Holden Urges Push in Black Police Recruits

Los Angeles Councilman Nate Holden has written to Police Chief Willie L. Williams threatening to ask the federal government to withhold all funding for the Police Department unless African Americans make up at least 15% of the next class entering the Police Academy.

“Let’s all work together and see that we do what’s morally and legally right,” Holden wrote.

At a City Hall press conference this week, Holden decried the recent decline in the percentage of black recruits. In 1995-96, about 7% of the new officers hired were black, compared with 14% of the department’s sworn employees overall, and 12% of those recruited in 1994-95.

Assistant Chief Frank Piersol said the percentage of black recruits has waned because the department had met the goals for African Americans set in a 1980 court decree, which required that LAPD’s ranks reflect the racial and gender makeup on Los Angeles County’s work force. At the same time, LAPD was behind on the goals for Latinos and women.