Some Student Perspectives on How LAPD Does Its Job

Each Officer Is Different

Jose Avila, Manual Arts High School:

The videotape does not really relate to all of the LAPD. I don’t think all of them have the same attitude toward race.

Out on the street, I figure, every policeman is different and not everybody is like that. They’re out there to protect us and I hope they’ll do a great job. There have been negative times, but not as much as the tape showed. It all depends on the officer and, I believe, in the attitude that you take up when you are pulled over.

But there are certain things they should consider changing, such as making sure none of their officers go out there with a racist attitude or with any type of attitude that can cause harm.

What Don’t We Know?

Sonia Soni, Van Nuys High School math-science magnet program:

I think we can’t ignore (the Rodney King case), because that is going to influence how the public feels about the police. We respect and trust them, and after watching five minutes of that videotape, it was just a shock. These are types of authorities that you’d like to respect, and you’d like to know our system is working for us and we are being protected. But when something like this comes up, you question, what do I not know? What has been going on? If this is going on, then what else is happening that we don’t know about? And then there are other questions of racism that come to mind because of the people involved.

Don’t Stereotype People

Henry Bernard, Chatsworth High School:

I think that more police officers can be hired and put on the streets, but it’s going to take more than that. It’s going to take getting down to the roots of why people actually commit crimes and why there are so many crimes being committed in the city. People are frustrated and don’t have jobs, and that’s the main reason for all that crime.

I live in Lake View Terrace. The only thing abnormal about the Rodney King beating is that it was filmed. I think that the police have to be trained to respect and to try not to stereotype the people they come in contact with. Because not all the people are out to kill them, and not all blacks are criminals, not all Mexicans or other minorities are criminals. That starts at the higher level--the sergeants and (Chief) Daryl Gates.

Raise Moral Climate

Laura Berthol, Taft High School in Canoga Park:

I think (the prevalence of crime) is basically from decay of the morals in society, and I think if you can begin to teach students in high schools, as well as on the job and start improving the morality of America in general, crime will be reduced. If we can try to work as individuals instead of society as a whole, I think that’s a start. Not necessarily telling students what is right or wrong, but talking with the students, not at them. Getting to know their actual opinions and values.

Right now in this society, things are so hard in relation to crime that police are doing the best that they can. Which isn’t to say there isn’t room for improvement. I don’t think (Gates resigning) is going to solve the problem. I think there are always going to be tensions.

Some Overdo It

Sylvio Pacheco, Manual Arts High School:

I’m not against the police. I’m against the attitudes some of the policemen take. I’m not saying all the cops are the same way. I know some cops and I know they’re not bad guys. But some of the policemen take it too serious or they become obsessed with it and they overdo it sometimes.

Outgunned by Criminals

Christopher Setti, St. Francis High School in La Canada:

I think most of the crime in L.A. County is gang crime. The best way to get away from gang crime is through community centers and giving young adults the option to do something other than join gangs. And more education has to be done--anti-drugs, especially.

I think for the most part, the police do a fairly good job. There are individual policemen who deserve not to be police officers--(those in the King case) being prime examples--but on the whole, the police are doing the best job that they can. They’re understaffed and they’re outgunned by the criminals today.

It’s a shame that there’s prejudice and racism, but that’s part of human nature and that will affect any organization, including the police. There has to be some kind of psychological profile so that these kinds of police officers (like ones involved in the King case) can be weeded out.

Supports Gates

Frank Lin, Kennedy High School in Granada Hills:

Right now, people seem to hate the cops because of what happened to the person who got beaten up by the LAPD officers. I doubt that Chief Gates’ resigning will improve the situation. I support him. I think he’s a pretty good cop. You can’t walk around and make sure every single cop is doing his job correctly. Police are human. They can get emotional. They’re not like robots.

Police Act Superior

Carlos Gomez, Manual Arts High School:

It is not exactly an attitude of dislike (of the LAPD), it’s more of disbelief. They’re out there supposedly to protect you and to serve the public, but most of the times I’ve witnessed, they feel they’re superior because they wear a badge and a gun.

I’ve been roughed up a couple times myself and I look nothing like a gang member or a drug dealer. Around here, on the corner, there’s always a crowd of drug dealers, and I’m pretty sure (the police) know they sell drugs, but for some reason they never mess with them.

Power Is Overused

Maria Alvarez, Manual Arts High School:

If you can’t trust the LAPD when you’re in need of help, who can you trust? They overuse the power that they have. Many people that have been hurt like that--they can’t come out and say it. (King) was fortunate to have someone tape it. Maybe there have been many other cases where they can’t go out and say something, because who are they going to believe?

Quick to Harass

Malaika Garrett, Dorsey High School:

(The King beating) was like an accident waiting to happen. It was something that has finally brought (things) to light and allowed the citizens to see what was going on.

I don’t believe you can judge all police officers by one incident . . . (but) I feel (racism) is a prominent problem.

I have friends . . . if they’ve been in some neighborhood where they “shouldn’t have been,” they’ve been harassed by the police and asked to leave. And when they didn’t actually leave right at that moment, the police harassed them.

Mutual Hostility

Fletcher Jordan, Dorsey High School:

I’ve never been bothered by the police officers. I’ve been mistaken a few times for being someone else, but that’s a simple mistake. I don’t hold that against them, but some (of my friends) feel that they have been bothered or harassed.

I think people should have a better outlook on the police. Sometimes the respect that (the police) need is more on a human basis, not on a “high pedestal” basis. A lot of people just have a lot of hostility toward the police and that’s why it brings out some (hostility) in police.

Police officers need to discern how people are, they need to look at the person and take time with them. Everyone deserves respect, no matter what color you are. People will respond better if they’re shown respect.

I’ll Give ‘em Attitude

Louella Abad, Newmark High Continuation School:

I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with the LAPD. They harass us just because we’re kids.

One time we all got busted. My friend started laughing and this cop went up to her and just kicked her in the head. She wasn’t hurt. She just kind of leaned back and said “What’d you do that for?” And the cop said, “Don’t laugh at me.” I didn’t think they would do that. I thought they were just there to tell us, “This is wrong,” or “You come with us.”

They treat us all as one. Like, “Well, she hangs around with gangsters, so she’s a gangster, we’ll treat her like a gangster.”

I used to respect them. Even if they stopped us, I’d say, well, they’re just doing their job. But now I’ll give ‘em attitude. I’ll start talking back. Before, I wasn’t like that.

Minorities Targeted

Matthew Lowe, University High School

I don’t think they’re very much in touch with real life, especially minorities and minors. They concentrate too much on the victimless crimes, little things like jaywalking and truancy, and things like that.

They’re too intimidating. Also what I hear is that they pull over minority students a lot more than Caucasians. I think that’s pretty much true.