131-668: The Commodore's Messenger Organization ( CMO ) is a management unit within the Sea Org , the unincorporated paramilitary wing of the Church of Scientology . CMO oversees the various other Church of Scientology organizations. The first Commodore's Messengers were appointed by L. Ron Hubbard in 1968 while he was living aboard the Sea Org's ship Apollo . These messengers were his personal administrative assistants and operated solely under his direction, ensuring that Scientology management
262-401: A Red Squad to combat labor unions; headed by Capt. William F. Hynes, the squad arrested hundreds participating in strikes. In March 1928, Christine Collins reported her nine-year-old son, Walter, missing. Five months later a boy named Arthur Hutchins came forth claiming to be Walter; when Mrs. Collins told the police that the boy was not her son, she was committed to a mental institution under
393-535: A 1992 memorandum by the Church of Scientology International , the following information was provided to the Internal Revenue Service with regards to the nature of the Sea Org: [The Sea Org] does not have an ecclesiastical organizing board or command channels chart or secular existence such as an incorporated or unincorporated association. [...] Although there is no such "organization" as
524-531: A Commander, the office comprises four bureaus and 21 police stations, known officially as "areas" but also commonly referred to as "divisions". The Office of Operations also has a dedicated Homeless Coordinator reporting directly to the Assistant Chief. The 21 police stations are grouped geographically into four command areas, each known as a "bureau". The latest areas, "Olympic" and "Topanga", were added on January 4, 2009. The Office of Special Operations
655-424: A Section 12 internment. It was later determined that Walter had fallen victim to a child rapist/murderer in the infamous Wineville Chicken Coop Murders , and Arthur Hutchins admitted that he had lied about his identity to meet his favorite actor, Tom Mix . The widely publicized case was depicted in the 2008 film Changeling . When Frank L. Shaw was elected mayor in 1933, he reappointed Davis as police chief, and
786-430: A billion-year pledge of service to Scientology upon initiation. David Miscavige , the leader of Scientology, is the highest-ranking Sea Org officer with the rank of captain. The rank of commodore is permanently reserved for the late L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology. Some ex-members and scholars have described the Sea Org as a totalitarian organization marked by intensive surveillance and lack of freedom. In
917-424: A confidential Sea Org executive directive that claimed that governments of the world were on the verge of collapse: "The Sea Org would survive and pick up the pieces." Sea Org Day is August 12, during which ceremonies are held to commemorate the achievements and contributions of Sea Org members, and when rank and promotion ceremonies take place. High Winds is the magazine of the Sea Org. The first issue
1048-497: A coordinated crackdown: the police identified primarily-Mexican American communities, cordoned them off with blockades, and carried out mass searches and arrests. The police detained hundreds of Mexican Americans before indicting 22 for murder. Twelve of the defendants were charged with murder and incarcerated; all convictions were later overturned. Members of the LAPD were accused of participating in anti-Mexican American violence during
1179-519: A high-speed car pursuit on March 3, 1991. After seven days of jury deliberations , the jury acquitted all four officers of assault and acquitted three of the four of using excessive force. The evening after the verdict, thousands of people in the Los Angeles area rioted for over six days following the verdict. Widespread looting , assault , arson , and murder occurred, and property damages totaled one billion dollars. In all, 53 people died during
1310-487: A history of police brutality , corruption , misconduct and discriminatory policing within the LAPD. In 2001, the United States Department of Justice entered into a consent decree with the LAPD regarding systemic civil rights violations and lack of accountability that stretched back decades; following major reforms, the decree was lifted in 2013. The first police force specific to Los Angeles
1441-418: A policy that officers would have to turn on the cameras whenever they arrest or detain someone for interrogation and that many public interactions such as domestic violence interviews would not be recorded. Prior to the rollout of any body worn cameras, officers were able to carry personally owned audio recording devices since 1994 if they filed an application and obtained the requisite permission. As of 2023,
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#17327826800371572-455: A program that tries to give cadets a solid foundation in life and to help them prepare for careers by offering services such as tutoring and college scholarships. The cadets complete courses not only on law enforcement but also on citizenship, leadership, financial literacy and other different skill sets. Cadet's work positions include ride-alongs , crowd control, charity assistance, and working in stations. The cadet program has posts at all of
1703-436: A recording in which he referred to Mexican Americans as not being far from "the wild tribes of Mexico"; in the 1960s, he claimed that "by 1970, 45% of the metropolitan area of Los Angeles will be Negro" and that the city should support a strong police force because "if you don't, come 1970, God help you"; he described Black participants in the 1965 Watts riots as acting like "monkeys in a zoo". The Los Angeles Police Department
1834-551: A result, homicides and assaults were greatly reduced. The program ended after two years, with violent crime rates returning to their previous levels. On July 1, 1992, John Daniels Jr., 36, a tow truck driver, was fatally shot by LAPD Officer Douglas Iversen as he was driving away from a service station in South Central. Iversen was charged with second-degree murder , the first officer to ever be charged with murder for an on-duty shooting. Two separate juries were deadlocked on
1965-450: A senior with "Sir". Work was hard and the schedule rigid with seven hours' sleep time from lights out to lights on, short meal breaks, no liberties and no free time ... When one young woman ordered into the RPF took the assignment too lightly, Hubbard created the RPF's RPF and assigned her to it, an even more degrading experience, cut off even from the RPF, kept under guard, forced to clean
2096-615: A ship, La Bohème , which they renamed Freewinds . OT VIII , the highest auditing level of Scientology currently available, is exclusive to the Freewinds and can only be undertaken there. The ship also hosts various courses, seminars, conventions and events throughout the year, including the annual Maiden Voyage celebration. According to Hubbard, the Sea Org's mission is "an exploration into both time and space". Sea Org members act as goodwill representatives and administrators of Scientology; all policy and administrative posts in
2227-406: A small weekly allowance. Sea Org members agree to strict codes of discipline, such as disavowing premarital sex , working long hours (on average at least 100 hours per week) and living in communal housing called berthing . They are allowed to marry, but must leave the Sea Org if they have or want to raise children. According to Hubbard, much of the galaxy, including Earth (known as "Teegeeack"),
