Letter Details Alleged OPS Discriminatory Practices

As we reported earlier this week, the City of Los Angeles and Office of Public Safety Chief Gary Newton are co-defendants in an extensive discrimination lawsuit.

Mayor Sam has obtained a letter sent to the City Council from a group of concerned GDS/OPS employees in 2005 extensively detailing the alleged actions named in two of the three recent court cases against Newton and the City, including the one going to trial on November 12th. Many of the OPS officers alleged in the letter to have been hired for positions that they were not qualified for are now in major leadership roles within the department.

Why should anyone care about this?

If you read the somewhat sedate comments from earlier this week, you have to wonder. When people aren't angry about discrimination, that's pretty sad. But consider this: since its inception as a money-saving move in late 2004, the Office of Public Safety has quietly grown to become the second major fully-armed and empowered police force in Los Angeles with hundreds of officers patrolling all of LA's 90 libraries, 400 parks and recreation facilities, and more than 1,000 public buildings and spaces.

In City parks and recreational facilities alone, OPS may make contact or interact with more than 20 million parks visitors each year, most of them families with children. If it is proven that there are OPS officers in the chain of command who aren't qualified, everyone -- the public and other, qualified peace officers -- may be endangered.

Finally, if the lawsuit proves legitimate as the first one allegedly was, LAPD should probably care since as happened in the Leimert Park incident, OPS uniforms look a great deal like LAPD, and few seem to consciously recognize that there are two different police forces out there. If the uniforms say "police" on them, then it must be LAPD.

What follows is a reprinting of the letter received by Mayor Sam. The letter is the opinion of, and in the words of the author(s) only. Readers may decide for themselves whether the content is valid or not.

It's worth noting that since this letter was written, one of the concerns mentioned was addressed and an oversight committee for OPS was actually formed and does meet. The next meeting of the committee is Tuesday, September 16 from 5:30 p.m. -- 7:30 p.m at City Hall in room 1035.


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DATE: June 15, 2005

To: Honorable Members of the Los Angeles City Council Council District’s 1-15

From: Concerned Employees of The City of Los Angeles, Department of General Services Security Services Division

SUBJECT: DISCRIMINATION WITHIN SECURITY SERVICES DIVISION



To Whom It May Concern:

The events and incidents outlined below are a chronological account of events that have occurred within Security Services Division (SSD) since October 2002. This document depicts unethical and unfair hiring and promotional practices that have occurred in the past three years and continue to take place even today. While it may be hard to believe, it cannot be misunderstood that there is conspiracy, collusion, corruption and ethical improprieties at the higher levels of City management, as it relates to General Services’ Security Services Division. Employees have described the working conditions and race relations as being “similar to how things were before Tom Bradley was Mayor.” Within Security Services Division exists a covert hostile environment that employees are apprehensive to discuss. One of the primary contributors to this environment is the fact that, there have been no African Americans promoted under General Services Police Chief Gary Newton since December 2002. Nor have there been any African Americans selected for any special assignments or administrative positions. This is the case, despite the fact that there are approximately 100 police and security personnel employed within this Division (many of them African American) and despite the fact that there have been numerous promotions, appointments and assignments within this three year period. It is worth repeating that none of these promotions, appointments or assignments were filled by African American employees. This hostile environment has been further perpetuated by a combination of favoritism, cronyism, good-ole-boyism and institutionalized discrimination. The African American employees of General Services-Security Services Division are demanding a thorough investigation into the events and allegations outlined below. The information described below in precise detail.

The Security Services Division (SSD) of The Department of General Services employs both police and security officers within their Division. Security Services Division (SSD) is responsible for providing both police and security functions for City of Los Angeles facilities. We are responsible for ensuring the safety and security of City employees who work at these facilities as well as the visitors and vendors who conduct business at these facilities. These facilities include but are not limited to City Hall, City Hall East, City Hall South, San Pedro Municipal Building, Marvin Braude Municipal Building, and the Los Angeles Constituent Services Center. We also provide security for various City Council members, City Council Chambers and the Mayors Office. The police officers employed by the Division are recognized as sworn, armed peace officers in the state of California. Peace officers employed by the Department of General Services are employed under the following City of Los Angeles job classifications: Special Officer (Police Officer), Senior Special Officer (Sergeant), Principal Special Officer (Lieutenant) and Chief Special Officer (Chief and Captain).

In October of 2002 the Department of General Services hired a new Chief to oversee the Security Services Division. Prior to this, Security Services Division had been under the direction and management of LAPD for approximately two years. Chief Newton was a sworn peace officer and had joined the Department with previous experience as a former City of Los Angeles Park Ranger (where he was a supervisor and had served as “acting” Chief) He also had approximately one year experience as a Henderson Nevada Deputy Sheriff.....


Read the rest of the letter at MS2.