LAPD Officers Disable Monitoring Equipment On Roughly 100 Cars . . . Police Chief Blocks Any Investigation of the Officers Responsible

A new report concludes that Los Angeles police officers have widely tampered with voice recording equipment to block monitoring of their actions on duty. Officers have been tearing off the antennas of their cruisers to prevent transmitting signals. Yet, there is not a single reported case of a single officer been disciplined, let alone fired. Indeed, none will be investigated.

We have previously discussed officers tampering with monitoring equipment by disabling or turning them off.

Investigators found about half of the estimated 80 cars in one South L.A. patrol division were missing antennas. Another 10 cars were disabled in other divisions.

Here is the most disturbing line is this one from the article below: “LAPD Chief Charlie Beck and other top officials learned of the problem last summer but chose not to investigate which officers were responsible.” Really? Officers destroy public property to prevent their conduct from being observed and Chief Beck decided not to investigate and charge them? Somehow I doubt that is the approach to citizens who destroy LAPD or city property.

Instead of investigating the potentially criminal acts, Beck issued warnings against continued destruction.

Making things worse, the Department waited to notify the Police Commission, which oversees the department, even though this equipment is designed to protect the public as well as officers. That led to criticism from commission President Steve Soboroff that they were left in the dark.

What is truly astonishing is that most of the destruction occurred in the Southeast Division, which limits the officers and supervisors involved in the misconduct. That would have made this an easier matter to investigate. Yet, Beck ordered that no investigation occur and did not immediately inform the Commission that is tasked with this type of matter. That should raise an equally pressing question of the suitability for Beck as Chief of Police, but it appears that he is another officer who is unlikely to be held accountable in this scandal.

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-lapd-tamper-20140408,0,7666331.story#ixzz2yPEshY00