2358-467: A speech writer; and he introduced the department's first press office. These efforts were seen as tied to his efforts to curry public favor and extend the reach of officers of the LAPD. Bloody Christmas was the name given to the severe beating of seven civilians under LAPD custody on December 25, 1951. The attacks, which left five Hispanic and two white young men with broken bones and ruptured organs, were only properly investigated after lobbying from
2489-531: A spiritual commitment that is factually beyond the full understanding of the [Internal Revenue] Service or any other but a trained and audited Scientologist. The Sea Org was established on August 12, 1967, by L. Ron Hubbard , the founder of Dianetics and Scientology , initially on board three ships, the Avon River , the Enchanter , and HMS Royal Scotsman . Hubbard later rechristened the three vessels to
2620-415: A study was released that found that non-English-speaking callers to the 911 and non-emergency response lines often receive no language translation, often receive incomplete information, and sometimes receive rude responses from police employees. The issue of a lack of multilingual officers led to reforms including bonuses and salary increases for officers who are certified in second languages. Currently, over
2751-482: A third of LAPD officers are certified in speaking one or more languages other than English. The department also uses a device called the phraselator to translate and broadcast thousands of prerecorded phrases in a multitude of languages, commonly used to broadcast messages in different languages from police vehicles. LAPD patrol officers have a three-day 12-hour and four-day 10-hour workweek schedule. The department has over 250 types of job assignments, and each officer
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#17327826800372882-570: A week, such as painting, plumbing, and upkeep of grounds. The work may involve teaching the member a skill such as carpentry. Members also spend five hours a day studying with an auditing partner. Former Scientologist Jon Atack argued, in A Piece of Blue Sky (1990), that treatment of Sea Org members in the RPF was a "careful imitation of techniques long-used by the military to obtain unquestioning obedience and immediate compliance to orders, or more simply to break men's spirits ..." One former member, Gerry Armstrong , said that during his time in
3013-818: Is an office that was created in 2010 by then-Chief Charlie Beck . Headed by an Assistant Chief, the office comprises the Detective Bureau, the Counterterrorism and Special Operations Bureau, the Transit Services Bureau, and the Strategic Planning Group. The Detective Bureau also houses the COMPSTAT (Computer Statistics) Division which maintains crime data. COMPSTAT is based on the NYPD CompStat unit that
3144-458: Is eligible for such assignments after two years on patrol. LAPD patrol officers almost always work with a partner, unlike most suburban departments surrounding the City of Los Angeles, which deploy officers in one-officer units to maximize police presence and allow a smaller number of officers to patrol a larger area. The department's training division has three facilities throughout the city, including
3275-522: Is lined with green space. The complex provides space for about 2,300 workers, which let the department consolidate functions here which had been spread out across multiple locations. Up to the Gates administration, the LAPD was predominantly white (80% in 1980), and many officers had resided outside the city limits. Simi Valley , the Ventura County suburb that later became infamous as the site of
3406-525: Is the department's police explorer program. The program was formerly called the Explorer Program but was changed in 2009 after the police commission broke off its partnership with the Boy scouts over policies barring homosexuals, atheists, and agnostics from being troop leaders. The cadet program shifted focus from an old explorer program that tried to guide members to a career in law enforcement, to
3537-637: Is the highest law enforcement medal awarded to officers by the Los Angeles Police Department. The Medal of Valor is an award for bravery, usually awarded to officers for individual acts of extraordinary heroism performed in the line of duty at extreme and life-threatening personal risk. In a 2020 survey of Los Angeles residents, two-thirds said they believe the department is doing a good job maintaining public safety, while 88% supported community policing, 82% supported an unarmed response model, and 62% supported redirecting some money from
3668-416: Is the senior-most status of staff within the Church of Scientology network of corporations, but is not itself incorporated. In the 1960s and 1970s, the Sea Org was started as L. Ron Hubbard 's private navy, and adopted naval uniforms and ranks. Today, all Scientology management organizations are exclusively staffed with Sea Org members. The Sea Org maintains strict codes for its members, beginning with
3799-612: The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission in 2022, the Church of Scientology Religious Education College Incorporated, Scientology's UK arm, claimed to have a total of 700 "volunteers" (including Sea Org) across Saint Hill, London, Manchester, Birmingham and other UK organizations. According to scholar Susan Raine, Hubbard created the Sea Org as a "kind of space navy, melding [sci-fi] space ideas with Earthbound naval ones." Hubbard biographer Jon Atack recalled
3930-740: The Christopher Commission and it is exempt from civil service and reports directly to the Board of Police Commissioners. The current Inspector General is Mark P. Smith, who was formerly the Constitutional Policing Advisor for the LASD. The OIG receives copies of every complaint filed against members of the LAPD as well as tracking specific cases along with any resultant litigation. The OIG also conducts audits on select investigations and conducts regular reviews of
4061-709: The Diana , the Athena , and the Apollo . The Apollo served as the flagship, or simply called "Flag", and Hubbard was referred to as Commodore. In 1971, the Sea Org assumed responsibility for the delivery of the upper levels of its auditing and training, known as the Operating Thetan or "OT" levels. In 1981, under the aegis of the Commodore's Messenger Organization led by David Miscavige, Sea Org members dissolved
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4192-705: The Downtown Los Angeles Civic Center district. It was demolished in 2019. The Police Administration Building, also known as the New Parker Center, replaced the original Parker Center in October 2009. It is located at 100 West 1st Street, also in the Civic Center, occupying the entire block between Main, Spring, 1st, and 2nd streets, immediately south of Los Angeles City Hall . Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall were
4323-632: The Ford Police Interceptor Sedan , Chevrolet Impala , Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Tahoe / Suburban , among an assortment of other models. Police motorcycles are primarily the BMW R1200RT-P and Harley-Davidson FLHP . The LAPD SWAT's primary vehicle is the Lenco BearCat . In the early 1980s, the LAPD obtained two Cadillac Gage Commandos from the U.S. Department of Energy, in preparation for security for
