TWO L.A. POLICE COMMISSIONERS PROPOSE DEADLY FORCE GUIDELINES THAT WILL GET COPS SHOT

While an officer is thinking about whether he is complying with the requirement that “deadly force shall only be exercised when reasonable alternatives have been exhausted or appear impracticable,” he could very well get shot

There is no question about the use of deadly force by the police. Deadly force should only be used as a last resort. But regulations that will make an officer hesitate when it appears that his life is in imminent jeopardy may work out well when that threat turns out to be false, but it may also get the officer killed when the threat is real.

In order to save taxpayer money, the mentally ill have been kicked out of the hospitals to fend for themselves or to be a life threatening burden on their loved ones. That accounts for the large percentage of the mentally ill shot by the police.

The proposals being submitted by L.A. Police Commission President Matthew Johnson and Commissioner Robert Saltzman are well intended but do not take into consideration the split-second decisions requied of the cop on the streets.

POLICE COMMISSIONERS CALL FOR CHANGES TO LAPD’S GUIDELINES ON USE OF DEADLY FORCE

CBS LA
March 11, 2016

LOS ANGELES -- Two members of the Los Angeles Police Commission are calling for an overhaul of the LAPD’s guidelines on the use of deadly force, according to a report released Friday.

Police Commission President Matthew Johnson and Commissioner Robert Saltzman put forth 12 recommendations that call on officers to do everything possible to diffuse confrontations before resorting to deadly force.

“It’s really our responsibility to make sure that our officers are properly trained,” Johnson said.One recommendation suggests “deadly force shall only be exercised when reasonable alternatives have been exhausted or appear impracticable.”

Director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League Lou Turriaga said he had concerns about the recommendations, which he said could put officers’ lives at risk.

“Clearly this is not a collaborative process by the Police Commission,” he said. “We are very concerned that the recommendations as written may jeopardize officer and community safety. We’re afraid that this policy does not take into account the split-second, life-and-death decisions police officers must make in the field.”

Mayor Eric Garcetti released a statement saying: “The clear thinking and vision found in these recommendations are exactly why I appointed President Matt Johnson to the Board of Police Commissioners.”

The recommendations come one week after an internal report was released. It found that L.A. police officers used force nearly 2,000 times last year, including 21 cases in which people were fatally shot. More than one-third of the 38 people who were shot by police were mentally ill.

The report is expected to be reviewed by the full Police Commission on Tuesday.