Post by KC on Feb 14, 2007 23:12:24 GMT -5
Allegations of sexual misconduct, racism and brutality are roiling the Police Department in the small suburb of Maywood, prompting the City Council this week to request an immediate investigation by the state attorney general's office.
The request for the probe comes after years of accusation from residents and activists that the Police Department has mistreated Latino immigrants, who make up the vast majority of the 30,000 residents.
The council called for the probe late Wednesday at the urging of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who in a letter to the council called the growing catalog of alleged misdeeds deeply concerning.
One of the allegations the attorney general would examine is that the Police Department enforced a policy of afternoon sobriety checks that was actually designed to nab unlicensed illegal immigrants and generate money for the city.
Nearly 2,000 cars a year have been impounded from immigrants. Residents have also come forward with allegations that officers beat up people for no reason. Several woman claim that officers stalked and sexually abused them, while parents claim that their teenage daughter was groped by an officer, according to a document listing the allegations obtained by The Times.
Even top city and police officials admit there is a problem. "Do I feel some of the residents have valid points? Yes, I do," said Maywood Police Chief Richard Lyons.
Two officers have been suspended pending internal investigations, Lyons said, and other officers are under investigation. "There's a handful of renegade cops out there we need to build cases on," said Councilman Sam Pena.
Maywood garnered national headlines last year when a new pro-immigration council majority was elected and declared the city a "sanctuary" for illegal immigrants.
That issue has polarized the city. Felipe Aguirre, the councilman who pushed for the sanctuary movement, was later the target of death threats by City Clerk Hector Duarte, who opposed the new direction of the city. Duarte pleaded guilty to the death threat allegation.
www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-maywood15feb15,0,2928419.story?coll=la-home-headlines
The request for the probe comes after years of accusation from residents and activists that the Police Department has mistreated Latino immigrants, who make up the vast majority of the 30,000 residents.
The council called for the probe late Wednesday at the urging of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, who in a letter to the council called the growing catalog of alleged misdeeds deeply concerning.
One of the allegations the attorney general would examine is that the Police Department enforced a policy of afternoon sobriety checks that was actually designed to nab unlicensed illegal immigrants and generate money for the city.
Nearly 2,000 cars a year have been impounded from immigrants. Residents have also come forward with allegations that officers beat up people for no reason. Several woman claim that officers stalked and sexually abused them, while parents claim that their teenage daughter was groped by an officer, according to a document listing the allegations obtained by The Times.
Even top city and police officials admit there is a problem. "Do I feel some of the residents have valid points? Yes, I do," said Maywood Police Chief Richard Lyons.
Two officers have been suspended pending internal investigations, Lyons said, and other officers are under investigation. "There's a handful of renegade cops out there we need to build cases on," said Councilman Sam Pena.
Maywood garnered national headlines last year when a new pro-immigration council majority was elected and declared the city a "sanctuary" for illegal immigrants.
That issue has polarized the city. Felipe Aguirre, the councilman who pushed for the sanctuary movement, was later the target of death threats by City Clerk Hector Duarte, who opposed the new direction of the city. Duarte pleaded guilty to the death threat allegation.
www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-maywood15feb15,0,2928419.story?coll=la-home-headlines