Mayor Garcetti on Board of Police Commissioners’ Decision on Officer-Involved Shooting

Washington, D.C. – February 3, 2016 – (RealEstateRama) — “The violent end to a man’s life is always tragic, and I understand there will be many points of view about today’s decision by the Board of Police Commissioners. Charly Keunang’s death has been particularly painful for many in our city. The events that led to it drew a bright red line from our homelessness crisis to some of the most difficult tasks that we ask the men and women of the LAPD to perform every day. Independent civilian oversight lies at the heart of the progress made by the LAPD over the last 20 years, and I have great confidence in the Police Commission, the integrity of its deliberations, and the leadership of President Matt Johnson.

I am encouraged by the Commission’s sharp focus on reducing use-of-force — and my expectation is that it can be accomplished in a way that gives every Angeleno, no matter who they are or where they live, confidence in their own safety and that of their families. That’s why my office is actively working with the LAPD to ensure that officers are properly trained in preservation of life and de-escalation techniques that can make deadly encounters between police and citizens less frequent.

We all want to save lives. My hope is that we continue a candid, compassionate, and productive dialogue about how our officers interact with the communities they serve. We can’t be a city that allows people to live on the streets in often violent conditions, with rampant mental health and drug abuse issues. We will continue working hard to solve this crisis, to make sure these tragedies are prevented.” – Mayor Eric Garcetti