The result: citations for a defective turn signal and a passenger not wearing a seat belt, both of which were later dismissed, the suit said. In addition to Weldin, Tomsic and Chandler, The Times has reviewed district attorneys records detailing racist texts or images shared by six other police officers: Blake Williams, Brian Kawamoto, Joshua Satterfield, Omar Alonso, Christopher Allen-Young and Long Beach Police Officer Maxwell Schroeder, who is a former Torrance police recruit. The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Torrance--as well as others against El Monte, Alhambra and Pomona--claiming that the police and fire departments discriminated against minorities during hiring. Pursuant to the California Public Records Act (California Government Code 6250), I hereby request the following records: We are Economics Professors in the College of Business at Ferris State University, and are engaged in an empirical research project on police behavior and citizen complaints. Sgt. Tomsic filled out a California Highway Patrol form attesting that the vehicle had not been vandalized, and had it towed by driver Chris Dunn to the impound yard at Van Lingen Towing. Emergency Services: 310-618 Service of the Summons and Complaint were executed upon V. Padila- Desk Officer in compliance with Federal Rules of Civil Procedure by personal service. The city prevailed. for the Advancement of Colored People. Whenever it appears that somebodys chipping away at that crust, were going to rise to the occasion.. 2. U.S. Department of Justice lawyers conducted a two-year investigation in the early 1990s into department racism that culminated in a 1993 lawsuit alleging job discrimination in the citys police and fire departments. With fallout from the Rastello case still raining down, 27-year Los Angeles Police Department veteran De Ladurantey was brought in. Dunn said he was frustrated that he was getting blamed for the vandalism. Its one of the most exhaustive reviews that one could ever do in the state of California, and its a very important step for us, he added. So, I started asking if we had checked for text messages.. Any documentation or reports that detail the annual number of officer-involved shootings in your department for the past 10 years would be sufficient. Complaints were filed directly with the department because, unlike a number of Southern California cities, including Los Angeles, Torrance has no citizen commission overseeing its Police Department. A key purpose for receiving and investigating complaints is to identify law enforcement personnel that frequently or habitually engage in inappropriate behavior, the report said. WebTorrance, CA 90503-5056 310-618-5529 The Records Division is a service support unit within the Services Bureau. According to their attorney, they were not cited. The idea that there is no need for a local commission because theres a state process is patently inadequate, because were talking about a nine-member panel that will only be able to deal with the most egregious, flagrant cases that break through, Armour said. 1. Please find attached the information requested in your email. Torrance police sustained 35 out of 43 internally generated complaints of officer misconduct from 2016 to 2020, Ponegalek said. Compton, with a population of just 96,000, recorded 62 killings during the same period. Census figures at the same time said 1.7% of Torrance residents were black, 10% were Latino and 22% were Asian. Although the officers actions were found to be justified in each case, experts say those cases should be reexamined in the context of the hateful messages. Mark KickbuschPolice Operations SupervisorRecords DivisionTorrance Police Department3300 Civic Centre DriveTorrance, CA, 90503E: mkickbusch@TorranceCA.govP: 310-618-6347F: 310-618-2355. We dont have the money to do it at the level they (California) do, Ashcraft said. . They were stopped, they say, because two of them are black. The department would not comment on citizen complaints against police beyond saying that it investigated 34 of them in 1993, sustaining 23. Truly favorable attitudes cannot prevail when a question of misuse of authority, either real or imagined, arises. I am in receipt of your request and I am attempting to locate the information requested and will attempt to have it to you as soon as possible. The officers comments spared no color or creed: They joked about gassing Jewish people, assaulting members of the LGBTQ community, using violence against suspects and lying during an investigation into a police shooting, according to district attorneys office records reviewed by The Times. Medical examiners ruled Ross died of cardiac arrest resulting from methamphetamine use and his struggle with the officers, according to autopsy records. From what I can tell . Torrance, CA 90503-5056. Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer, Subject: RE: California Public Records Act Request: Torrance, CA PD Citizen Complaints. Maybe its a taillight out . The following services are available at the public counter without an appointment: Additional services available only by appointment, or mail-in / drop-off options: 3031 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503 | P: (310) 328-5310 | Contact | Login. One (Torrance officer) said, The white people pay us to keep Mexicans out, said Esparza, a night student at Inglewood High School. 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I actually made some comments about how, generally, when someone does this kind of stuff, there are bigger patterns of behavior. We catch em (criminals), and the community likes that.. What is the total number of citizen complaints (allegations of misconduct) made against your departments officers annually for the last 10 years? The officers also shared instructions on how to tie a noose and a picture of a stuffed animal being lynched inside Torrances police headquarters, according to the documents. The Records Division public counter is located in the main lobby of the Police Department. The comments represent a sliver of a trove of racist text messages exchanged by more than a dozen current and former Torrance police officers and recruits. The officers did not necessarily testify in each case, so its unclear how many of those cases could be affected. This is a brand new process for the state of California, and I think we have to see how it plays out, Councilmember Heidi Ann Ashcraft said in an interview Wednesday. Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov. That department is infected with the disease of denial . To assist us in achieving this goal, you, as a citizen, can help by letting us know if you have a complaint. LMAO, thats what they call a W.. Daniels said the officer approached him three days later at a local mall. After one officer shared a news article about someone being arrested for urinating on a Black child and calling them the N-word, Satterfield replied, whats the crime? according to district attorneys records reviewed by The Times. He graduated from California State University, Fullerton, in 1981 with a bachelor of arts in communication. In another message reviewed by The Times, Alonso complained about the idea of having to work with a gay officer, and said hed straight punch a member of the LGBTQ community, using a common slur for gay men. Although the current race-related lawsuits have shined a stark and unflattering light on the force, it is not the first time that Torrance police have come under legal scrutiny. The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes. Torrance Police Department is notin compliancewith: This information has been curated by journalists andprivate citizens; and, this platform is available as-a-service to allPeace Officer Standards & Training [POST] Departments,Prosecutors, andLaw Enforcement Organizations [LEOrgs]. The proper administration of law enforcement can be insured only through a highly professional police agency which respects itself and earns the respect of the public. The pair allegedly spray-painted a swastika and a happy face inside the vehicle, according to a criminal complaint. District attorneys records reviewed by The Times showed Tomsic sent a slew of racist images and messages, including a picture of former President Reagan feeding a monkey with a caption stating Reagan used to babysit [former President] Obama.. The identities of all 13 officers named in this article were confirmed by three people with direct knowledge of the case and by reviewing district attorneys records that detailed some of the officers comments. He eventually went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later. This isnt just a lone wolf, this is a huge group.. The officers described the weapon, later determined to be a break barrel air rifle, as pinched between Mitchells legs, though neither alleged he grabbed it or pointed it at them before they opened fire. Mark Ponegalek, a Torrance police spokesman, could not confirm or deny the identities of the officers involved, but said 15 have been placed on administrative leave in relation to the scandal. That number did not include Tomsic, Weldin, or Schroeder, he said. WebNon-Emergency Police Response: (310) 618-5641 3300 Civic Center Drive, Torrance CA 90503 . Now every time I see you, Im going to arrest you, Daniels recalled. In the course of my work I regularly defend police officers and police policy, Cramer wrote. with conspiracy and vandalism for allegedly spray-painting a swastika inside a vehicle. Dunn then placed a monitored call to Tomsic, who tried to blame Weldin, saying, Weldin is the instigator of all this. The complaints against Torrance allege a more intense racism. They just go too far over there., Adds David Lynn, a Venice-based private investigator who specializes in police misconduct cases: As far as harassing minorities . Los Angeles, Randall Emmett, Ambyr Childers settle domestic violence restraining order dispute, Column: Supreme Court conservatives may want to block student loan forgiveness. Torrance police officials acquired evidence of the text message threads during their investigation of Weldin and Tomsic, according to Ponegalek, though he declined to give a specific timeline of when they obtained the data. Towing Services (Van Lingen): 310-370-4533 / 310-326-9220, Torrance Mental Evaluation Team: 310-618-5683, 3031 Torrance Blvd, Torrance, CA 90503 | P: (310) 328-5310 | Contact | Login. But theyve hit a snag, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, A $150,000 executive protection dog? Those people spoke on the condition of anonymity so they could candidly discuss an ongoing investigation. The panel also found Torrance was the only city it studied that indicated a police officer may bring a civil action against a complainant who falsely accuses a police officer of misconduct, criminal conduct or incompetence. A survey of records at Police Watch, a nonprofit Los Angeles group that monitors Southern California police agencies, revealed numerous complaints by minorities alleging that they were pulled over by Torrance police for no reason. California Atty. The results of that investigation, though, likely wont be made public for another two years or so although Hart said he is working on a new collaborative reform model never before done in the state of California, which would allow quarterly or biannual updates on the status of the investigation. Protein powder and dry cereal were scattered throughout the car. in journalism from the University of Southern California. Torrance quietly allocated $700,000 at the last two City Council meetings for legal fees associated with two lawsuits involving the Police Department, including a Torrance police department complaints; left stove on low all night; beretta 84 10 round magazine; myinstants download mp3; best liposuction doctors in florida; I think they mean new black faces, 21-year-old Willy Daniels said. The cost for an oversight commission in Torrance varies heavily depending on what type of model the city would opt for. If you have questions about this request or suggestions, we would be happy to discuss them with you. oil spill, Column: Column: Hydrogen cars should be a bigger part of Californias battle against carbon emissions, Sikh motorcyclist joins a cross-country ride against hate: I have to do this, How to connect formerly incarcerated people with jobs in L.A. County. WebUtilize judgment in screening and maintaining