A legal battle is brewing around one of the most secretive aspects of city government — disciplinary hearings for police officers — as the Los Angeles Police Department’s inspector general mulls a broad review of the process and the police union promises to block him at the door. The looming standoff could shine new light on the administrative process for adjudicating misconduct allegations against LAPD officers at a time of intense scrutiny for police nationwide. Moore complained this summer that the current process “always seems to default in favor of the officer” and prevents him from firing bad cops. AdvertisementIf Smith does begin sending his staff into hearings, attorneys for the officers will “vehemently object,” Rico said. Rico made the same argument in an email to Smith in August 2019, in which he said the presence of Smith’s staff at disciplinary hearings was unnecessary.

Source: Los Angeles Times December 11, 2020 18:22 UTC