Police union files lawsuit against website offering bounties to kill LAPD officers
The Los Angeles Police Protective League filed a lawsuit against the owner of the "Killer Cops" website after pictures, names and work locations of 9,000 officers were released to the public.
"Late last week, the LAPD mistakenly released the pictures, names and work locations of 9,000 officers through California Public Records Act requests, including those who work in sensitive assigned and undercover operations," according to a statement issued by the union.
According to the LAPPL, the owner of the website posted the "sensitive information" on the website and offered a bounty to anyone who killed an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department.
"This dangerous and abhorrent threat has further endangered every police officer, as well as their families, and we will be asking a judge to immediately intervene to protect our members," LAPPL President Craig Lally.
In addition to the lawsuit, the union issued a cease-and-desist notice on Twitter and Google seeking the immediate removal of the "killer cop" website from the platforms.
"We certainly hope that Twitter and Google act with a sense of urgency to remove this threatening domestic terrorism site," Robert Rico, general counsel of the LAPPL, said in a statement. "The colossal blunder perpetuated by the LAPD in releasing this sensitive information must be met with a zero-tolerance approach by these two social media companies, which should include a lifetime ban of the owner of this site."
The LAPPL also filed an internal affairs complaint against Police Chief Michel Moore as well as other LAPD and city personnel involved in the release of the officers' information.
The information was released after a watchdog organization, "Stop LAPD Spying Coalition," filed a public records lawsuit against the city. The claim challenged the LAPD's refusal to release basic personnel information, according to the organization. The coalition also launched Watch the Watchers, a website that publishes photos and other information related to sworn officers.
The ordeal frustrated Los Angeles Police Commission Board President William Briggs. He questioned how and why employees released sensitive information to the coalition.