The City Council voted to advance reform options for police accountability, in what council members hope will be a major step in the latest effort to improve the Los Angeles Police Department's discipline practices. Council members voted 14-0 to request that the city attorney prepare an ordinance that would repeal provisions under the City Charter's Section 1070 that outline procedures to discipline a sworn officer.
City leaders instructed the chief legislative analyst, LAPD and other relative departments to report back on recommendations to give the chief of police the power to terminate officers, plans to update the Board of Rights' structure, and incorporate binding arbitration as a component of the discipline process in termination cases. Any changes to the City Charter would require the approval of voters. Councilman Hugo Soto-Martinez said he hopes this can be done in time for the November election. Under current procedures, almost all disciplinary actions taken against members of the LAPD -- including suspension, demotion and removal -- are recommended by the chief of police, and ultimately decided by the Board of Rights