L.A. council committee calls for federal takeover of police probe

March 20, 2000
Web posted at: 9:58 p.m. EST (0258 GMT)

From Correspondent Charles Feldman

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- The Los Angeles City Council committee responsible for the operation of the police department has voted 3-0 to ask the Justice Department to take over coordination of various investigations into police corruption.

The Public Safety Committee's motion is likely to go to a vote of the full 15-member council early next week.

	MESSAGE BOARD
LAPD probe

It is unclear whether there are enough votes for its passage there, but the full council typically follows the recommendation of its committees.

The motion approved Monday requests a joint federal-state-local task force "led from Washington, D.C., to investigate and prosecute criminal conduct associated with the Rampart Police Corruption scandal."

Should the full council vote in favor of the motion, it would be a serious setback for Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti, who has been involved in an open feud with LAPD chief Bernard Parks over the pace of his investigation.

Last Wednesday, Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan publicly chastised both Parks and Garcetti, after their dispute over evidence plunged the city into a near-crisis.

Riordan then declared that the police chief would simultaneously release investigative materials to the U.S. Attorney's office and to the district attorney.

The corruption scandal began last fall after one police officer was caught stealing cocaine from a police evidence locker. To obtain a reduced prison sentence he told prosecutors that other officers in a now-disbanded, anti-gang unit that had operated in the Rampart neighborhood beat, framed and even shot suspects.

Allegations of tainted evidence have resulted in 39 criminal convictions overturned, 20 officers relieved of duty and at least 70 other officers under investigation.

Other council committee motions in favor of establishing an independent commission to investigate police corruption are being held in committee and will not yet be sent to the full council. Those motions lost by votes of 2-1.

Commission orders LAPD chief to cooperate with DA in corruption probe
March 17, 2000
Los Angeles mayor scolds police chief, DA: 'Start acting like adults'
March 16, 2000
Resolution announced to Los Angeles police chief-DA standoff
March 15, 2000
Anti-gang units a casualty of Los Angeles police scandal
March 13, 2000

Los Angeles City Council
U.S. Department of Justice
Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office
U. S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.