LAPD Chief Denies Favoritism in Reversing Firing of Problem Cop Who Came From a Family of Cops
Charlie Beck, the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), overturned the decision of a disciplinary board to fire Officer Shaun Hillman, who was involved in a drunken fight at a bar. During the fight he pulled out his firearm and used racial slurs. Hillman reportedly admitted to the facts of the altercation to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department but wasn't charged with a crime. He then reportedly denied involvement in the fight to internal investigators of the LAPD and was recommended to be fired for lack of integrity.
But Beck sees it differently, claiming that eight different (internal) charges were brought up against Hillman but only three were sustained. Otherwise, Beck says, he would've fired Hillman before he was sent before the board. Beck insisted he couldn't make his decision driven by public opinion, nor "just because of a person's position, or just because of who they're related to, or any other reason." CBS Los Angeles explains:
Officer Hillman's father was an LAPD officer, while his uncle, Michael Hillman, was a popular and well-known deputy chief, who ascended through the ranks alongside Chief Beck.
Beck, however, insists that favoritism had played no part in his decision on the matter.
"Favoritism had nothing to do with my decision on this," Chief Beck said. "I made decisions on this based on the facts, I can't discuss what those particulars are. You all know that. That's state law… ."
Beck said there was a "consistent standard" that he's set that was met in this case. But don't expect it to be the same standard you'd meet if you got into a drunken fight and pulled a firearm, especially in California.
h/t Grand Moff Serious Man