Los Angeles Times Articles on LAPD Shootings of the Mentally Ill are Flawed

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, January 27 , 2000
LOS ANGELES TIMES ARTICLES ON LAPD SHOOTINGS OF THE MENTALLY ILL ARE FLAWED

In a prepared statement, Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard C. Parks announced that information which appeared in a two-part series in December issues of the Los Angeles Times was factually flawed. The articles detailed five officer-involved shootings of the mentally ill. While Chief Parks was willing to let the inaccurate articles originally pass without comment, he is now compelled to set the facts straight with the residents of Los Angeles after reading the Times’ article regarding commitment to the truth on December 19, 1999.

In all five depicted cases, the Los Angeles Times portrayed the LAPD as ill-prepared to handle the situations. In the reporters’ zeal to create a sensational story, " … they chose to ignore critically important details," stated Chief Parks.

This statement is being released to foster a clearer understanding of the truth for the residents of the City of Los Angeles. The condition of the mentally ill is too serious of an issue to be used for sensational purposes.

For Release 2:50 pm PST
January 24, 2000