Gates Denies LAPD Stops Black Men Because of Color

Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates denied Monday that his officers stop black men because of their race rather than their actions.

However, if “you look like a gang member, and (are) just cruising around . . . you’re liable to get stopped. And I think with good reason,” Gates told KABC radio talk show host Michael Jackson.

Gates made his comments in response to a Los Angeles Times series that is chronicling the aftermath of the beating of Rodney G. King by four LAPD officers.

During the morning interview, Gates told Jackson he is “troubled” by the assumption, held by many in the black community, that young black males are stopped indiscriminately.

“Everybody thinks that there’s some special reason that they’re going to be stopped,” said Gates, “and I think they assume that the police have some ability, an innate ability, to separate the good people from the bad people before they’ve made a stop, and before they’ve made an inquiry. And there isn’t any way to do that.

“Unfortunately, all people who are in certain circumstances are stopped because of the circumstances and not what they look like,” Gates said.

A Times article Monday quoted black men who said they are so accustomed to being pulled over by police that they will not ride in a car with three or more of their black friends for fear of inviting trouble.

“That makes a lot of sense in many respects because we have gang members that cruise around, are piled in a car, involved in drive-by shootings . . . and so there, quite frankly (is) some reason to make an inquiry,” Gates said.

“I’m sure there are a lot of people that you’ll see drive in the black community, that’ll drive around four deep in a car and the police don’t pay any attention to them. But (if) you look like a gang member . . . you’re liable to get stopped.”

Gates leveled some general criticism at leaders of several black organizations.

“I’ve seen the same faces in the black community for such a long period of time,” Gates said. “. . . I see the same faces and I see the same problems. And the only people who are benefiting are those people who keep talking. They’re all rich, they’re all living outside of South-Central Los Angeles and they’ve made absolutely no difference whatsoever.”