LA cops escalate war with the city after jaw-dropping blunder

Los Angeles’ powerful police union is demanding City Hall slam the brakes on a controversial LAPD oversight overhaul that would expand political influence over police policy, accusing city officials of breaking labor laws and misleading the City Council.In a letter sent to the City Council on Thursday, the Los Angeles Police Protective League blasted what it called an “embarrassing, systemic blunder” by the Office of the City Administrative Officer, claiming officials never properly engaged the union over proposed city charter changes that could significantly alter police oversight and officer discipline.The California Post has been reporting on the proposed overhaul since the idea first surfaced before the Charter Reform Commission in April.The proposals would shift significant authority over LAPD policy from the mayor-appointed Board of Police Commissioners to elected City Councilmembers.At the center of the dispute are claims made during public meetings that city officials had reached out to the union multiple times to discuss proposed charter amendments affecting police officers.“Somebody within the City Administration and/or the Employee Relations Group did not follow the law and did not formally contact us to meet and confer over potential changes to our city charter, they screwed up,” LAPPL President Ricky Mendoza said in a statement.“They need to own up to their mistake, correct the record with the City Council and follow the law.

It’s that simple.”In a meeting with the Ad Hoc Committee on City Governance Reform on Monday, city officials told councilmembers they contacted LAPPL Director Craig Lally regarding the reforms through emails sent on Feb.23, March 4 and May 19.But after reviewing those communications, the police union says none of the emails addressed police oversight, officer discipline, the LAPD, the Police Commission, Boards of Rights or any other issue tied to the proposed charter amendments.“The word police never appears,”...