Elgin Nelson
This morning, advocates led by clergy and community leaders called for Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore to resign his post, and if he did not, are asking the Los Angeles Police Commission to remove him immediately. This, after an L.A. Times investigation reported that the LAPD Chief ordered detectives to investigate Mayor Karen Bass and her USC scholarship, an issue that was brought up by formal mayoral candidate Rick Caruso in an attempt to discredit Bass during the 2022 mayoral election.
“If LAPD Chief Moore has directed detectives to investigate our mayor, Mayor Karen Bass, based on a personal agenda, we are asking him to resign immediately,” Pastor K.W. Tulloss said. “And if he does not resign? We’re asking that the L.A. Police Commission to immediately remove him.”
Community leaders, at the press conference, stressed that the targeting of Mayor Bass distracted from key issues facing the city of Los Angeles— including reducing crime, reducing homelessness, and building more affordable housing— and was seen as an attempt to undermine the work of Bass.
“This is a major distraction as this city has way too many problems. Homelessness and crime are going up,” Rabbi Aryeh Cohen said.
The misconduct allegations were exposed when two Internal Affairs detectives filed formal complaints with the Office of the Inspector General. One of the detectives attested that they felt the order was “done for the personal benefit of Chief Moore to assure his reappointment as Chief of Police.”
Mayor Bass’ USC scholarship was reviewed by the House Ethics Committee and found to be legitimate and fair, with no further investigation recommended.
Community officials stopped short of saying Moore’s targeting of Mayor Bass was part of a larger plan to discredit Black officials, but that this was not the first time they have called for Moore to step down and that the issue spoke to a larger problem in Los Angeles politics.
“We know the tradition, the history of politics here in Los Angeles. And anyone who will weaponize or put forth an agenda to hurt someone who is as progressive and is doing such a marvelous job as a mayor, we don’t need them in office,” Tulloss remarked.
Moore has publicly denied the allegations. “I did not initiate, request, or authorize an investigation as alleged in any fashion,” Moore said in a statement.
“The only person who does not have a boss is God,” Reverend James Thomas said. “And this is who Chief Moore thinks he is and that he can do whatever he wants with impunity.”
This is expected to be the first of many efforts as clergy and community leaders continue to push for Moore to step down.