Santa Monica orders review of Police Department probe into school board member

Santa Monica city officials have ordered an independent review of the Police Department's conduct during an investigation of a school board member who witnessed a fight between two youths.

The decision came Tuesday after school board member Oscar de la Torre, a critic of the Police Department, accused the department of pursuing a politically motivated probe into an incident that occurred in March next to the Pico Youth & Family Center that he operates.

Following a four-month child endangerment investigation into De la Torre by Santa Monica police, the L.A. County district attorney's office last week declined to file charges against the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board member.

He had been suspected of child endangerment because he allegedly took too long to intervene in the fight, officials said.

The Los Angeles County Office of Independent Review, a civilian watchdog created by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to regularly monitor the Sheriff's Department, will produce the report, city officials said.

Santa Monica Police Chief Timothy Jackman requested that the office conduct the probe because it had done similar work in Inglewood and other cities. Jackman said it will review the De la Torre investigation for "legal and procedural perspectives to determine if it was handled properly and what if any changes in practice or procedures would be appropriate for the future."

Santa Monica detectives began their investigation into De la Torre after a cellphone video captured the school board member at the scene of a March fight between a Latino teenager and a black teenager in an alley next to the youth center. Police claimed he did not immediately step in to break up the fight.

De la Torre said he rushed to the scene of the potentially racially charged fight after it began. He has had prior run-ins with the Santa Monica Police Department, including being publicly criticized by a previous police chief for taking alleged gang members to a school campus.

Santa Monica police officials have defended the probe, saying in a statement that it was conducted to "ensure accountability for child safety" and noting it was a "fight involving two children where their personal safety was in danger and Mr. De la Torre was the only adult present."

Police officials said detectives followed normal procedures, including interviewing witnesses and obtaining a search warrant.

-- Richard Winton

Comments

[My Truth Hurts]

SHAKEDOWN

[citizen]

It took him all of 59 seconds too break up the fight. Sounds like Santa Monica PD is out to get this man for no good reason. I hope he sues the police.

[Ed]

SMPD spent FOUR MONTHS investigating a supposed delay in breaking up a SCHOOLYARD FIGHT?

Clearly, no real crimes have been committed in Santa Monica this year. (And how nice that SMPD gets to spend taxpayer dollars crushing anyone who irks them.)

[Carol]

Was it his responsibility to actually step between to the two boys and try to stop the fight, or simply call 911. Since when are civilians expected to break up fights?

[samo]

Delatorre is a joke! And come on SMPD, are you really wasting your time on this moron? Just ask around, there's a lot more dirt on this guy than a school fight. Delatorre, are you really accusing SMPD of pursuing a politically motivated probe? Come on dude, call it quits before other embarrassing incidents are revealed..

[Emily Hay]

The Santa Monica Police Dept. and it's DA are notorious for pursuing vendettas against anyone who criticizes them. The S.M. Police are known to taser, harass and jail homeless and mentally ill people without following appropriate medical and legal procedures and then that dept. and the DA's office intimidate anyone who could file a complaint or seek retribution for police brutality and excessive force. They will pursue Mr. Torres for his attempts to expose or complain about their tactics in this incident as well.