4454-579: The Guardian's Office (GO) and assumed full responsibility for the church's international management, later reassigning the GO's duties to the Office of Special Affairs in 1983 during the corporate restructuring of the Church. It moved to land-based organizations in 1975, though maritime customs persist, with many members wearing naval-style uniforms and addressing both male and female officers as "sir". In 1985,
4585-534: The Internal Revenue Service , as well as from the governments of the United Kingdom , Australia , and Rhodesia . Sailing on the high seas meant the church could escape their attention. In 2000 the number of Sea Org members was listed at around 5,800. Most Sea Org members reside in church complexes in Los Angeles, Clearwater, Copenhagen, London, Saint Hill, and Sydney, with some at smaller centers or on assignment elsewhere. According to reports filed with
4716-778: The Kimber Custom TLE II as their sidearms in 2002, renaming it the Kimber LAPD SWAT Custom II. As of 2014, SWAT's primary weapons were the Heckler & Koch HK416 , M4 carbine , and FN SCAR rifles; the Colt 9mm and HK MP5 submachine guns; the Armalite AR-10 , Remington 700 , Barrett M82 , and M14 sniper rifles; and the Benelli M4 and Remington 870 shotguns. After World War II,
4847-676: The LAPD Air Support Division . Main airship missions are flown out of Hooper Heliport , located near Union Station . The LAPD also houses air units at Van Nuys Airport . Beginning in September 2013, the LAPD started a trial program for the use of body-worn cameras with 30 officers in the Skid Row area. Reports from the trial program indicated that the cameras functioned well and that they assisted in deescalating situations although there were some technical issues with
4978-550: The Los Angeles Police Department deny that she is missing. Mike Rinder joined the Sea Org at age 18 and worked under Hubbard on the Apollo ship in 1973. He joined the CMO in 1978, later becoming the Church's international spokesperson. Rinder left the Church in 2007 and has since spoken out against it. Pat Broeker was aboard the Apollo and, along with his wife Anne, were taking care of Hubbard at
5109-593: The Metropolitan Division , Air Support Division , and Major Crimes Division under the Counterterrorism & Special Operations Bureau. Further offices support the Chief of Police in areas such as constitutional policing and professional standards, while the Office of Support Services covers facilities management, personnel, and training, among other areas. Independent investigative commissions have documented
5240-596: The National Institute of Justice , a branch of the Department of Justice . Before all of the cameras were deployed to patrol officers, the Police Commission created a policy that governs the use of the cameras and video footage while consulting with department and city officials along with outside organizations including other departments who already use body cameras. The commission has created
5371-659: The New York City Police Department and the Chicago Police Department . The LAPD is headquartered at 100 West 1st Street in the Civic Center district . The department's organization and resources are complex, including 21 community stations (divisions) grouped in four bureaus under the Office of Operations; multiple divisions within the Detective Bureau under the Office of Special Operations; and specialized units such as
Commodore's Messenger Organization - Misplaced Pages Continue
5502-487: The Zoot Suit Riots that followed in 1943; despite the LAPD's insistence that the riots were caused by Mexican American crime, there was broad consensus that the riots were the result of racial discrimination. Parker, who served as chief of the LAPD from August 9, 1950, until his death on July 16, 1966, was frequently criticized for racist remarks, his refusal to acknowledge police brutality, and his demands that
5633-598: The 1943 Zoot Suit Riots . Horrall was replaced by retired United States Marine Corps general William A. Worton , who acted as interim chief until 1950, when William H. Parker succeeded him, serving until he died in 1966. Parker advocated police professionalism and autonomy from civilian administration. However, the Bloody Christmas scandal in 1951 led to calls for civilian accountability and an end to alleged police brutality. In 1965, under Parker, Officer John Nelson and then-Inspector Daryl Gates established
5764-473: The 1980s "biased policing", also known as racial profiling , was commonplace in the department. This policing alienated the department from minority residents and gained the department a reputation of abuse of power and bias against minority residents. A major controversy erupted in 1979 over the shooting of Eula Love by two LAPD officers; no legal consequences befell the officers responsible. Early in his tenure as Chief of Police, Daryl Gates re-instituted
5895-466: The 1990s, corruption, and misconduct within the LAPD were revealed to the public: the 1991 Rodney King beating led to the 1992 Los Angeles riots , while the 1997 Rampart scandal led to the disbandment of CRASH. Also in 1997, outgunned LAPD officers in North Hollywood were locked into a lengthy shootout with heavily armed and armored bank robbers , prompting police armament upgrades across
6026-890: The 1997 North Hollywood shootout , LAPD obtained M-16 rifles and officers were given the option of carrying the Smith & Wesson Model 4506 and 4566 service pistols. When William Bratton was Chief, he allowed officers to carry the Glock , the firearm carried in the two previous departments Bratton led (the New York City Police Department and the Boston Police Department ). The department presents several medals to its members for meritorious service. The LAPD awards medals for bravery, service, unit citations, ribbons for assignment and time-specific service, and marksmanship . The LAPD Medal of Valor
6157-531: The Boston airport. She died in 2011. Sharone Stainforth , age 10, joined the Sea Org in 1967 at age 10, and became one of Hubbard's original messengers on the Apollo . After leaving Scientology, she became a critic of the organization. Michelle Barnett ( Shelly Miscavige ) became a messenger at age 12. She later married fellow messenger and future Scientology leader David Miscavige. She has made no public appearances since August 2007. The Church of Scientology and
6288-650: The Church of Scientology purchased HMS Royal Scotsman which they renamed the Apollo , which was used as the Sea Org's flagship . In 1975, the church sold the Sea Org's ships and moved the organization to land bases around the world, which as of 2003, were operating in Clearwater, Copenhagen, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Saint Hill Manor in the UK, and Sydney, with smaller offices in Budapest, Johannesburg, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, and Toronto. In 1987, they purchased
6419-470: The EPF as soon as all the required courses have been completed and upon successfully undergoing a mandatory "7A Security Check", they are then allowed to join the Sea Org as full members. Sea Org recruits verbally agree to an 18-point code or pledge as part of a swearing in ceremony. Members formally reaffirm their acceptance of this code annually on August 12, the day when the organization was founded. In 1967,
