The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is currently conducting an investigation into claims of hazing and sexual assault within its football team that allegedly occurred in 2009. According to an unidentified LAPD detective, who recently filed a lawsuit against the city, he was subjected to these acts in the locker room after a football practice during his rookie year. The detective initially reported the allegations to the L.A. Police Commission’s inspector in March of this year, which led to the filing of the lawsuit.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore stated that all employees, whether on-duty or off-duty, are expected to uphold the same standards of conduct. He assured that if the investigation reveals any truth to these allegations, those responsible will be held accountable. The LAPD’s Centurions football team, which is part of the department’s athletic program and usually competes against other law enforcement departments, is at the center of this investigation.
According to the lawsuit, the detective joined the team in 2009 after being advised by a supervisor that it would benefit his career. On the day of the alleged incident, as the detective was leaving the field after a weekend practice, rookies were reportedly instructed to gather in a locker room. Around 10 to 15 rookies, including the detective, were then called into another area where they were subjected to hazing.
The detective claimed that he faced at least 30 officers who ordered him to strip naked and subjected him to insults and liquids being thrown at him. Additionally, he alleged that one of his Centurion teammates inserted an object, likely a water or beer bottle, into his backside. The detective was also ordered to climb into a trash bin filled with ice water while enduring further insults about his body. One officer intervened and told the detective, “You’re one of us now,” pulling him away from the group.
Out of fear of retribution, the detective did not publicly speak out about the incident. However, he confided in at least two close friends, expressing his guilt, shame, and humiliation. His attorney, Michael Morrison, stated that his client has carried the emotional burden of the alleged assault, feeling trapped in a situation he could not escape without endangering himself. Recently, the detective encountered one of the alleged suspects, who expressed shock that the detective had never spoken up about the incident.
The statute of limitations for criminal charges has expired, but the civil case filed by the detective alleges assault, negligence, and emotional distress resulting in post-traumatic stress syndrome. The detective left the team in 2009 due to an injury that prevented him from continuing to play.
In conclusion, the LAPD is taking the allegations of hazing and sexual assault within its football team from 2009 seriously. The investigation aims to hold accountable those responsible for these acts if they are found to be true. The detective who filed the lawsuit has endured significant emotional trauma since the incident and hopes for justice through the civil case.
