Brutality Claims Belie LAPD Reforms
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More than 20 years ago, the Rodney King beatings produced an era of reform at the LAPD. But a recent string of jury verdicts against officer misconduct have cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Records show misleading reports about excessive force even when it's been videotaped. Also, LA Supervisor Don Knabe introduces and votes on measures favorable to clients of his son, Matt, a registered lobbyists. An investigation by KCET-TV raises the issue of conflict of interest. On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, what's the plan for Afghanistan after 2014?
Banner image: Jametiks/flickr
Main Topic
Is the LAPD Stepping Backwards? ()
Since the Rodney King beating and the riots of 1992, new police chiefs and commissions have earned high marks for reforming the Los Angeles Police Department. But lately, there's been a string of jury verdicts for abuse and misconduct. It's usually the taxpayers who are on the hook but, in one case, jurors assessed punitive damages against an individual officer.
Guests:
- Joel Rubin: Los Angeles Times, @joelrubin
- Earl Ofari Hutchinson: journalist and civil rights activist, @earlhutchinson
- Richard Drooyan: Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners
Links:
Reporter's Notebook
LA County Supervisor's Family Ties Questioned ()
Don Knabe has been a Los Angeles County Supervisor since 1996, and his son Matt is a registered lobbyist with the firm Englander, Knabe and Allen. Tonight on KCET's SoCal Connected, correspondent Vince Gonzales reports that the Supervisor often introduces — and votes on — measures that favor his son's clients. (Supervisor Knabe declined to appear on this program, saying he hadn't yet seen KCET's story. He did say that he wouldn't vote for anything if it weren't "a good deal for the city.")
Guests:
- Vince Gonzales: KCET, @kcet
Links:
Main Topic
What's the Plan for Afghanistan? ()
America's war in Afghanistan has been in the news this week with reports about the pace of withdrawal and the number of US troops who will stay in that country after 2014. The Pentagon and the Obama White House agree in some ways, but not in others. What are America's goals -- beyond troop withdrawal by 2014? What's the future of a country embroiled in violence for the past 30 years?
Guests:
- Julian Barnes: Wall Street Journal, @julianbarnes
- Christine Fair: Georgetown University, @CChristineFair
- Sarah Chayes: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, @CarnegieEndow
- Stephen Biddle: Council on Foreign Relations
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Underwriters
Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation and the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation.
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