Rampart Scandal
Rampart Scandal
By: Cindy Medina
Cindy Medina
CJCU 403
John Strain
April 15, 2012
Rampart Scandal in the LAPD Department Growing up everyone has been told stories of cops and how they represent being hero’s. Cops are supposed to save peoples lives and stand up against crime and violence but the stores we have been told are not exactly one hundred percent correct. The LAPD was involved in one of the most talked about scandals known as the Rampart Scandal where many police officer where involved in the beating, racial discrimination, and racial profiling. Although many people had experienced the brutal actions of the LAPD officer, the Rampart Scandal opened the eyes of many people who were not aware of these incidents occurring in the Los Angeles Police Department. The Rampart Scandal moved through the LAPD fairly quickly through a series of events throughout the Los Angeles Police Department. The Rampart Scandal involved a series of events. The first event began in March 18, 1997 when a LAPD officer named Frank Lyga shot and killed another police officer, Kevin Gaines, who at the time was off duty. Officer Lyga shot and killed Gaines because he felt that Gains had threatened him. The incident was caused what they called road rage. The death became a controversy because officer Frank Lyga was a white man and the victim officer Kevin Gaines was am African American man. Society thought that the shooting dealt with racial actions. Although society claimed that the shooting was a matter of racism the LAPD concluded that the shooting was “in policy”. The family of Officer Gaines sued the city of Los Angeles for $25 million but the suit was settled for $250,000 (PBS 2005 p.2). Another event that led to the Rampart scandal was in November 6, 1997 when $722,000 was stolen from a Bank of America in Los Angeles. Later the bank manager confessed that her boyfriend, a LAPD officer, played a major role and planned the
By: Cindy Medina
Cindy Medina
CJCU 403
John Strain
April 15, 2012
Rampart Scandal in the LAPD Department Growing up everyone has been told stories of cops and how they represent being hero’s. Cops are supposed to save peoples lives and stand up against crime and violence but the stores we have been told are not exactly one hundred percent correct. The LAPD was involved in one of the most talked about scandals known as the Rampart Scandal where many police officer where involved in the beating, racial discrimination, and racial profiling. Although many people had experienced the brutal actions of the LAPD officer, the Rampart Scandal opened the eyes of many people who were not aware of these incidents occurring in the Los Angeles Police Department. The Rampart Scandal moved through the LAPD fairly quickly through a series of events throughout the Los Angeles Police Department. The Rampart Scandal involved a series of events. The first event began in March 18, 1997 when a LAPD officer named Frank Lyga shot and killed another police officer, Kevin Gaines, who at the time was off duty. Officer Lyga shot and killed Gaines because he felt that Gains had threatened him. The incident was caused what they called road rage. The death became a controversy because officer Frank Lyga was a white man and the victim officer Kevin Gaines was am African American man. Society thought that the shooting dealt with racial actions. Although society claimed that the shooting was a matter of racism the LAPD concluded that the shooting was “in policy”. The family of Officer Gaines sued the city of Los Angeles for $25 million but the suit was settled for $250,000 (PBS 2005 p.2). Another event that led to the Rampart scandal was in November 6, 1997 when $722,000 was stolen from a Bank of America in Los Angeles. Later the bank manager confessed that her boyfriend, a LAPD officer, played a major role and planned the
Cited: PBS Frontline, “To Protect and to Serve” – LAPD Culture. From PBS Frontline Special, LAPD Blues: Race and Policing Special, (2005). Accessed on June 19, 2006 from: http://www.pbsorg/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/lapd/race/protectserve/html (2003). #1077, (November 6, 2000) accessed on June 21, 2006 from: http://rwor.org/a/v22/1070-79/1077/lapres.htm