Council votes to send Rampart matters to committee after divided debate on outside inquiry

The Los Angeles City Council on Feb. 22 voted to send proposals to create an independent outside inquiry into the Rampart-area police investigations to committee, after a protracted and often emotional debate over whether the police commission and the department can credibly investigate the matter themselves.

The more limited procedural motion to refer the issue to committee passed 8-6. An earlier, broader measure to "adopt the concept" of an independent outside inquiry and immediately direct the Public Safety Committee to draft specifics did not receive council approval.

Why it matters: Council members, community leaders and legal experts said restoring public confidence in policing and ensuring accountability require either a thoroughly independent civilian review or clear, adequately resourced action by the voter-created Police Commission and Inspector General. Speakers and several council members said the scale and character of the allegations exceed a typical internal review.

What council members and witnesses said: - Councilmember Wax urged an outside independent inquiry, saying "everything that we know about what's happened at Rampart has come from that investigation" and arguing an independent panel of jurists, legal scholars, clergy and criminal-justice experts was necessary to restore public confidence. - Several council members, including Chair Misakowski and Councilmember Feuer, urged that the Police Commission and newly funded Inspector General be given resources and a short opportunity to exercise the civilian oversight tools that were created by charter reform. Misakowski cautioned against creating multiple overlapping panels and asked that the council let the process already under way play out while preserving the option for further independent review. - Public speakers and civil-rights advocates urged robust independent scrutiny. Leonard Shapiro told the council he was "with Mr. Wax 100%" and urged outside investigation.

Action taken and next steps: The council voted to refer the matter to committee (the council record shows the more recent procedural motion to send the matter to committee carried 8-6). The referral directs the committee to consider the specific scope, appointment process, timeline and membership for any outside review and to report back to the full council. The council did not at this meeting establish an appointment mechanism or create a distinct outside commission.

Context and caution in the record: Several council members said they remain open to an independent outside inquiry after the commission and inspector general produce their findings and that any independent panel should be carefully scoped to avoid confusing overlapping investigations. Council debate referenced the 1992 Christopher Commission reforms and Proposition F (charter amendment establishing greater civilian oversight) and the ongoing board-of-inquiry work.

Quotes from the record: "No matter how you cut it, inevitably, if you are going to restore the confidence of this city and its police department, we're going to have to have an independent outside inquiry," Councilmember Wax said. Leonard Shapiro, a public speaker, said he was "with Mr. Wax 100%." Councilmember Misakowski argued the council should give the commission and inspector general the resources already authorized and "give that process a chance to work."