Los Angeles Police Union Says Officers Should No Longer Respond to Certain Calls

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), which has been struggling with staffing shortages, slow emergency response times and slow response times, submitted this Week to the Los Angeles City Council a listing of 28 non-emergency numbers it felt should be diverted towards unarmed personnel.

In a statement to media, the union said March 1, that officers will be able to respond more quickly to high-profile crimes and urgent emergencies by having a nonviolent list. This includes calls related to mental health and homeless. This will allow city workers and other agencies the ability to respond. The city received the outline as part of labor contract negotiations.

Tom Saggau, Union spokesperson told The Epoch Times that compilation of the list took several months and was not joint effort by the Union and the LAPD.

Craig Lally (president of the union) stated in a statement, that police officers are being sent out to too many calls that are more suitable for unarmed service providers. To maximize the potential benefits of this new response model, we believe it is essential to establish a solid initial list of calls police officers will not respond to.

The union also receives complaints about parking violations, tenant disputes, and dog complaints.

Debbie Thomas, a former LAPD officer who was also Union director, said during a news conference on March 1, that “police officers do not have the ability to diagnose mental disorders, they are not psychiatrists or psychologists.”

She stated that “We are not social workers or doctors, nurses, or waste management specialists.”

Michel Moore, Chief of LAPD, stated in a statement that alternative policing was possible. “already diverted thousand of calls away from a response police force,” This allows officers to use less resources in more serious cases.

Moore asked retired officers to reconsider joining the force after a staffing crisis. A department personnel record shows that there were 233 officers within the department at February’s mid-February.

It currently has around 9,200 officers. 600 officers are expected to leave in 2024. This represents a 20% increase over 2022.

Already there’s a shift in how police are conducted

The union’s proposal aligns with city recent considerations of alternate methods of policing in many areas, especially when it is dealing with the mentally ill or homeless.

The Los Angeles City Council approved creation of the “Office of Unarmed Response and Safety”This will enable mental health professionals to respond in non-violent situations. Moore supported this proposal.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass recently agreed to collaborate with the LAPD on almost two dozen provisions. The Epoch Times reported the news earlier this week. These provisions are part of the mayor’s reform plan for police department.

It also recommends that the city evaluate alternative policing programs. It also recommends that 911 operators are used “triage calls requiring an alternative response.”

Saggau stated that the union was incompatible with his beliefs. “has been calling for it for years.”

He stated, “I am unsure why it is taking so long.”

Bass also requested that the LAPD strengthen its Mental Evaluation Unit and System-Wide Mental Assessment Team, in order to respond more effectively to mental health emergencies. The union had previously claimed that the department has historically not provided support for these agencies.

Jerretta Sandoz, vice president of the police union, stated in a March 1, statement that “it is time to put an end to the debate about sending unarmed responders for appropriate 911 calls.” “Now is the right time to get down to work and implement an alternative model of response.

Los Angeles isn’t the only one to contemplate such a shift.

In recent years, New York City, San Francisco and Portland have all deployed or are considering deploying unarmed response units.

According to a 2022 study published by Science Advances, a peer reviewed research publisher, the 34% reduction in low-level criminality in Denver was achieved when mental health specialists were dispatched to substance abuse and nonviolent emergency situations.