More restrained LAPD tactics to be tested at May Day rally

By THOMAS WATKINS Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The Los Angeles Police Department has spent the past year trying to overcome the bad publicity from an immigration rally last May Day in which officers fired rubber bullets and pummeled some demonstrators with batons.

On Thursday, the department hopes to show what it's learned when officers try to keep the peace at a demonstration expected to draw at least 50,000 protesters.

"There were significant points of failure," said Deputy Chief Michael Hillmann, who has spent much of the past year looking at what went wrong last year. "It wasn't one singular item, it was a whole series of things."

Hillmann co-wrote a report that recommended significant changes in the way the LAPD deals with crowds. Most significantly, every LAPD officer - even those working desk jobs - has undergone training in the past year about the basics of crowd control.

It was the first such training in years for many officers. "We had done a very lousy job, quite frankly," said Cmdr. Sandy Jo MacArthur, who wrote the report with Hillmann.

Hillmann's report found that officers at last year's protest let violent protesters remain in the crowd, then declared the entire demonstration unlawful and cleared the area.

Officers were videotaped striking protesters and reporters at MacArthur Park. The footage rekindled accusations of excessive force that have dogged the LAPD for years.

Frank Mateljan, a spokesman for the city attorney, said 305 claims were filed after last year's melee alleging excessive force, civil rights violations and other mistreatment. None of the claims or lawsuits have resulted in payouts.

Juan Jose Gutierrez, president of Los Angeles-based Latino Movement USA, was pleased the LAPD had changed its procedures but felt the department could go further.

"They have highlighted new tactics and new technology, but they haven't said flat-out, 'We are going to be doing everything and anything we can to prevent a repeat of what happened last year,'" Gutierrez said. "That makes me wary."

Latino Movement USA is organizing one of two marches Thursday that will end near City Hall. One group of immigration protesters will trek through downtown, while the other will start at MacArthur Park.

Police officials hope improved communications can help prevent a replay of last year's problems, which were partially blamed on the failure of officers to give effective orders in English or Spanish.

The LAPD now has an all-wheel-drive buggy that can flash commands in Spanish and English as it moves through crowds. During a recent demonstration, police Capt. Dennis Kato plugged a handheld device into a loudspeaker on the buggy, cueing an electronic voice warning that a demonstration was illegal and people had to leave.

"If you do not do so, you may be arrested or subject to other police action," the recording blared.

The so-called Phraselator can sound warnings in English, Spanish, Korean and Mandarin.

LAPD officers also underwent crowd control training at an Army Reserve center, where they patrolled an abandoned housing area, learned to form skirmish lines, and got instructions on using batons in a crowd.

Among other things, they were told not to jab people in the back, since that could cause spinal damage. They were also schooled on forming extraction teams to identify and arrest violent demonstrators.

Police this year intend to corral individual protesters if they become violent, but to let the demonstration continue unless mass arrests are needed.

Some officers insist their response last year was necessary. Others faulted some in the crowd, including reporters, claiming they did not obey police orders to leave.

"We had some radical people that came over to create problems," said Officer Jack Parker, who helped clear the park. "When you're on this side of it and you start taking rocks and bottles and you have to clear the area, that's exactly what we do."

Subsequent reviews found a command meltdown, with conflicting orders being given to officers. "It's what I call a fuzzy chain of command," Hillmann said.

This year, police Chief William Bratton and other officials met with organizers ahead of time.

Bethany Leal, director of the Multi Ethnic Immigrant Workers Organizing Network, said the chief had come to several meetings to talk logistics and ease concerns.

Bratton said this May Day will be different.

"We anticipate it will be a celebratory day, we do not anticipate any problems," he said.

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