6550-614: The LAPD began to issue the Smith & Wesson Model 10 . During the 1960s and 70s the department issued the S&;W Model 15 Combat Masterpiece. These guns were modified to fire double-action only. Some specialized units (specifically Motor Officers) were issued the stainless-steel version, the Model 67. In the 1980s, LAPD patrol officers began to be issued the Beretta 92F and Smith & Wesson Model 5906 semi-automatic 9mm pistols. Following
6681-580: The LAPD hired the first female police officer with the power to arrest in the United States, Alice Stebbins Wells . LAPD's first Latina officer, Josephine Serrano Collier , was hired in 1946. On the LAPD through the early 1970s, women were classified as "policewomen". Through the 1950s, their duties generally consisted as working as matrons in the jail system or dealing with troubled youths working in detective assignments. Rarely did they work any field assignment, and they were not allowed to rise above
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#17327826800376812-635: The LAPD issues the FN 509 MRD-LE and Smith & Wesson M&P to all new officers, alongside a variety of Glock, Kimber, Staccato, or Beretta pistols. Officers are also issued long guns, including the Remington 870 and Benelli M4 Super 90 shotguns, as well as Smith & Wesson, Colt, or Bushmaster AR-15 rifles . LAPD also armed with machine guns like the M60 . The LAPD also has riot guns capable of firing 37mm munitions and bean bag rounds . The SWAT used
6943-543: The LAPD was "outwardly racist", and the tenure of police chief Daryl Gates (1978–1992) was marked by "scandalous racist violence" among the LAPD. Following the Rampart Division CRASH scandal of the late 1990s and early 2000s, the United States Department of Justice entered into a consent decree with the LAPD regarding systemic civil rights violations and lack of accountability that stretched back decades, requiring major reforms. The consent decree
7074-512: The LAPD's long-term strategic plan and risk management strategies, and coordinates local, state, and federal government and legislative matters. The majority of the LAPD's approximately 10,000 officers are assigned within the Office of Operations, whose primary office is located in the new Police Administration Building. Headed by an Assistant Chief and the Assistant to the Director, who is
7205-692: The LAPD's regional divisions as well as specialized divisions including the Metropolitan Division and the Communications Division. As of 2014, there were 5,000 cadets. The Office of the Chief of Police has the responsibility of assisting the Chief of Police in the administration of the department. This includes the Chief of Staff, Public Communications, and Employee Relations, as well as the Community Safety Partnership Bureau. The Director of
7336-422: The LAPD. Mayor Richard J. Riordan and the Los Angeles city council agreed to the terms of the decree on November 2, 2000. The federal judge formally entered the decree into law on June 15, 2001. To promote civil rights integrity, the legally binding decree emphasized several areas, including management and supervisory measures, revising critical incident procedures, documentation, investigation and review, revising
7467-490: The LAPD––already considered "nationally notorious" for police corruption––entered a new phase of widespread criminal activity. In 1936, Davis sent members of the LAPD to California's state borders, along Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon, to institute checkpoints blocking the entry of migrants, or "okies" . The police began raids and mass arrests of populations including the homeless and disabled; those taken in by police were given
7598-629: The Los Angeles Police Academy ( Elysian Park ), Ahmanson Recruit Training Center ( Westchester ), and the Edward Davis Training Center ( Granada Hills ). From spring 2007 through the spring of 2009, recruits could earn money through sign-on bonuses ranging from $ 5,000 to $ 10,000. Those bonuses ended in 2009. Sign on bonuses were paid 1/2 after graduation from the academy, and 1/2 after completion of probation. $ 2,000 could be added for sign-ons from outside
7729-533: The Los Angeles area for housing arrangements. As of July 2009, recruits earned starting salaries of $ 56,522–61,095 depending on education level and began earning their full salary on their first day of academy training. In January 2010, the starting base salary for incoming police officers was lowered by 20%. At the time If applicants had graduated from high school their starting salary would be $ 45,226, if they had at least 60 college units, with an overall GPA of 2.0 or better, their salary would start at $ 47,043, and if
7860-818: The Metropolitan Division's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, the first such unit in American law enforcement, as well as the Special Investigation Section , a highly-secretive tactical stakeout unit. That same year, the Watts riots were sparked by police abuse. In the 1970s and 1980s, street gangs became a growing issue in Los Angeles; in response, the LAPD established the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) gang intelligence unit in 1979, conducting Operation Hammer in 1987. In
7991-408: The Mexican American community. The internal inquiry by Chief Parker resulted in eight police officers being indicted for the assaults, 54 being transferred, and 39 suspended. In 1962, the controversial LAPD shooting of seven unarmed members of the Nation of Islam resulted in the death of Ronald Stokes, and led to protests of the LAPD led by Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam. In the 1970s and into
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#17327826800378122-401: The Office of Constitutional Policing and Policy, currently Police Administrator III Lizabeth Rhodes, reports directly to the Office of the Chief. This office was created as a result of the Department of Justice's federal consent decree. It develops the LAPD's policies and procedures, conducts internal auditing and programs to ensure compliance, handles litigation, forms and ensures compliance with
8253-410: The Police Commission, is a five-member civilian body that oversees the LAPD. The Chief of Police reports to the board and the rest of the department reports to the chief. The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is an independent part of the LAPD that has oversight over the department's internal disciplinary process and reviews complaints of officer misconduct. It was created by the recommendation of
8384-413: The Religious Technology Center (RTC). David Miscavige joined the Messengers in 1977 at age 16. After Hubbard's death in 1986, Miscavige assumed the position of head of the Church of Scientology as well as ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion. Miscavige holds the rank of captain of the Sea Organization, and is its highest-ranking member. Sea Org The Sea Organization or Sea Org
8515-419: The Sea Org called the "SEALs", named after the United States Navy SEALs , who receive better lodging, sustenance, and uniforms than other Sea Org members. Lawrence Wright wrote in The New Yorker in 2011 that the Sea Org used small children drawn from Scientology families for what the article described as forced child labor. The article described extremely inhumane conditions, with children spending years in
8646-428: The Sea Org in the 1970s he spent over two years banished to the RPF as a punishment: It was essentially a prison to which crew who were considered nonproducers, security risks, or just wanted to leave the Sea Org, were assigned. Hubbard's RPF policies established the conditions. RPF members were segregated and not allowed to communicate to anyone else. They had their own spaces and were not allowed in normal crew areas of
