LAPD sued over suspected stolen vehicle traffic stop policy, plaintiffs recall traumatic experiences

Community organizations are suing the Los Angeles Police Department for what they say are violent tactics used by police during traffic stops when a suspected stolen vehicle is involved.

Members of Black Lives Matter and the Community Coalition of South Los Angeles social justice organizations discussed the legal action Tuesday morning outside LAPD headquarters.

Leslie Johnson, a member of the Community Coalition, said the case is an opportunity to address the "longstanding" issue of police violence, especially associated with traffic stops.

Attorney Rebecca Brown said the aim is to put an end to the department's unconstitutional policy of conducting violent and traumatic traffic stops based on information from police databases that suggest a vehicle might be stolen.

Sheilanne "Shona" Sen, a plaintiff alongside the two community groups, and Shibani Balsaver recalled their run-in with the LAPD in February 2020.

They said at least 10 officers pulled guns on them and pinned them to the ground after mistaking their U-Haul truck for a stolen vehicle outside her new residence in Los Feliz.

"Four years ago, I was stopped by LAPD because they mistakenly thought my car was stolen," Sen said. "... I wasn't given a chance to explain myself or get clarity on what was happening."

She added, "I was sure I was going to die."

According to Sen, since that encounter, she avoids the police at all costs, and the trust she once had in them is now broken.

"According to LAPD's own statistics, approximately three-quarters of these suspected stolen vehicle stops are in fact not stolen," Brown alleged.

In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, Chief Michel Moore said, "As this is a matter of ongoing litigation, we will respond to these allegations in the appropriate setting."

But Moore defended the department's policies, saying its practices are "constitutional and represent efforts to protect the safety of everyone involved."

Brown said the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2014 that the LAPD's tactics violate the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution.

"I was treated as less than human that day. I was made to feel that my life had no value," Sen said. "I am sharing my story today because this horrible, damaging policy must go so that no other Angelenos has to endure that terrifying experience."