the confidentiality of concerns or complaints presented by students, faculty, staff, applicants, vendors or the general public. Torrance, however, has spent more than $1 million so far to defend its hiring practices, with City Atty. Johao Miguel Chavarri, 26, threatened the victims through social media platforms if they refused his request for explicit photos or videos. Three years into De Laduranteys tenure, though, critics question whether much has changed. The officers repeatedly ordered Mitchell to get out of the car, but he did not comply, according to the report. TheCalifornia Public Records Actdoes not regulate the use of records obtained from public agencies. like this one. The database is always in development and more organizations, POST Departments, and officers are being added daily. Thank you very much for providing the information we requested. Gavin Newsom declares state of emergency for LA, San Bernardino counties due to severe winter storms, Alpine Village, for decades a German American hub, faces unknown future, Real snow falls at Disneyland not the fake soapy stuff, Is there a problem with paying cash for a car? The answer, according to the caption, was to break a tail light on his car so the police will stop him and shoot him., Someone else sent a picture of a candy cane, a Christmas tree ornament, a star for the top of the tree and an enslaved person.. The council and Hart appear to have full faith in the oversight power of the state oversight board, though. Torrance was one of four cities surveyed that were not in compliance with that policy, which the state penal code requires. Lopez had been fleeing police in a truck, and the officers said he attempted to ram them when they opened fire, according to a district attorneys office memo that determined the fatal shooting was justified. While no officers currently face criminal charges in direct relation to the text messages, the racist exchanges have led to the dismissal of at least 85 criminal cases involving the officers implicated in the scandal. Jackie Lacey, but the case is one of several that Gascn has hired a special prosecutor to review for possible criminal charges. Judge Amy Carter will decide whether to suppress evidence from the personal cellphones of ex-officers Corey Weldin and Christopher Tomsic. The ACLU observed the law was the only one of its kind in the nation to give police officers a special right to sue complainants, the jury said. If I were a citizen, youre damned right Id want people stopped . Detectives: 310-618-5570. The Records Division is a service support unit within the Services Bureau. SB 2 is far reaching and it is another model towards police accountability that we didnt have before in the state, Hart said. it. Daniels claims that one officer made racial threats during such a stop, and Daniels made a formal complaint against him. Several of the Torrance officers under investigation as part of the scandal have also used serious or deadly force against Black and Latino men while on duty in recent years, according to district attorneys records. Two of the officers under investigation as part of the scandal Anthony Chavez and Matthew Concannon are also under investigation for the controversial 2018 slaying of Christopher DeAndre Mitchell, a Black car theft suspect they fatally shot while he was holding an air rifle. Black Lives Matter activists have attended nearly every City Council meeting since the fatal police shooting of Christopher DeAndre Mitchell in 2018 to demand Torrance establish an oversight commission. Learn more. for having expired tags, for having a taillight out. Simple traffic stops often result in crimes being solved and wanted criminals apprehended, he added. According to district attorneys records reviewed by The Times, Concannon once sent a troubling text message referring to a deposition he gave in an officer-involved shooting., They believed our lies. From: Alexander Cartwright and Jennifer Dirmeyer, Subject: California Public Records Act Request: Torrance, CA PD Citizen Complaints. If your department logs complaints in a database, spreadsheet, or other log, a copy of those logs is fine instead. Rollo Green--who, according to testimony, had a history of alcohol abuse--caused the death of Kelly Rastello, 19, of Long Beach, by making an illegal left-hand turn in front of the motorcyclist, jurors said. The department has refused to identify them. The fate of two former Torrance police officers may rest Monday with a Superior Court judge who has been asked to throw out evidence that the officers shared racist and homophobic text messages. You would want to consult them, figure out what their values and viewpoints are, then legislate and implement their values not yours.. The department has also hired an outside law firm to conduct a review of the scandal, he said. In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. Lacey cleared the officers of wrongdoing in all three deaths, but Gascn has reopened the investigation into Mitchells killing . The Police Departments recent racist text-messagingscandal in which the officers responsible for Mitchells death participated has onlyfurtheredcalls for more robust police accountability. Kristy Hutchings covers all things Long Beach including local government, politics, and the environment. Non-Emergency Police Response: (310) 618-5641 3300 Civic Center Drive, Torrance CA 90503 Animal Control: 310-618-3850 Community Affairs : 310-618-6392 When the motorists asked why they were stopped, they claimed that officers would reply, We do a routine check on new faces in town.. . The text messages might have remained hidden if not for the alleged bizarre actions of Tomsic and Weldin in January 2020. The council also referenced Senate Bill 2 which will allow the state to decertify police officers who commit serious misconduct, and will establish a statewide oversight board as a reason not to pursue a locally-controlled oversight body. From 2016 to 2019, Torrance police upheld just three citizen allegations of police misconduct and zero allegations of racial profiling made against officers, according to data submitted to the California attorney generals office. 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