Defend the Police board member outraged after employee reportedly asks LAPD for ‘extra patrol’ to guard vehicle
Radically progressive Los Angeles City Council member Hugo Soto-Martinez, a strong supporter of the Defend the Police movement, is coming under fire after one of his staff reportedly approached the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) on Wednesday evening with requesting more patrols to protect his car.
The LAPD received Wednesday a request from Soto-Martinez’s office to patrol the area around a broken down white Lexus, FOX LA. informedand apparently the police believed it belonged to a member of the council.
Image shared by popular Instagram account @streetpeopleoflosangeles and published in Los Angeles Magazine The officer’s mobile computer screen popped up with instructions that read, in part: “ADDITIONAL PATROL AT NIGHT OF COUNCIL MEMBER’S PARKED WHITE LEXUS. THE CAR IS BREAKED.
By Friday, the image had made its way to Instagram and Twitter, where it became a weapon for Soto-Martinez’s enemies in Los Angeles’ never-ending culture wars. Los Angeles Magazine Jason McGahan wrote.
Soto-Martinez Deputy Director of Communications Nick Barnes issued a statement to the publication saying:
We have learned that a deputy officer contacted the LAPD regarding his personal vehicle. We are investigating this internally and will take appropriate action… Council Member Soto-Martinez is very upset as it does not reflect the values of transparency, good governance and accountability to the community that elected him.
The employee has been identified as David May, according to Fox LA, and he appeared on the air of the radio station driving a Lexus. In a Dec. 12 tweet, District 13’s Soto-Martinez reveals he drives a Prius.
The labor movement arrived in the 13th District of the Los Angeles City Council. pic.twitter.com/LIA00pB6O3
— Hugo Soto-Martinez (@HugoForCD13) December 12, 2022
The office’s request prompted accusations of hypocrisy in light of Soto-Martinez’s past remarks about law enforcement. A few weeks after the death of George Floyd in May 2020, a council member tweeted an image of protest, writing: “We’re not going to stop until we defund the police.”
At Echo Park Lake with 1,000 of my closest friends. We won’t stop until we defund the police, get rid of Jackie Lacy, and change this society. #PeoplesBudgetLA #CareNotCops pic.twitter.com/TgIhy2dQG7
— Hugo Soto-Martinez (@HugoForCD13) June 13, 2020
In addition, Soto-Martinez, who Los Angeles Times notes the formerelected leader of the Los Angeles chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.” It has tweeted that “the LAPD killed hundreds” and also tweeted “cops kill cops [people of color] with impunity.”
Starting August 1, unemployment benefits in California will drop to $450 a week. Considering that economic hardship is the main reason why people are thrown onto the streets, this does not look good. Another reason why we need to defund the police. #PeoplesBudgetLA #CareNotCops
— Hugo Soto-Martinez (@HugoForCD13) June 12, 2020
We have empty hotels and Airbnbs, and the homeless are sleeping on the street, millions of unemployed, And the cops are killing KN with impunity. And to top it all off @MayorOfLA offers a budget that gives cops a raise by cutting city services!? Nobody should be shocked #people’s budget @BLMLA
— Hugo Soto-Martinez (@HugoForCD13) May 31, 2020
In addition, on the city council issue, Soto-Martinez ticked the box, identifying himself as a police officer and prison abolitionist, according to Fox LA.
“Cops have a lot more to do than just patrol X in someone’s car” Sergeant This was stated in an interview with FOX LA by the Vice President of the Los Angeles Police Protection League (LAPPL) Jarretta Sandoz. “If you are against the police, abolish the police…then why are you calling for help?”
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texasstandard.news contributed to this report.
