LAPD: There is no evidence former police chief ordered investigation into LA mayor – NBC Los Angeles

An investigation into allegations that former Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore ordered a criminal investigation into Mayor Karen Bass’s receipt of a USC scholarship concluded there was no evidence of that, police officials said Tuesday.

“In fact, there is not a shred of evidence that he (Moore) gave any kind of order,” Police Commissioner William J. Briggs II announced during a meeting of the Police Commissioners’ Council.

The findings were confirmed by the Office of the Inspector General of the Police Commission, which led the investigation into allegations of misconduct by the former police chief.

The allegations about the alleged order, which Moore denied immediately after they were published in the LA Times in December 2023, were contained in complaints from two detectives who worked in the LAPD’s internal affairs division, known as the Professional Standards Bureau.

In their complaints, detectives objected to the use of LAPD investigators to pursue information they believed Moore could have used in his bid to win a second term as police chief. One complaint also said it would be unethical to use city resources for such an effort.

The lawyer representing the investigators dismissed the findings, saying the inspector general did not thoroughly investigate the case and never interviewed his clients.

“I cannot think of a case where the inspector general or the commission found any wrongdoing on Moore’s part,” said attorney Greg Smith.

“It seems like they are protecting his image rather than investigating wrongdoing,” he said, adding that in addition to his clients, other officials have raised similar concerns about the alleged Bass order.

The allegations against Moore came to light after a former USC dean was sentenced to federal probation for admitting her involvement in a bribery scheme to bribe former Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas with a scholarship and other benefits for his son.

Ridley-Thomas was sentenced to 42 months in prison in the trial. He has appealed.

Bass received the scholarship to USC’s social work school during her tenure in Congress and said the House Ethics Committee approved her acceptance of the scholarship, valued at about $95,000.

Bass’ office did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

At the commission meeting, Briggs apparently confirmed that the detectives who had filed the complaints were now themselves under investigation.

The motives of the officers who made these false allegations are and remain the subject of an ongoing investigation,” he said.

Smith said this appears to be an attempt to silence whistleblowers.

“Now the commission intends to take retaliatory action against these officers. This is a blatant attempt to suppress the rights of employees who wish to file complaints against high-ranking LAPD officers who have engaged in misconduct and abused their positions,” Smith said.

The Inspector General’s Office said it could not release its reports, but said in a statement that it had completed its investigation into this allegation against former Police Chief Moore.

“The OIG recommended that the BOPC make a finding of ‘without merit,’ meaning that the evidence overwhelmingly indicates that the investigation found that the allegation did not occur as described,” the IG said.