8777-432: The Sea Org is reminiscent of the "Soldiers of Light" in Hubbard's science fiction story collection Ole Doc Methuselah . The publicized goal of the Sea Org is to "get ethics in on the planet". Academic Stephen A. Kent has argued that at least part of the reason for the establishment of the Sea Org was that the Church of Scientology's practices encountered resistance from the American Food and Drug Administration and
8908-439: The Sea Org on weekends or about an hour a day. Children of members have themselves joined the Sea Org when they came of age. Several former members have said they were advised (or even forced) to have an abortion when they became pregnant to avoid being sent to lower organizations. Scientology presents itself as opposed to abortion and actively speaks out against it in its publications. The Rehabilitation Project Force (RPF)
9039-415: The Sea Org, sequestered from mainstream life. Los Angeles Police Department The Los Angeles Police Department ( LAPD ), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department , is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California , United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-largest municipal police department in the United States, after
9170-421: The Sea Organization, the term Sea Org has a colloquial usage which implies that there is. There are general recruitment posters and literature for "The Sea Org" which implies that people will be employed by the Sea Org when in reality they will join, making the billion year commitment, at some church that is staffed by Sea Org members and become employees of that church corporation. [...] The Sea Org exists as
9301-453: The Training Routines, myself and two others practiced carrying messages to LRH. We had to listen to a message, repeat it in the same tone, and practice salutes." Sea Org member Doreen Smith recalled a conversation she had with Hubbard concerning the origins of the CMO and why he had focused on young girls to carry out his personal tasks and deliver his executive orders: I once asked him why he chose young girls as messengers ... He said it
9432-786: The United States. Throughout its existence, the LAPD absorbed numerous smaller police forces in Greater Los Angeles , including the LACMTA Police in 1997 and the Los Angeles General Services Police in 2012. The LAPD has made several attempts to absorb the Los Angeles Airport Police and Los Angeles Park Ranger Division , though all attempts failed or did not proceed, and no mergers have been made since 2012. The Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners , also known as
9563-645: The Watchdog Committee (WDC) was created out of senior executives of CMO. Long the interface between Hubbard and the rest of the Church, part of the CMO became the senior management body: the Commodore's Messenger Organization International, or CMO Int. But as the Commodore's Messenger Organization was quite obviously connected to the Commodore, they had to find a new title. So the Watchdog Committee (WDC) came into being, in April 1979. It consisted solely of
9694-503: The applicant had fully completed a college degree, the salary would start at $ 48,880. In 2014, after negotiations between the city and the police officers union , an agreement on police officer pay that would give pay increases to nearly 1,000 officers who joined the department since the salaries for incoming officers were cut, was reached. The agreement also raised starting salaries for officers to $ 57,420 with an additional increase to $ 60,552 after six months which would become effective in
9825-717: The architects. The total cost of the new building complex including the data center, the Main Street Parking Structure, and the Aiso Public Parking Garage was $ 437 million. The main building is a 500,000 sq ft (46,000 m ) across 10 floors, a café ("LA Reflections"), underground parking as well as a parking structure, racks for 50 bicycles, and a 400-seat civic auditorium. It is LEED-certified , uses energy-efficient mechanical systems, daylighting, high-performance glass, and recycled or renewable building materials. The perimeter
9956-543: The beginning of 2015. The agreement would also change the current overtime payment system from a deferred payment system, which was implemented to cut costs, to a pay-as-you-go overtime system as well as increase the overtime budget from $ 30 million to $ 70 million. The LAPD operates a wide variety of police cars , primarily the Ford Police Interceptor Utility , Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor , and Dodge Charger , with limited numbers of
10087-438: The cameras along with slight issues with the cameras falling off of officers during movement. In November 2014, the LAPD chose Taser International as the vendor for body cameras to be used by officers after their trial program earlier in the year. On December 16, 2014, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that the city would purchase 7,000 body worn cameras from Taser for use by the department. Patrol officers are now equipped with
10218-516: The cameras, and are required to use these devices while on assignment. 700 of the cameras were deployed to patrol officers in the Central, Mission and Newton patrol areas of the city beginning in January 2015. $ 1.55 million was raised from private donors to start the body camera program for the initial rollout phase in order to ease budget constraints for the city with another $ 1 million coming from
10349-500: The charge with 20 out of 24 voting for acquittal of all charges. The case was dismissed by a judge. Daniels' family received a $ 1.2 million settlement after filing a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles riots of 1992, also known as the Rodney King uprising or the Rodney King riots, began on April 29, 1992, when a jury acquitted four LAPD police officers accused in the videotaped beating of Rodney King following
10480-534: The church purchased a 440-foot (130 m) motor vessel , the Freewinds , which docks in Curaçao in the southern Caribbean and is used as a religious retreat and training center, staffed entirely by Sea Org members. Sea Org members make a lifetime commitment to Scientology by signing a billion-year contract officially described as a symbolic pledge. In exchange, members are given free room and board, as well as
10611-466: The church's key organizations are held by Sea Org members. Sea Org are housed in communal housing, which they call berthing , and receive a basic allowance of about $ 50 per week. In accordance with Scientology beliefs , members are expected to return to the Sea Org when they are reborn; the Sea Org's motto is Revenimus , ("We Come Back"). Members must therefore sign a symbolic billion-year commitment, pledging to "get ethics in on this planet and
10742-416: The city's hosting of the 1984 Summer Olympics. They were used as battering rams to breach structures and buildings inhabited by hostile occupants. They saw action in the 1997 North Hollywood shootout , but have since been retired. The LAPD's aircraft consists of 19 helicopters ("airships")—5 Bell 206 Jet Rangers and 14 Eurocopter AS350-B2s —and 1 Beechcraft King Air 200 . LAPD aircraft are operated by
