Chief Defends LAPD’s Record in Shootings : Safety: Williams says there are too many problem incidents, but sees no ‘inordinate problem.’ A review will try to determine whether offenses are concentrated in any part of the city.

Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams, facing questions about the frequency of police shooting errors, said Wednesday that he believes there are too many problem shootings on the force, but he told City Council members he sees no “inordinate problem.”

The chief’s explanations drew praise and occasional skepticism at a hearing before the council’s Public Safety Committee.

Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas pressed Williams on whether he considers it acceptable for about 20% of department shootings to be found “out of policy,” suggesting that such problems have fueled “an incredibly high number” of often expensive lawsuits against the city.

The councilman, who represents South-Central Los Angeles, said he wants police officials to compile statistics showing whether problem shootings are concentrated in any particular area of the city. Williams, flanked at the half-hour hearing by his top deputy for training issues, said his staff would start on the request immediately.

Williams said that firearms safety is a top priority in the department and that the LAPD’s system for reviewing shootings serves as a model for other agencies.

But he added: “I’m not satisfied that 20% of our shootings are judged out of policy. I’m never satisfied when we have any shootings that are found to be out of policy. That means that something is significantly wrong.

“When you pull (the trigger of) a gun, you can never bring that bullet back. I think the only standard (for out of policy shootings) should be zero,” the chief said.

Council member Laura Chick, saying she “wanted to compliment the department,” told Williams: “I can’t think of a thing that you’re missing in terms of scrutinizing (shootings).”

The hearing, prompted by an Aug. 14 article in The Times that detailed patterns of errors in police shootings, marked the first time that Williams had personally addressed the issue.

Ridley-Thomas, writing for himself and Public Safety Committee Chairman Marvin Braude, told Williams in a letter two weeks ago that the article had generated a significant amount of interest among City Council members, and he asked the chief to respond to their concerns.

The Times report found that in three out of every four police shootings since 1989, police had found potentially life-threatening mistakes that required corrective action. In more than half of the nearly 700 shootings, officers were ordered to undergo retraining because of errors, while a quarter resulted in more serious discipline, including suspensions or dismissal.

Mistakes ranged from tactical but potentially dangerous lapses, such as an officer failing to take cover or splitting up with his or her partner, to more serious errors such as firing down a crowded street or shooting an unarmed suspect who did not display a weapon.

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The report has prompted state officials who oversee policing standards to consider a narrow review of their own into LAPD shootings, focusing on whether hearing-related problems may have played a part in communications breakdowns.

The state’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training has recently begun a yearlong study into hearing guidelines for law enforcement officers.

“We’d like to find out if these (shooting problems) are misunderstandings that might have been precipitated in some cases by poor hearing,” said Shelley Spilberg, an industrial psychologist with the agency. To find out, she added, the panel on peace officer standards may ask the department for access to recent shooting records.

Union officials have said officers often regard training in the wake of a shooting as a negative, punitive measure that reflects their shortcomings.

Williams disagreed Wednesday, saying that training is only intended to improve performance, not to punish the officer. “This commitment to continuous improvement has enabled the department to develop one of the most complete, if not the most complete, firearms and use of force training curricula in the United States,” he said.