Police commission unveils LAPD review panel

April 12, 2000
Web posted at: 8:52 PM EDT (0052 GMT)

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- In the wake of the Rampart Division corruption scandal, a panel of legal experts will lead a comprehensive review of the Los Angeles Police Department.

The panel will work with the Los Angeles Police Commission, the administrative head of the Department. Though critics have said the commission should not be the body that investigates a bureaucracy it oversees, commission president Gerald Chaeleff said the "remarkable panel, composed of experts of national reputation ... will owe its allegiance to the people of Los Angeles only."

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The Los Angeles police corruption scandal, the worst in the city's history, centers on allegations that members of the police department shot innocent people and planted guns and drugs on suspects who went on to receive prison sentences. Fifty people have had their convictions overturned, and as many as 70 LAPD officers are under investigation. Indictments of some of those police officers are expected.

The investigation will be divided into eight working groups, staffed by unpaid volunteers. Among them is Chuck LaBella, who left the U.S. Justice Department after disagreeing with Attorney General Janet Reno over the need for a special prosecutor to investigate allegations of campaign finance abuses in the White House.

"We are here as champions of the rule of law," LaBella said. "Every one of the people who has donated his or her time believes that the ends do not justify the means and that we are going to analyze what happened here, what went wrong and to right the ship and prevent this from happening in the future."

After the beating of Rodney King, the Christopher Comission reviewed the LAPD and made recommendations, several of which were never carried out.

Asked how this review will be different, the panel's general counsel, Richard Drooyan, said "we can't force anybody to follow our recommendations."

Drooyan said the public needs to call for the changes the panel recommends.

The panel is expected to issue its findings in the fall.

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April 5, 2000
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March 21, 2000
Los Angeles mayor scolds police chief, DA: 'Start acting like adults'
March 16, 2000
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March 13, 2000
LAPD chief enlists FBI's help to probe scandal
February 23, 2000

The Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles County District Attorney
United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California
U.S. Department of Justice
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  • Report: LAPD corruption investigation spreading to other parts of city
Federal Bureau of Investigation

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