LOS ANGELES, CA – A recent survey
administered to police officer of the Los Angeles Police Department
by the local union betrayed that the vast majority of police
officers within the department are
dissatisfied with LAPD Chief Michel Moore.�
LAPD union survey:
– 86% of officers do not “feel supported†by LAPD Chief
Moore– “Many participants†say command staff who knelt with
Black Lives Matter protesters were “weak/cowardly”– Majority considering retiring early and/or leaving
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA)
November 10, 2020
The survey was reportedly published in the Los Angeles Police
Protective League’s newsletter “Thin Blue Line,†which found
that over 86% of police officers don’t “feel supported†by
Chief Moore.
But there was more to the survey, in terms of revelations, than
just a conveyed lack of support by LAPD leadership.
Approximately 90% of police officers surveyed noted that
leadership within the LAPD was well-deserving of scrutiny with
regard to the handling of protests throughout the summer.
Also, a majority of those surveyed expressed that when command
staff decided to kneel with Black Lives Matter activists, that the
optics bestowed a “weak/cowardly†display.
When Chief Moore opted to take a knee with BLM, responders on
the survey expressed having lost respect for the chief.
Furthermore, that kneeling display alone prompted more than one
survey responder stating “that due to the lack of support, they
were considering retiring early and/or leaving for a different
agency.â€
The survey in question was conducted between July 6th through
the 27th, right when Black Lives Matter riots were still peaking
throughout the country.
While some survey responders noted desires for wanting to exit
or retire from the LAPD from Chief Moore’s kneeling display,
“many participants†felt as though Chief Moore should resign
after making that move.
Survey responders were said to have called for Chief Moore’s
resignation for also not coming to the defense of law enforcement
and allowing arrested rioters during the protests to go “without
consequence.â€
Chief Moore responded to the unveiled criticism, noting that he
anticipated such a response from the rank-and-file officers within
the LAPD:
“I knew that our people were disappointed in me –
they’re disappointed in our organization, and they’re highly
stressed.â€
Even after having reviewed the scathing criticism he received
from the officers within the LAPD, Chief Moore extended accolades
to the work done by the officers during the protests and riots:
“I’m proud of the work our people have done.
They’ve gone out their to show their heart, their dedication to
do the very best job they could and that they can.â€
Despite being “hurt by the criticism†levied toward his
leadership during the summer of riots, Chief Moore notes that he
intends to “own†the criticism and that the department move on
from this dark chapter:
“I’m hurt by their disappointment in me. But I’m
also a believer of that you own it, you step forward and we move
into the future.â€
It’s hardly surprising to hear about LAPD officers being
disgruntled with leadership during the riots.
Elsewhere in the country, officers in Seattle, Washington have
been leaving the department in droves.
Here’s that previous report from October.
_
SEATTLE, WA – Thus far in 2020, there’s
been at least 118
police officers that have left the Seattle Police
Department.
Some might call it a surge in separations, other might call it a
mass exodus – but whatever series of adjective are used to
describe it – it is undoubtedly concerning.
At least 118 Seattle police
officers have separated from the department, the Jason Rantz Show
on KTTH has confirmed. In September alone, 39 officers left the
force when the typical number for that month is between 5 and 7.
Even new recruits are leaving.https://t.co/ikjEKRKAj1— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz)
October 16, 2020
The various separations from the SPD have been an amalgamation
of retirements, finding new homes to different departments or
agencies and of course, just flat-out resignations.
In September alone, there were reportedly 39 sworn officers that
departed the SPD, which happens to also have followed the recent
approval of the Seattle City Council to start cutting down the
police budget for the city.
To illustrate how sizable this year’s trend of departures are
for the SPD, the month of September on any given year only sees
about 5 to 7 separations versus this year having 39 that month.
Reports show that the current size of the SPD now rests at
around 1,200 sworn officers, marking the lowest police force within
the department in a
decade.
But according to Jason Rantz, even that number might be a little
“misleading†based upon other circumstances transpiring
simultaneously:
“Many officers are using their accrued sick time as
they begin their escape to other agencies or wait for
retirement.â€
2 of them already have over
here in Lincoln County. Our Sheriff announced it two days ago.— vicki thoma (@Shilohv1955)
October 16, 2020
It is with little surprise that the massive uptick in
separations started in May, according to Rantz, providing a
breakdown of officer departures in the months that followed:
“The mass exodus of officers started in May with 10
separations, followed by 16 in June, 10 in July, and 14 in August.
In September, that number jumped to 39. So far in October, there
have been eight separations according to a source, though this is
not in the mayor’s report.â€
In a mere five-month period, at least 89 police officers decided
to leave the SPD. These number do more than illustrate a trend,
they betray a sense of morale being depleted within the
department.
Yep, this is defunding the
police without actually defunding them… just demoralize them for
4 months straight until they all quit.
Nice job Derelict Durkin 👎👎— John242 (@John24216)
October 16, 2020
Seattle Police Officer Guild President Mike Solan commented on
the debilitating effects this trend could present in the coming
months, saying that emergency calls could be deeply impacted:
“Your 911 call for help will go unanswered for a
significant amount of time.â€
But there’s more to take into consideration than just a
decreased staff-size within the police department – one also has
to take into account that growth in the population and increases in
crime.
Rantz examined the numbers when it pertains to the current
police force and adversities that surround the force size:
“With just about 1,200 officers in service, Seattle is
staffed at lower levels than they were in 1990. The population has
increased by 44% since then. And crime is surging, with a
reportedly 60% year-over-year increase in
homicides.â€
And yet the City Council is still determined on dismissing at
least another 70 police officers on the force.
According to the mayor’s office, the City Council’s vote to
fire 70 additional officers in concurrence with officer departure
trends and a continued hiring freeze – the SPD could see the
force drop down to 1,072 officers.
It is to the point in Seattle
that digging in heels to fight for who and what is loved, is a pipe
dream. They offered a 15K recruiting bonus a few years ago because
they couldn’t get people in-now it’s haha surprise Seattle is a
f*%king joke and we won’t back you.— Steph (@DrEMSCSI)
October 16, 2020
Solan claims that this entire situation is “fixable†if
local leadership gets their acts together and stops “panderingâ€
to the mobs rioting in the streets:
“This is fixable if our elected leaders start
supporting police, instead of pandering to a large activist crowd
that’s dividing us when we need unity. False narratives about
good people doing policing, pushed by the defund movement, is
making our public safety efforts devolve further.â€
The SPD Interim Police Chief, Adrian Diaz, commented on the
dwindling department size, saying the following:
“As I have said before – I know these are incredibly
hard times. I also have said I will do everything I can to keep
this department whole. Each of you is needed.â€
“More people in this city want you doing your job than
don’t. We are pursuing multiple ways to improve your day-to-day
experience – I can only ask that you give us time to see if they
are successful.â€
_
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LAPD officers: Command staff who knelt with BLM protesters are
‘weak’, ‘cowardly’ appeared first on Law Enforcement
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