Judge Denies Bid to Stop Federal Consent Decree

A judge on Wednesday denied a request by the Los Angeles Police Protective League to stop the federal consent decree that was reluctantly approved by the mayor earlier this month.

An attorney for the police union says the decree, which lists a series of police reforms, “poses numerous changes in the terms and conditions of employment of the officers.”

League attorney Joseph Straka had previously sought a restraining order to stop the city from adopting the decree. That was denied by the same Superior Court judge, Dzintra Janavs, who rejected his request for a preliminary injunction Wednesday.

“The decree will affect how the officers get promoted, how they get transferred, how long they can be on special assignment,” said Straka. He added that, by law, the union must be involved in negotiations over such issues.

But the judge ruled that the decree did not infringe on the rights of the union and that those issues should be worked out when the decree goes to federal court.

The deputy city attorney who handled the case could not be reached for comment on Wednesday afternoon.