LBPD Excessive Force

Thank you, Mr. Downing, for a well written, informative article. [Frustration with Dishonesty, Sept. 27, 2019] In this day and age, we hear many negative comments about media and journalists. While there are certainly questionable tactics and ethics in journalism, as in all professions, the public must stay informed in a responsible way about government and the officials that we elect. This is why I support publications such as the L.A. Times and our local newspapers.

They have exposed horrific corruption in the prison and city halls (City of Bell.) In fact, I think that newspapers have been the main source to investigate corruption and uncover abuses of power, which can take away our rights, liberty and sometimes our lives. Maybe this is why “some” government officials want to demonize the media and turn people away from the exposure that good journalism will produce. Thank you again for your article and I look forward to the next one.

Debbie Wall

The police demonstrate a lack of ethics. Just because Mr. Williams was “standing over” the victim, the police without considering the circumstances, arbitrarily handcuffed Mr. Williams. Though it is not clear if Mr. Williams was under arrest. But in any case, he was ill-treated and harm by the police. This bad decision making is exactly what had occurred to me by the LBPD.

I was arrested under false testimony by a neighbor, and by a very misleading video by the neighbor’s friend, followed by a false police report (misdemeanor). Then add insult to injury, the cops (inside my house) arrested and handcuffed me without interviewing my wife or I as witnesses. Not only that but the police withheld photographic evidence from my sorry attorney. Moreover, my Miranda Rights were not read to me by arresting cop, Conrad Penn. These cops are not “the good guys.” Whose side are the police on? Not ours.

Mike Bartling

Reading that article, it’s hard to identify our police as “the good guys.” The fact that the wrong doing didn’t stop with excessive force but progressed into a coverup is intolerable. If they choose to exonerate the arresting officer, it’s hard to understand why they won’t release the records. The citizens police commission also sounds pretty useless if they are allowing themselves to be led around with a ring in their nose. We seem to have layers of incompetence and corruption surrounding investigating excessive force. God help us all.

Corliss Lee

Da Dawson

I have been following these investigations into the LBPD for some time now and I am completely amazed how the public allows this type of behavior of public servants to continue in Long Beach. Not only is there crystal-clear evidence of corruption within the ranks of the PD, but City Council members and the mayor’s office are cut from the very same cloth of corruption and secrecy. I can only chalk this citizenry apprehension up to one thing: maybe too many citizens actually see themselves when they look at these corrupt figures. I could be wrong, but why else would “good people” allow such pervasive corruption and cronyism in their town? Just sayin!

Thank you, Stephen Downing, for your tenacity and excellent reporting. Please keep doing what you do in exposing this government evil and maybe one day folks will garner the courage to act.

Stinger Buzz

As long as the POA operates as an independent business separate from the city, we will have problems. These are police. They operate inappropriately serving their own interests. The POA have picketed downtown businesses who complained about police abuse and not one City Council person has ever raised the issue that this appears to be out of their purview. This has scared people from complaining about bad treatment.

In what other police jurisdiction would this happen? What other union would have their president sit in on administrative meetings as a high-ranking manager to make manager/employee decisions and then change hats to represent the rank and file. It is absurd and most likely against the law. If not, it should be. It appears to be a huge conflict of interest. The city manager controls what is investigated, how much and the cutoff point of complaints. He controls if the complaints get to the commission. It is a stacked deck.

Rudy Padilla