[LSPD] Statement on the Conclusion of LSIA Incident Investigation - 18/APR/2020

[Los Santos Police]

LOS SANTOS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Statement on the Conclusion of LSIA Incident Investigation - 18/APR/2020

 

The Los Santos Police Department wishes to inform the citizens of Los Santos of the conclusion of the investigation into the 12th of April incident by the Office of the Chief of Police and the Internal Affairs Group. Following a thorough investigation, which included questioning the officers involved and witnesses present on the scene, the Internal Affairs Group was able to uncover the following facts:

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On the night of the 12th of April 2020, while on patrol as a Media Relations and Community Affairs Division (hereafter: MRCAD) unit, Officer Alistair Davids took two probationary officers to a meet up of car enthusiasts at the Los Santos International Airport. As part of their duties as Community Affairs officers, they entered the crowd to meet with the community with the intent of building bridges between them and the department. While making contact with attendees, the officers were made aware of reports of street racing. The officers at this point notified their direct superior, Officer Nick Muller, the Officer in Charge of Community Affairs in MRCAD of the alleged racing activity.

At this point, of either their own initiative or under orders from Officer Nick Muller, Officer Alistair Davids notified the crowd that they were going to host races in a safe and controlled environment. Promptly, Officer Davids decided to contact the LSPD Traffic Division to provide traffic control services by blocking off a dead-end access road beside Los Santos International Airport. The on duty Traffic Division Supervisor acknowledged the request and dispatched Traffic Units to the location of the event, with orders to comply to the requests of the MRCAD Supervisor. The Traffic Supervisor at this point in time failed in his supervisory duties by not ensuring that a relevant permit was in place for this event to be held.

Officer Muller, while the races were ongoing, decided to - as can be seen in the video published by LSNN - compete in the races. After competing in one race, Officer Muller stepped back to the side and continued to supervise the event until his direct superior, Lieutenant Armando Rosario, arrived on scene and promptly intervened to end the event.

Further review based on information provided by witnesses showed that while attending the event, Officers Daniels and Coleman placed bets on one of the races, with the loser being subject to deployment of a taser device on their person. After said race was lost, officer Coleman deployed his department issued taser on Officer Daniels in the middle of the crowd to honor their bet.

 

 

Following the incident, all involved officers were placed immediately on administrative leave prior to their interviews. Both Officers Muller and Daniels resigned from their positions immediately after their interviews with the Internal Affairs Group had been concluded. The other 7 officers involved were given suspensions without pay, letters of reprimand or admonishment depending on their relative position and seniority in the department, and their involvement in the incident in question.

 

The Los Santos Police Department's Internal Affairs Group has, following discussion with the Los Santos District Attorney's Office, decided not to pursue charges on Officers Muller and Daniels for their involvement in this matter.

 

Both officers Muller and Daniels cited they initiated the event to prevent more street racing taking place that night, as according to them in their field experience dispersing the event would have only led to the street racers moving into the mountains above Los Santos in and around the observatory where their high speed vehicles would make it more difficult to effectively police them. Although the officers' claim to have had good intentions, the department does not condone unlawful activities by its own officers, whatever the cause or intent. The Department, as per the last statement published on this matter, will continue to attempt to work with these groups through open and legal channels in an effort to organize their community in a safe way that can be officially condoned.

 

I would like to thank my colleague in the Sheriffs Department for his words of wisdom. We are here to keep the community safe and no incident, not even one like this, undermines our devotion to that mission. We will continue to work with you, the community, to make our city a safer place.

God bless you and the City of Los Santos,

 

Chief of Police Charles Hughes

Chief of Department

Los Santos Police Department

 

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Edited April 18, 2020 by Hlym