10873-440: The commitment and attending the induction. Once induction is completed, the final decision to join is made. Members who leave the Sea Org are issued a "freeloader's bill", retroactively billing them for any auditing or training they have received. Although the bill is not legally enforceable, these Scientologists may not receive services at any Scientology organization until they pay the bill and perform an amends program. From
11004-586: The consent decree was extended by six years, as U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess found that the LAPD had not implemented the reforms that it had committed to. The federal oversight of the LAPD was lifted in 2013. On July 10, 2005, while under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, Jose Pena took his 19-month-old daughter, Suzie, hostage in his home. After police arrived, Pena threatened to kill her and himself after firing at others earlier. SWAT officers were called in. After negotiations to try and release Pena's daughter were unsuccessful, four SWAT officers entered
11135-489: The constitutionality of the vehicle, and the California Appellate Court later ruled the vehicle was unconstitutional, violating lawful search and seizure. In 1988, African American baseball sportscaster and retired Baseball Hall of Fame player Joe Morgan was detained at Los Angeles International Airport by LAPD and L.A. Airport Police officers after being falsely identified as a drug dealer. He
11266-448: The department to community initiatives. There were differences of opinion along racial lines, with three in five white and Asian residents and one in three black residents trusting the LAPD to "do what is right". Over the years, the Los Angeles Police Department has been the subject of several scandals, misconduct, and other controversies. According to one study, during the lengthy tenure of William H. Parker as police chief (1950–1966),
11397-534: The department's Internal Affairs, the team leader, Captain Thomas Elfmont, directed his men to "hit" the apartments "hard", to "level" them, and to leave them "uninhabitable". The police detained 37 people, making seven arrests. They found six ounces of marijuana and a small amount of cocaine. The seven were beaten by the police and at the police station forced to whistle the theme to The Andy Griffith Show . Those who refused to comply were beaten again. Nobody
11528-543: The development of a risk management system; the creation of a field data capture system to track the race, ethnicity or national origin of the motorists and pedestrians stopped by the department; the creation of an Ethics Enforcement Section within the Internal Affairs Group; the transfer of investigative authority to Internal Affairs of all serious personnel complaint investigations; a nationwide study by an independent consultant on law enforcement dealing with
11659-486: The disciplinary system to ensure fairness and equality. As well as overseeing the LAPD's disciplinary process, the Inspector General may undertake special investigations as directed by the Board of Police Commissioners. The LAPD's Art Theft Detail "is the only full-time municipal law enforcement unit in the United States devoted to the investigation of art crimes ." The longtime head and often sole member of
11790-411: The duration of the EPF and are not allowed to have private or intimate contact with each other. While on the EPF, recruits are assigned an intensive daily regimen divided between five hours of manual labor and five hours of study and indoctrination known as "Product Zero". Scientology courses that are required to complete the EPF include: The EPF does not have a definite schedule. A recruit graduates
11921-478: The early 1920s, was a member of the Ku Klux Klan . James E. Davis served two terms as LAPD police chief, heading the department from 1926 to 1929 and from 1933 to 1938. During his first term as chief, Davis called for violence against criminals while leading a Prohibition vice squad, and the department was known for controversies including accusations of conspiracy, blackmail, and murder. Davis also formed
12052-525: The early 1970s to the start of the 21st century, the children of Sea Org members were often placed in the Cadet Org . Sea Org members may marry one another but are not permitted to marry outside the organization; extra-marital sex is also prohibited. Couples with children must leave the Sea Org and return to other staff positions within the church until the child is six years old; thereafter the children are raised communally and allowed to visit their parents in
12183-434: The executive director of Author Services Inc. and worked closely with David Miscavige. Annie Tidman (also known as Annie Broeker) became a messenger at age 12. She married fellow messenger Pat Broeker and they were among the few people in direct contact with L. Ron Hubbard during his final years. In November 1992, Tidman made an unannounced departure from the group, but returned after Church members intercepted her at
12314-609: The force going on to become the first black officer to obtain the rank of commander and the first black station commander, leading the Southwest Division. As of 2019, the LAPD had 10,008 sworn officers. Of these, 81% (8,158) were male and 19% (1,850) female. The racial/ethnic breakdown: The LAPD has grown over the years in the number of officers who speak languages in addition to English. There were 483 bilingual or multilingual officers in 1974, 1,560 in 1998, and 2,500 in 2001 who spoke at least one of 32 languages. In 2001,
12445-586: The force, was the victim of a car bomb. During the trial that followed, LAPD captain Earl Kynette was found guilty of Raymond's attempted murder; Davis acknowledged that he had known Raymond was under police surveillance. In the late 1930s, the LAPD engaged in widespread racial profiling of Mexican Americans . The LAPD and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department used the 1942 " Sleepy Lagoon murder " of José Gallardo Díaz to justify
12576-431: The force. In 1886, the department hired its first two black officers, Robert William Stewart and Roy Green. The LAPD was one of the first two police departments in the country to hire an African-American woman officer, Georgia Ann Robinson in 1919. Despite this, the department was slow at integration. During the 1965 Watts riots , only 5 of the 205 police assigned to South Central Los Angeles were black, even though it
12707-511: The home and, during a gunfight, both Mr. Pena and his infant daughter were shot and killed by SWAT team members. One officer was shot and wounded by Pena. Suzie Pena's death was the first death of a hostage ever in LAPD SWAT history and the LAPD was criticized for their actions. An independent board of inquiry later cleared the SWAT officers of any wrongdoing. A judge later dismissed a lawsuit by
12838-497: The management of gang units, revising the management of confidential informants, program development for response to persons with mental illness, improving training, increased integrity audits, increasing the operations of the Police Commission and the Inspector General, and increasing community outreach and public information. Other provisions in the decree called for divisions to investigate all use of force (now known as Force Investigative Division) and conduct audits department-wide;
12969-514: The mentally ill, to help the department refine its system; a study by an independent consultant of the department's training programs; and the creation of an informant manual and database. The Consent Decree Bureau was the LAPD bureau charged with overseeing this process. Until 2009, the commanding officer of the Consent Decree Bureau, a civilian appointed by the chief of police, was Police Administrator Gerald L. Chaleff. In 2006,
