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UPDATE: This LAPD officer shot at a group of children. Why does he still have a job?


LAPD Officer Kevin Ferguson is unfit to serve our communities. He should be fired NOW and receive no severance package.  

LAPD Officer grabs minor while holding a gun

Tell LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck that he has a responsibility to do the right thing.  

TAKE ACTION

Friends–

last year you and nearly 100,000 Color of Change members called for justice when LAPD Officer Kevin Ferguson shot into a crowd of children– now we have a chance to ensure he’s fired, but we have to act fast.

A couple of weeks ago, the District Attorney failed to criminally charge Kevin Ferguson for the violent act. But last week, the Los Angeles Police Commission released the findings of their internal investigation. And what they found could finally mean justice: LAPD Officer Kevin Ferguson acted in violation of department policy when he escalated a February 2017 encounter with a group of teenagers in Anaheim and ultimately chose to discharge his weapon.1 At children. And now, it’s up to Police Chief Beck to determine the next steps.

We need to demand that Chief Beck fire Ferguson and that he does not receive a severance benefit. He shouldn’t be rewarded for endangering the lives of children.

Police should not be exempt from their wrongdoing–yet time and time again the decisions of officials suggest that police are above the law. And even on the rare occasion when they are dismissed from their posts, they are handed hefty severance checks that reward their violent and sometimes fatal misconduct. Why should a man like Ferguson live comfortably on the dime of hard-working taxpayers like us?

The video of this grown man physically assaulting a 13-year-old boy after calling a little girl a “cunt” is beyond upsetting.2 Ferguson fired a gun, while forcefully grabbing a child. He must be held accountable.

Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has declined to press charges. But, in a memo, prosecutors called Ferguson’s actions “unwise, immature and flat-out horrible.”3 The Police Chief himself has been critical of Ferguson’s conduct.2 The commission’s findings provide him with enough justification to take action- and we must make sure that the right action is taken: Ferguson needs to be fired.

If Ferguson isn’t fired the police chief would be sending a message that violence against our children is ok, as long as it’s done at the hands of a police officer. This double standard must end! We need to act fast. Chief Beck could decide on this matter any moment now.

Let’s urge Chief Beck to send the right message: just because you have a badge and a gun, doesn’t mean that you can recklessly do whatever you want without any consequences.

LAPD is funded by the people of Los Angeles. This also means that if damages are won in police misconduct and negligence cases LA taxpayers are paying for that. Since 2002, the people of Los Angeles have paid over $300 million to settle such cases.4 When video of this assault went viral, protesters flooded the streets for days.5 We have spoken. We want justice for these children. And that doesn’t include a fat severance check for a rogue, vigilante police officer. The people will already pay for his mistakes in court, we shouldn’t pay to set him up for a comfortable retirement too.6

The Police Commission, prosecutors, and the Police Chief all know that Ferguson terrorized children and it’s in Beck’s hands now. And honestly, he hasn’t had the best record when it comes to racial and criminal justice. That’s why it’s even more important for us to remind him of his own position on this matter. In the report he submitted to the Police Commission, Beck wrote that there was no reason for Ferguson to draw his gun when he did.3 And there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be fired either.

We are getting closer to seeing justice here. Demand that Ferguson is fired NOW. Sign the petition.

Until justice is real,

— Clarise, Rashad, Arisha, Scott, Enchanta, Anay, Malaya, Katrese, Kristen, Marena, Marybeth, Tamar, Lorran, and the rest of the Color Of Change team

 

References:

1. “Police Commission says off-duty officer violated LAPD rules when he fired gun during clash with Anaheim teens.” The Los Angeles Times, 6 February 2018. http://act.colorofchange.org/go/19917?t=11&akid=9257%2E1174326%2EU5hr01lapd-anaheim-20180206-story.html

2. “Off-duty LAPD officer taped firing gun in dispute with teens.” YouTube.com, 24 January 2018. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/19918?t=14&akid=9257%2E1174326%2EU5hr01

3. “No charges for off-duty LAPD officer who fired gun during dispute with teens in Anaheim.” The Los Angeles Times, 24 January 2018. http://act.colorofchange.org/go/19917?t=16&akid=9257%2E1174326%2EU5hr01lapd-anaheim-20180124-story.html

4. “We Pay A Shocking Amount For Police Misconduct, And Cops Want Us Just To Accept It. We Shouldn’t.” HuffPost, 29 May 2015. https://act.colorofchange.org/go/19920?t=19&akid=9257%2E1174326%2EU5hr01

4. “LAPD settlements soar as officials close the books on high-profile lawsuits against police officers.” The Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2017. http://act.colorofchange.org/go/19917?t=21&akid=9257%2E1174326%2EU5hr01lapd–litgation-costs-20170509-story.html

5. “300 protest in Anaheim after videos show off-duty LAPD officer firing gun in dispute with teens.” The Los Angeles Times, 23 February 2017. http://act.colorofchange.org/go/19917?t=25&akid=9257%2E1174326%2EU5hr01lapd-anaheim-20170221-story.html

6. “Boy, 13, sues off-duty LAPD officer who fired gun in videotaped clash with teens in Anaheim.” The Los Angeles Times, 9 March 2017. http://act.colorofchange.org/go/19917?t=28&akid=9257%2E1174326%2EU5hr01kevin–ferguson-lawsuit-20170309-story.html