The union that represents Los Angeles police officers has condemned the introduction of a new Preservation of Life Award meant to honor officers who show “commendable restraint” by not using deadly force in certain incidents.
Police Chief Charlie Beck announced the new accolade last Tuesday. That same day, the Los Angeles Police Commission reported that the number of officer-involved shootings in the City of Los Angeles had nearly doubled since last year.
“We recognize the Chief’s intentions, however, the reality is the ‘Preservation of Life’ award announced Tuesday by Chief Beck is ill-conceived and in actuality has dangerous implications,” the union wrote in a blog post published later in the week. “Incentivizing officers for ‘preservation of life’ suggests somehow that this is not what they train hard to do. It suggests that officers must go above and beyond their normal activities to avoid harm; or put another way, that officers will be penalized for resorting to an appropriate, lawful use of force. That is ludicrous. The last thing an LAPD officer wants to do is to harm, or worse yet, take the life of a suspect.”
A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman declined to comment on the union's remarks.
Read more about the union’s response to the new award here.