13100-455: The officers admitted his crime. Ovando was released, and in 2000, was paid $ 15 million for his injuries and imprisonment. The officers' actions led to the exposure of the Rampart scandal . By 2001, the resulting investigations would lead to more than 75 officers being investigated or charged, and over 100 criminal cases being overturned, due to perjury or other forms of misconduct, much based on
13231-486: The option of leaving California or serving a 180-day jail term. The so-called "bum blockade" ended after significant negative publicity, including a suit filed by the ACLU in federal court. By 1937, the LAPD was leading a vast intelligence operation wiretapping politicians, judges, and federal agents. Some records of police surveillance were taken under subpoena after Harry Raymond, a former officer investigating corruption in
13362-606: The plea-bargain testimony of Perez. Following the Rampart scandal, the United States Department of Justice entered into a consent decree with the LAPD regarding systemic civil rights violations and lack of accountability that stretched back decades. Many in the LAPD resisted federal oversight and proposed reforms but entered into a consent decree when the DOJ threatened to sue the city and take complete control over
13493-516: The police not be subject to the same laws as citizens; the last of these contributed to ongoing conflicts with the FBI, with the agency refusing to train LAPD officers until after Parker's death. Parker adopted the rhetoric of Los Angeles as the " white spot " of America, first popularized by Los Angeles Times publisher Harry Chandler , and explicitly set it against the "black picture" of the nation. The Los Angeles City Council once confronted him with
13624-503: The rank of sergeant. A lawsuit by a policewoman, Fanchon Blake, in the 1980s, instituted court-ordered mandates that the department begin actively hiring and promoting women police officers in its ranks. The department eliminated the rank of "policeman" from new hires at that time along with the rank of "policewoman". Anyone already in those positions was grandfathered in, but new hires were classified instead as "police officers", which continues to this day. In 2002, women made up 18.9% of
13755-402: The riots. On October 12, 1996, LAPD Officers Rafael Pérez and Nino Durden entered the apartment of Javier Ovando . They shot Ovando in the back, paralyzing him from the waist down. They then planted a gun on the unarmed Ovando to make it appear he had attacked them. The two officers then perjured themselves. Ovando was sentenced to 23 years in custody based on their testimony. Later, one of
13886-516: The senior executives of CMO Int. The function of WDC was to 'put senior management back on post.' They did this by absorbing all top management posts. In 1981, the All Clear Unit was set up at CMO Int with the purpose of ensuring an "All Clear" for Hubbard to emerge from hiding. As head of the unit, David Miscavige took orders only from Pat Broeker , who was accountable only to Hubbard. Suzette Hubbard , L. Ron Hubbard's youngest daughter,
14017-489: The ship's bilges , and allowed even less sleep. Several scholars, writers and former members have compared the Sea Org to a paramilitary group. In Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography (2008), Andrew Morton described it as a "fraternal paramilitary organization", and wrote that members are instructed to read The Art of War by General Sun Tzu , and On War by General Carl von Clausewitz . He wrote that Scientology leader David Miscavige created an elite unit within
14148-417: The ship. They ate after normal crew had eaten, and only whatever was left over from the crew meal. Their berthing was the worst on board, in a roach-infested, filthy and unventilated cargo hold. They wore black boilersuits, even in the hottest weather. They were required to run everywhere. Discipline was harsh and bizarre, with running laps of the ship assigned for the slightest infraction like failing to address
14279-532: The start of the Civil Service, this force was increased to 200. In 1910, LAPD Officer Alice Stebbins Wells became the first sworn female police officer in the United States. Officer Georgia Ann Robinson , hired in 1916, was the first African-American female police officer. Severe corruption issues within the LAPD and the rest of the city government lasted until the 1940s. In 1933, the Reserve Unit
14410-478: The state trial that immediately preceded the 1992 Los Angeles riots , has long been home to a large concentration of LAPD officers, most of them white. Hiring quotas began to change this during the 1980s, but it was not until the Christopher Commission reforms that substantial numbers of black, Hispanic, and Asian officers began to be hired onto the force. Minority officers can be found in both rank-and-file and leadership positions in virtually all divisions. In 1910
14541-472: The time of his death. An order was issued promoting Broeker and his wife to the rank of "Loyal Officer", but that order was later cancelled. Marc Yager joined the Sea Org in 1974 as a teenager and sailed with Hubbard on Apollo . Yager became a messenger and assisted Hubbard in video production. Yager was appointed commanding officer of the Commodore's Messenger Organization, chairman of the Watchdog Committee, and later, inspector general for administration in
14672-481: The unit is Detective Don Hrycyk, who in 2014 was described as being a 40-year veteran of the department with twenty years as the only known full-time art detective in the United States. According to the LAPD, the unit has recovered over $ 121 million in stolen works since 1993. The Art Theft Detail is part of the Burglary Special Section of the Detective Bureau of the LAPD. The LAPD Cadet Program
14803-486: The universe". The church contends that the agreement is not a legally binding contract and is merely a symbolic demonstration of the dedication members are expected to give to the organization, and that they are free to leave if they wish. After signing, members report to the Estates Project Force, the Sea Org's induction program; J. Gordon Melton writes that members may take several years between signing
14934-551: The use of the chokehold (placing an arm or flashlight over someone's throat) to subdue suspects. In 1982, this technique was used and led to the death of James Mincey Jr. Following Mincey's death, the Police Commission barred the use of chokeholds by officers unless in a life-threatening situation. An investigation found that sixteen people had died after being restrained by police chokeholds. In 1986, Officer Stephanie Lazarus killed her ex-boyfriend's new wife. Despite
15065-437: The victim's father's insistence that Lazarus should be a suspect in the homicide, she was not considered by the police and the case went cold. In the 2000s, detectives revisiting cold cases deduced that Stephanie was a suspect. DNA evidence led to her arrest and conviction. Also in 1986, the department purchased a 14-ton armored breaching vehicle, used to smash quickly through the walls of houses of suspects. The ACLU questioned
