LAPD commanders at fault on May Day, Bratton says

By Patrick McGreevy, Times Staff Writer

1:11 PM PDT, May 29, 2007



Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton said today that a preliminary investigation of the police response to the MacArthur Park immigration rally found a "breakdown" in command and control that contributed to failures to follow department policies and tactics.

But Bratton told the Police Commission that the mishandling of the incident was an "aberration," although one that resulted in 42 people, including seven officers, being injured when officers used batons and rubber bullets to break up a crowd after some people began throwing rocks and bottles at the officers.

The chief and his command staff today provided the Police Commission with a detailed, minute-by-minute report of what happened at the May Day rally, complete with a PowerPoint presentation featuring radio transmissions between officers, as well as videotape from surveillance, police and media cameras.

Commission members said they are troubled by what they heard and saw, with Commission President John Mack saying it "boggles the mind" that the dispersal order was given only in English to a crowd with many people whose first language is Spanish.

"Our entire commission is deeply, deeply concerned about this incident and [we] want to make sure that we not only have a very thorough, objective, and fair series of investigations, but indeed that we find some solutions to many of the problems and issues that have been raised," Mack said. "And in instances where individuals have been found to have crossed the line and operated outside policy, that they will be held accountable."

Bratton said he too was concerned that proper procedures were not followed in giving the dispersal order, but he said the problems began with poor planning and communications.

"Based on the preliminary findings, I believe that the main reason for the department's controversial actions and large use of force in response to an environment of rock and bottle assaults on our officers by a small group of agitators … was quite simply a command and control breakdown," Bratton said.

"It began at the planning stages and dominoed throughout the event itself."

The chief added that Deputy Chief Cayler Carter was at the scene of the officers using batons but did not step in to stop force that was inappropriate.

patrick.mcgreevy@latimes.com

Time staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.

Jubilee: have there been any further statements from MIWON or Durazo that have corroborated this claim of aggressive "agitation" from the so-called "anarchists"? I'm interested in some documentation of the specifics...

I'm hearing conspiracy theories now, through the channels of labor officialdom, that this was some kind of maneuver against Bratton, meant to make he and Villaraigosa look bad for having brought an "outside culture" to the LAPD - - this seems like so much bullshit, given the carefully planned and calculated nature of the May 1 onslaught.

I pray that the brave officers aren't shell-shocked by memories of empty and half-full Dasani and 7-Up bottles lofting through the wind in their general direction!

Some of my Anarchists/Zapatistas muy Fuerte (my brown brothers from another mother) made use of their Dasani water bottles alright. We managed to show the world of the brutality of these pigs!!! I had a bruise from one of those LAPD foam thingies which hit me on my behind.

We Anarchists/Zapatistas will always be there por la Gente Especiales del Tierra. I'm just happy none of la gente en la grande marcha, none of the people in MacArthur Park were seriously hurt. I thank God Almighty para las floras and the fact that no one during the May 1 rally were hurt badly, just bruises. We will not be defeated with small bruises for our fight is just and our struggle is para los gente generales en la parque de senior MacArthur el guapo. Remember May 1 mi hermanos y chicas guapitas!!!

miwon & durazo have issued no public statements beyond their original 'agitators provoked' angle. they nor lapd nor anybody has produced any video or witness to substantiate that story because it is not possible to. miwon & durazo need to be held feet to the fire to change or defend their cover for the attack. presently they are lapd's best defense witness.

Please learn to speak Spanish before you try to write in it publicly. Your comments lost all credibility with me. If you're using language in a way that is not serious and respectful, how can anyone possibly trust anything you say.

same goes for your disrespect of women. I don't believe you can possibly hold authentic respect for your "brothers and sisters" when you openly disrespect the sisters.