L.A. Police to Get More Training in Latin Culture

The Los Angeles Police Department, addressing questions arising from the fatal shooting of an illegal Mexican alien who apparently did not understand a policeman’s command to “freeze,” announced plans Friday to expand Latin cultural training for its officers.

The first step came Friday morning as officers in stations throughout the city watched a 3 1/2-minute videotape on Spanish translations of verbal commands that police officers commonly use when approaching suspects believed to be armed.

Assistant Police Chief Robert L. Vernon said the department also has established a task force made up of Latinos to develop brochures and presentations instructing newly arrived, foreign-born residents on what is expected of them when dealing with Los Angeles police. Instructions will include, among other points, “the seriousness of exhibiting a firearm in the presence of a police officer,” Vernon said.

At a press conference, Vernon denied that expanding police training represented an admission of guilt in Sunday’s shooting of Francisco Gutierrez by rookie Officer Gariner Beasley.

“We have seen a need. We’re responding to that need . . . ,” Vernon said of the plans.

Gutierrez, 46, was killed by a single blast from Beasley’s 12-gauge shotgun after the officer and his partner, Carlton Cook, had responded to reports of gunshots coming from Gutierrez’s house just east of Culver City. According to witnesses, Gutierrez and two nephews were discharging starter pistols, which fire blanks.

Police said Gutierrez was holding a handgun and turned to face Beasley, 24, who had leaped onto the bed of a parked pickup truck. Gutierrez failed to heed Beasley’s order to freeze, which was issued in English, and was then shot. However, some witnesses contend that Gutierrez, who they said spoke no English, was unarmed at the time.

The case remains under internal investigation.

Vernon, speaking for Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, who is on vacation, called the shooting a “tragic incident.” Vernon said, however, that the incident “focused attention on increasing potential risks during law enforcement activity in our city.”

“Accordingly, we have decided to expand and reinforce this department’s cultural awareness programs, specifically, with regards to police tactics in responding to calls involving firearms in communities where languages other than English predominate,” Vernon said.

Tape Distributed

Beyond the videotape that was distributed to police stations Friday, the department has yet to work out details on how it will expand cultural training for officers, Vernon said. He noted that any expansion will probably include instruction in Southeast Asian culture.

Recruits at the Los Angeles Police Academy receive 108 hours of classroom instruction in Spanish language and Latino culture, according to Sgt. Emilio Perez, who heads the academy’s Spanish instruction unit. However, even when approaching suspects who appear Latino, recruits are trained to first use English so as not to seem presumptuous, Perez said.

If a suspect does not respond to English commands, officers are supposed to switch to a series of orders issued in Spanish, Perez said. Those orders include “Policia, no se mueve, “ (Police, don’t move); “Manos arriba, “ (Get your hands up).

Of 7,000 officers on the force, 1,044 are fluent in Spanish, according to department figures.