15196-504: Was an idea he had picked up from Nazi Germany. He said Hitler was a madman, but nevertheless a genius in his own right and the Nazi Youth was one of the smartest ideas he ever had. With young people you had a blank slate and you could write anything you wanted on it and it would be your writing. That was his idea, to take young people and mould them into little Hubbards. He said he had girls because women were more loyal than men. In 1979,
15327-625: Was briefly in the CMO at the age of 13. When she was replaced she went to work on the decks. Janis Gillham , age 11, joined the Sea Organization in January 1968. She regularly attended to Hubbard for the next 11 years, until he went into hiding in 1979. In 2017, she authored Commodore's Messenger: A Child Adrift in the Scientology Sea Organization , and in 2018 Commodore's Messenger Book II: Riding Out The Storms With L. Ron Hubbard . Terri Gillham later became
15458-512: Was chaired by attorney Warren Christopher and was created to examine the structure and operation of the LAPD. The commission found that there were a significant number of LAPD officers who used excessive force and that the disciplinary structure was weak and ineffective. Fewer than a third of the suggested reforms were put into place. To reduce drive-by shootings , LAPD initiated Operation Cul-de-Sac in 1991. This consisted of installing barriers on residential streets to block vehicle traffic. As
15589-533: Was charged with a crime. The city paid four million dollars to settle the matter. On September 4, 1988, LAPD officers raided the home of Roger Guydon looking for drugs. They found nothing. In 1991, Guydon won a $ 760,000 lawsuit against the city. In April 1991, the Christopher Commission was formed in the wake of the Rodney King beating, by the then-mayor of Los Angeles Tom Bradley . It
15720-656: Was created from the merger of the Counterterrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau with the Special Operations Bureau in 2010. The Transit Services Bureau supervises the Transit Services Group and the Traffic Group, responsible for overseeing the four Geographical Traffic Divisions. Before 2009, LAPD headquarters was located at Parker Center , named after former chief William H. Parker, which stood at 150 N. Los Angeles St. in
15851-473: Was created in 1994 by former LAPD Chief William Bratton , while he was still a NYPD Police Commissioner . He implemented the LAPD version on becoming Chief of Police in 2002. The Counterterrorism and Special Operations Bureau provides the Los Angeles Police Department specialized tactical resources in support of operations during daily field activities, unusual occurrences, and, especially, during serious disturbances and elevated terrorism threat conditions. It
15982-449: Was created in January 1974 as a system of work camps set up by the Sea Org, intended to isolate and rehabilitate members who have not lived up to the church's expectations, have failed security checks , or have violated certain policies. RPF groups are located within Sea Org facilities, and there are no locks on the doors. Many ex-Sea Org members have reported gruelling treatment. On the RPF, one works eight hours of physical work six days
16113-745: Was following Hubbard's policies. The original four messengers were sisters Janis Gillham (aged 11) and Terri Gillham (12), Annie Tidman (12), and Hubbard's youngest daughter Suzette Hubbard (13). In 1975 while sailing in the Caribbean, due to the heat and humidity, the Messengers devised their uniforms themselves: white shorts, tie tops and platform shoes with knee high socks. Messengers conveyed messages from Hubbard and they were trained to mimic Hubbard's exact tone and mannerisms. According to messenger Tonja Burden, CMO recruits were required to practice specific training routines to attain this skill: "During
16244-479: Was formed, tasked with crime suppression; it would later evolve into the Metropolitan Division. In 1946, the top-secret Gangster Squad was formed to combat the American Mafia and Los Angeles crime family . During World War II , under Clemence B. Horrall , the overall number of personnel was depleted by the demands of the military. Despite efforts to maintain numbers, the police could do little to control
16375-846: Was founded in 1853 as the Los Angeles Rangers, a volunteer force that assisted the existing Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD). The Rangers were soon succeeded by another volunteer force, the Los Angeles City Guards. Neither the Rangers nor the Guards were particularly efficient, and Los Angeles became known for its violence, gambling , and vice . The first paid force was created in 1869 when six officers were hired to serve under City Marshal William C. Warren . By 1900, under John M. Glass , there were 70 officers, one for every 1,500 people. In 1903, with
16506-485: Was lifted in 2013. The executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California stated that the decree "accomplished its purpose by and large" and that the department "has made serious culture changes", but cautioned against backsliding and said there was more work to be done regarding racial disparities and treatment of the homeless. Louis Oaks , chief of the LAPD in
16637-520: Was not integrated until the 1960s. Early in his tenure as police chief, Parker launched an extensive public relations campaign for the LAPD. In the 1950s, he was a credited consultant for police procedural drama Dragnet , even offering the show departmental support in providing case examples and fact-checking; he popularized the term " thin blue line " in both his speeches and in a TV show he conceived and produced for Los Angeles NBC network KNBC ; he hired Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry as
16768-457: Was released on Sea Org Day 1980. All new recruits are required to complete compulsory novitiate before they are allowed to join the Sea Org, which has been described as a boot camp . During this phase, known as the Estates Project Force (EPF), recruits are not considered to be full Sea Org members. They are required to address all members as "sir", regardless of rank, and must run everywhere instead of walking. Married couples are separated for
16899-569: Was released when the LAPD realized their mistake. The city cleared the detective of wrongdoing, but Morgan subsequently filed a civil suit against both the LAPD and the city for the unlawful detention; the lawsuit was settled in 1993, and Morgan was awarded $ 800,000 by the Los Angeles City Council. On August 1, 1988, as part of Chief Gates' Operation Hammer directed against gangs, SWAT teams raided four apartments at 39th Street and Dalton Avenue. According to an investigation by
17030-563: Was ruled tens of millions of years ago by the Galactic Confederacy. The confederacy was controlled by a tyrant named Xenu , who was eventually overthrown by a group within the Galactic Confederacy known as the "Loyal Officers". Religious scholar Hugh Urban writes that the Sea Org is modeled after these Loyal Officers. Urban also describes the Sea Org, with the naval uniforms and ranks, as an idealized re-creation of Hubbard's own World War II military career . He also states that
17161-443: Was the largest black community in Los Angeles. Los Angeles' first black mayor, Tom Bradley was a former LAPD officer and quit the department after being unable to advance past the rank of lieutenant like other black police officers in the department. When Bradley was elected mayor in 1972, only 5% of LAPD officers were black and there was only one black captain in the department, Homer Broome. Broome would break down racial barriers on
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