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23
Aug 2008
LAPPL Reacts to Judge Feess' Decision

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Jude Schneider (310) 497-7312 or
Eric Rose (805) 624-0572

Los Angeles, August 22, 2008 – In response to Judge Gary Feess’s lifting of the temporary restraining order that had halted implementation of the Special Order mandating that officers in gang and narcotics units be required to complete comprehensive financial disclosure forms, the Los Angeles Police Protective League today announced that it will be going to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeal to put a stay on financial disclosures until the League’s arguments are fully addressed and heard in court.

Tim Sands, President of the League today issued the following statement:

“Judge Feess’s response to our petition for a temporary restraining order is astonishing. We are very disappointed that he did not give us an objective reading on any of the facts we presented, but continued to present arguments that are not factually substantiated and are internally contradictory.

“We are particularly puzzled that he would discount the opinion of Los Angeles’ County District Attorney Steve Cooley, by suggesting that he has not provided ‘any foundation for his expertise in his field’ despite his 35 years of experience in the District Attorney’s office, including eight years as the District Attorney adjudicating cases involving LAPD officers. The judge uses this specious argument in order to dismiss the District Attorney’s arguments as ‘frankly counterintuitive’ and to hold up Monitor Michael Cherkasky’s comments as more persuasive. The Monitor has limited experience in the field, and in fact went to the District Attorney to obtain expertise and information in the field of financial disclosures.

“The judge repeatedly refers to the Monitor’s assertions that the current financial disclosures represent best practices, which is technically impossible, since this form of financial disclosures has not been implemented anywhere in the country and the Monitor has provided no evidence to substantiate his claim.

“The judge also fails to disclose that Cherkasky is not an objective observer. He has a financial interest in keeping the Consent Decree open at the expense of Los Angeles taxpayers. The taxpayers are currently footing the bill for 100% of Cherkasky’s services, despite that 95% of the consent decree has been met.

“We are very disappointed that the judge continues to discount evidence that paragraph 132 is poor policy that would put officers and their families at risk, while having no demonstrable positive outcomes.

“We are confident that we will prevail in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.”

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About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,000 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com

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