A Los Angeles City Council president is demanding answers after security cameras captured two Burbank police officers dropping off a homeless man near his office this week and allegedly driving him over as he lay on the ground.
On June 6, Councilman Paul Gregorian released a video of two uniformed officers arriving on the street in North Hollywood, handcuffing an unidentified man from their marked vehicle, untying him and then driving him to the ground. On all fours.
The barefooted man is seen lying on the floor on his stomach.
“It’s cruel, inhumane and fundamentally irresponsible,” Gregorian said at a press conference on Friday.
Gregorian said his office staff were able to locate the man and get him medical attention after giving them security footage.
The councilor said he was angry that officers did not make any effort to help the man.
“Without doing any help to this person, without determining if anyone could provide services to this person, they dumped him in North Hollywood,” Gregorian said.
Councilor Burbank went to the mayor’s office about the incident. The city said the Burbank Police Department is “conducting a thorough investigation.”
“We do not take this concern lightly, as the City of Burbank’s top priority is to provide our homeless residents with the support and resources they need to transition from the streets to stable and safe living conditions,” Burbank Mayor Nick Schultz said in a statement. Friday.
Gregorian said his office determined the man sought medical treatment at a hospital in Burbank, and hospital staff called police when he allegedly became unruly.
The Burbank Police Department released more details about the encounter officers had with the man.
Officers responded around 8:45 a.m. PT Thursday to a man sitting naked at a bus stop at Buena Vista Street and Alameda Avenue, just outside Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, according to police.
When officers met the man, he refused to hand over the clothes because he had his own clothes, police allege.
The man told officers he was homeless and had been taken to the hospital from the Sunland-Tujunga area, police said.
“The individual stated that he had injured his leg several years ago and officers learned that he had voluntarily left the hospital prior to officers’ arrival. Upon investigation, the individual refused any medical service(s),” Burbank Pt. In a statement.
Police allege that “in order to obtain the individual’s cooperation in getting dressed, officers offered to drive the individual to a location of his choosing,” and he eventually got dressed.
At first, the man was allegedly transported to the Sunland-Tujunga area, but later agreed to be transported to the Metro Red Line in North Hollywood, police said.
During the ride, the man asked to be let out for coffee, police said.
“Officers immediately complied with his request and removed the individual from the patrol vehicle,” Burbank PD said in a statement.
Police said they are examining all evidence in the incident, including body-worn cameras and witness statements. They thanked Gregorian for bringing it to their attention.
The councilor urged law enforcement to better focus on dealing with the ongoing crisis of homeless individuals.
“If you see this happening on a random security camera, it’s often happening when we’re not looking at it,” he said.
