The union that represents Los Angeles Police Department officers on Thursday responded to criticism over three recent use of force incidents.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League is firing back against City Council members and Black Lives Matter activists and sent a letter to members calling them out on their proposed reforms.
The use of force incident that garnered the most attention is the death of 31-year-old Keenan Anderson on Jan. 3.
Anderson, who was the cousin of BLM founder Patrisse Cullors, died after being restrained and shocked with a stun gun by LAPD officers in Venice.
Police claim they responded to a crash and found Anderson acting erratically, running into traffic and trying to carjack an Uber driver.
The teacher and father who lived in Washington, D.C. died hours after being tased and going into cardiac arrest.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore and Mayor Karen Bass have both expressed concerns over the incident, which is being investigated along with the deaths of two other men at the hands of police.
Last week, Moore said mental health or substances played a role in the deaths. But BLM activists are calling for policy changes on taser use and the release of the unedited bodycam video of the encounter with Anderson.
LAPPL, however, said the activists are twisting the facts to promote dangerous policing aimed at defunding police.
The union is standing behind the officers involved in the three use of force incidents, saying police reforms would not have changed any of the outcomes.
