[Hpn] LAPD officers punished for reporting misconduct, claims lawsuit (fwd) (fwd)

[Tom Boland]

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FWD  Associated Press - AP Wire Service - Jan 25, 2001
     Photo Advisory  LA104

  LAWSUIT CLAIMS LA OFFICERS PUNISHED FOR REPORTING MISCONDUCT 

  By PAUL CHAVEZ
  Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ A lawsuit against the Police Department
claims nearly 200 officers were punished for reporting misconduct
and illegal activities.

The lawsuit, which claims the officers suffered discrimination,
harassment and other forms of retaliation for whistle-blowing,
seeks class-action status. A federal judge was scheduled to hold a
hearing on the issue Friday.

``Some of these officers reported beatings of homeless people,
the killing of homeless people and the planting of drugs on
innocent suspects,'' attorney Bradley Gage of Woodland Hills told a
press conference Thursday.

The lawsuit is not specifically linked to the Rampart corruption
case in which officers are alleged to have framed innocent people,
but the plaintiffs claim that a ``code of silence'' throughout the
department contributed to that scandal.

Officer Jason Lee, a department spokesman, said that police
officials would not comment on the pending lawsuit, which names the
department, Chief Bernard Parks and several high-ranking city
officials as defendants.

The Police Department and city attorney's office have not handed
over documents and reports related to the lawsuit, Gage said.

An assistant city attorney in the police employment law section
said the documents have not been released because the court has
ordered a stay until more information is gathered from the
plaintiffs.

``We don't know who the bona fide plaintiffs are,'' Assistant
City Attorney Jess J. Gonzalez said. ``We have at least four or
five people who have told us they don't want to be members of this
case.''

The city's lawyers will ask U.S. District Court Judge
Florence-Marie Cooper to continue the stay until all the plaintiffs
are identified, Gonzalez said.

``We'll cooperate with the process when the process is done
right,'' Gonzalez said. ``We don't think it's been done right in
this case.''

Some of the plaintiffs named in the lawsuit already are involved
in other lawsuits or have had their cases previously settled,
Gonzalez said.

The lawsuit was originally filed in Los Angeles County Superior
Court in August, but has since been amended to add more plaintiffs
and has been moved to federal court.

The lawsuit fell under federal jurisdiction, Gage said, because
the complaints include civil rights and discrimination claims
covered under federal code. The lawsuit also claims the Police
Department has liability under the federal Racketeering Influenced
and Corrupt Organizations Act.

AP-WS-01-25-01 2139EST
Received  Id AP10102538282675 on Jan 25 2001 20:39

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