about the, [Protesters chant] [?] That's what makes democracy. U.S.A. That's what makes, [Camera start up noise] [Unidentified Man #2, LAPD, Commission spokesman] relations in an effort to avoid the occurrence of similar incidents in the future. [LAPD spokesman] On the day the District Attorney announced that he had completed his investigation, [LAPD spokesman] and that no criminal charges would be, filed against the officers. [LAPD spokesman] The Commission stated that it would conduct the type of hearings that it is starting to do today. [LAPD spokesman] The reason the Commission did that, [LAPD spokesman] was because, pardon me? [LAPD spokesman] All right. The reason the Commission did that, [LAPD spokesman] was because we felt it would be unfair and a violation of due process, [LAPD spokesman] to conduct public meetings while a criminal investigation was pending. [LAPD spokesman] Now that the criminal investigation is over. It is a role and the function, [LAPD spokesman] of the Police Commission, of this city, [LAPD spokesman] to attempt to answer the questions that have been asked, as to why this incident occurred. [LAPD spokesman] As to whether we in the Police Department have fulfilled our responsibilities. [LAPD spokesman] Whether we conducted ourselves properly in this case. [LAPD spokesman] Why what happened, happened. And what we can do to avoid, [LAPD spokesman] confrontations and killings, [LAPD spokesman] whenever it is possible to do so, [LAPD spokesman] and to perform our job of law enforcement properly. [LAPD spokesman] Certainly we believe that we as a Commission, have a responsibility to answer the questions which the public, [LAPD spokesman] has been asking and which the public has a right to know about. [Man in background coughs] [LAPD spokesman] So it is our intention to examine that incident. [LAPD spokesman] To review the reports thoroughly. [LAPD spokesman] To hear from members of the community and to hold a series of meetings, [LAPD spokesman] concerning the specific subjects. [LAPD spokesman] Ah, some of which the mayor has already mentioned. Some of which I mentioned. The subjects of training, public accountability, [LAPD spokesman] tactics and procedures. Whether our policies now are sufficient or whether they should be improved. [LAPD spokesman] Question of, [LAPD spokesman] high crime areas. Relate, community relations in those areas. Deployment of personnel in those areas. [Man] Training, relating to performance of duties in those areas. [LAPD spokesman, off camera] To attempt to see that the best policies, the best procedures, [camera start up noise] for the benefit of our citizens. [LAPD spokesman, off camera] The job which [Camera noise] that law enforcement action. It means that our system of justice has not functioned properly. [LAPD spokesman, off camera] These handling of these [Camera noise] proper, to some extent due to legal limitations as to the Commission's authority. [LAPD spokesman, off camera] to some extent, [LAPD spokesman, off camera] due to commissions of our, due to considerations of our understanding. [LAPD spokesman] I am of the opinion that the factual investigations conducted by the department and the District Attorney's office, [LAPD spokesman] are thorough and complete. [No audio] [Unidentified Man#1] First, it states that there has been no prosecution of any Los Angeles Police Department officers since approximately 1952. If this is true, two possible conclusions can be reached. First, the police have been acting perfectly in their contact with citizens over the last 26 years. Every time they come, every time there's a shooting involved, anytime that there's the use of a club, the use of fists, the use of handcuffs, the police have acted properly, within police department policy. The second possible alternative is that, maybe there's a policy to protect the police. Maybe there's a policy by the District Attorney, by this Police Commission and by the police itself, not to prosecute, but rather to protect and serve the police who are accused of misconduct. [No audio] In '64, there was a call for a Citizen's Review Board. That is an independent Citizens Review Board. In 1964 the ACLU National Board of Directors meeting strongly urged, the adoption of a Citizen's Review Board by municipal, the municipal governments, for two basic reasons. Both of which have been addressed by members of the Commission today. One is to preserve the, ah, the public's confidence, in, in the police. Secondly, is to, to, ah, ensure that improper, improper sanctions are not levied against police because of un, unfounded charges. And to recom, to recommend appropriate sanctions, where the found, where the, um, charges are founded. Today, the AC, ACLU urges this body and, and the city to adopt an independent Citizen Review Board. Having these followings functions. First, to hear and receive complaints from citizens. To conduct independent investigations into the complaints and to make findings of facts and recommendations concerning alleged misconduct. The ACLU feels that the operation of the Elected Police Review Board, and I stress, Eelected Police Review Board, will not destroy discipline or morale amongst most officers, in that the vast majority of these officers, are conscientious of citizens rights. And, under the con, and of the rights of the consti, of the citizens under the Constitution and under the, under the laws of the state. It is only the undisciplined officer, the reckless, unthinking, insensitive officer that has anything to worry about his morale or whether or not he's going to continue to have a job with the LAPD. We believe that the city's, these, the channels that exist now, the grand jury, the civil suit and the District, District Attorney's criminal prosecutions have been proven totally inadequate. To protect citizens and to stress the rights of citizens aggrieved by police misconduct.