The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), a union representing LAPD officers, has requested an investigation into Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson for allegedly attempting to influence a traffic stop outcome. The call for inquiry comes after Harris-Dawson was stopped on March 4 for making a U-turn in a school zone and subsequently issued a $238 citation.
Union Requests City Attorney and DA Review Possible Misconduct
The LAPPL sent letters to City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto and Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman urging a probe into whether Harris-Dawson used his political position to avoid accountability following the citation. The union seeks disclosure of which Los Angeles Unified School District official Harris-Dawson allegedly called during the incident, the content of that call, and if any officers involved were contacted by the school board member. LAPPL President Ricky Mendoza described such an act as potentially “unethical and illegal” if intended to circumvent traffic laws near a school during drop-off hours.
Harris-Dawson Cites Possible Racial Profiling During Stop
Harris-Dawson, who is Black, characterized the traffic stop as “traumatic,” relating it to previous experiences of what he describes as racially biased pretextual stops in Los Angeles. He noted that this was his fourth stop while driving a government vehicle. During a city council meeting, he detailed that officers questioned his presence and role in the city upon pulling him over near Main and 25th Street as he was en route to a committee meeting.
The LAPPL’s call for a transparent investigation reflects tensions around the incident, as Harris-Dawson maintains he was racially profiled while the union challenges any attempt to use influence to evade a traffic violation. Requests for comment from Harris-Dawson’s office, the City Attorney, and the District Attorney had not been returned at the time of publication.
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