SLAP ON THE WRISTS OF SEVEN LAPD COPS WHO MISTAKENLY WOUNDED TWO INNOCENT WOMEN IN POLICE SHOOTING FRENZY

After finding they violated LAPD’s use-of-deadly-force policy, Chief Charlie Beck returns all seven to their regular duties

I would have to agree with the Commissioner’s criticism of the disposition taken in this case. To me it looks like a clear cut case of undisciplined behavior in the frantic hunt for cop killer Christopher Dorner. I’m not saying the officers should have been canned, but they should have gotten more than a slap on the wrist. Chief Beck needs to send a crystal clear message to the troops that while they are not expected to unduly risk their lives, they must show considerable restraint when resorting to the use of their firearms.

LAPD COMMISSIONER SAYS PENALTIES WEAK IN DORNER MISTAKEN ID SHOOTING
Officers, thinking shooting suspect Christopher Dorner might have been in the pickup truck,, unleashed a fusillade, wounding a woman and her mother

By Joel Rubin and Ruben Vives

Los Angeles Times
February 6, 2014

The president of the police commission expressed disappointment that Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck is not issuing more severe penalties for the seven officers who mistakenly opened fire on two women during the hunt for Christopher Dorner.

Steve Soboroff, whose panel oversees the LAPD, made the statements to The Times in response to a message Beck sent through the department's internal communication system.

In that message, which was obtained by The Times, Beck said he had determined that the officers violated LAPD's use-of-deadly-force policy.

But he said they will be returned to field after spending a year on desk duty.

"I have confidence in their abilities as LAPD officers to continue to do their jobs in the same capacity they had been assigned," Beck said. "In the end, we as an organization can learn from this incident and from the individuals involved."

Beck's decision to retrain the officers does not preclude him from imposing discipline on some or all of them, although several police sources said it is unlikely he will do so.

Soboroff acknowledged that the authority to discipline belongs to the chief but added, "With that said, I would have expected more significant discipline for the actions of most of the officers in this incident. I trust that the training will be extensive and the department and officers will move forward from this tragic incident."

During his weekly appearance Thursday morning on "KTLA News," Beck declined to address Soboroff's comments.

"Steve is a new police commissioner and we can’t comment on discipline," Beck said. "He shouldn’t … I’ll leave it at that. We can’t comment on discipline.

On Tuesday, Soboroff and the Police Commission followed Beck's recommendation to find that the officers violated department policy. Beck faulted the officers for jumping to the conclusion that Dorner was in the truck they opened fire upon. Beck said the officers compounded their mistake by shooting in one another's direction with an unrestrained barrage of gunfire.