On Wednesday, famed civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump is set to join co-counsel Bradley C. Gage and Mark T. Harris in a news conference to announce a lawsuit filed against the city of Beverly Hills and Captain Scott Dowling of the Beverly Hills Police Department over what is known as “Operation Safe Streets” and “Rodeo Drive Task Force.”
The program, which Dowling was in charge of from March 1, 2020, to this past July 1, was purported to be a way to keep the crime down in the area, according to local radio station KFI 640. However, the suit claims it was really just another excuse by law enforcement to engage in large-scale racial profiling.
According to a press release sent to NewsOne, the lawsuit alleges that “based on information and belief, the task force arrested 106 people of whom 105 were African American and one was Latino.”
The news release also states that the BHPD has a “lengthy and documented history of racial profiling,” and that under Dowling’s leadership, Black people and people of color were routinely arrested without probable cause and for petty offenses like roller skating or riding a scooter on unauthorized streets and for jaywalking steps away from a crosswalk.
In fact, according to KFI, two Black people who were visiting Beverly Hills in September last year, Jasmine Williams and Khalil White, recently filed a class-action lawsuit against the city and the police department claiming they were wrongfully arrested while protesting “Operation Safe Streets” and “the unlawful detention and citing the continuous racial targeting of individuals of color,” according to the suit which also alleges that “while African-Americans as a class were arrested for such actions” like roller skating and jaywalking, “Caucasians who engaged in the same actions were not arrested.”
The low-level violation that Salehe Bembury, the vice president of Sneakers and Men’s Footwear for Versace, admitted to committing prompted police to demand his ID in an interaction for which bodycam video was later publicly released.
In that instance, Crump posted the bodycam video and asked, “Would they have treated a jogging white woman in Beverly Hills the same way?”
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116 Black Men And Boys Killed By Police
114 photosLaunch gallery
2. Ryan LeRoux, 21
he was only 21 years old, he refused to leave a parking lot and they shot him 24 times. his name was ryan leroux, we need to get him justice. pic.twitter.com/0C63gketSS
Demetrius Stanley was murdered by plain clothes police officers two nights ago. They came in an unmarked van and were stalking the outside of Demetrius’ family home. He went outside to check and they shot him from inside their car. They never ID themselves. #ripmeech#blackpowerpic.twitter.com/qYL1GHNsho
— B.L.A.C.K. Outreach (@blackoutreachsj) June 2, 2021
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5. Ashton Pinke, 27
27-year old Ashton Pinke was shot-and-killed by Mesquite Police Department officers, today. Investigators report he charged with a “knife and a club” following a 911 hang-up call by a screaming woman. Family members question the report. Our full story airs on @FOX4 at 9/10. pic.twitter.com/SD2AAK76p3
At 5 @wsbtv: the family of 35 year old Matthew Williams are demanding that body camera footage of his shooting death be released. Dekalb police shot & killed Williams at his home Monday. They say he lunged at officers with a knife. Family say he was running away from officers pic.twitter.com/Ky4ssoYTFp
JUSTICE FOR MCHALE ROSE! Mchale was killed by 4 officers within hours of the killing of Dreasjon Reed. Because of this, his story has gotten clouded and we need awareness! Mchale was a personal friend of mine and the sweetest boy ever. He & his family deserve justice! pic.twitter.com/SutjQn4fjy
Xzavier Hill’s family deserves justice. Virginia laws do not require the VSP to release footage, nor to wear body cameras. He was 18, and his whole life was ahead of him.
An attorney who has represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor says he is now working for the family of Andre’ Hill, the man killed by a Columbus police officer early Tuesday.https://t.co/9yXaqYKHfu
Joshua Feast was fatally shot in the BACK by La Marque PD officer Jose Santos as he was running away, posing no threat. Witnesses report Santos refused to render aid to Joshua after shooting him AND then kicked his body, already debilitated by the bullet. #JusticeForJoshuaFeastpic.twitter.com/zO46PCsGzO
25. Marcellis Stinnette, teen killed by police in Waukegan, Illinois
Source:Twitter
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26. Jonathan Price
The Texas police officer who fatally shot Jonathan Price has been arrested and charged with murder. His bail has been set at 1 million dollars. I’m glad. RIP Jonathan, rest in power. pic.twitter.com/Mw5GMQX0Eb
The killing of Daniel Prude by Rochester police officers is unacceptable, and we need real answers for why this happened and why it took so long to come out.
Trained medical professionals should respond to mental health crises, not armed officers. pic.twitter.com/EPhH9inn1x
This is #DijonKizzee, 29 yrs old and shot and killed by LA Sheriffs after being stopped for a bike violation. Cops handcuffed his lifeless body. While police investigations can drag on for months/years, cops have already claimed he ran away, and dropped clothes and a gun. #BLMpic.twitter.com/pM6mQfWLeQ
in an attempt to disperse crowds, #DavidMcAtee, a louisville bbq chef known for serving cops free meals, was shot and killed by the police last night. he was unarmed. not only were the officers’ bodycams off, but they also left his body on the street for 12 hours. say his name. pic.twitter.com/kqOPku8iuQ
Montgomery County Police Tweet Video Of Cop Shooting Finan H. Berhe In Maryland https://t.co/HzNV24ZpZB
— World Congress 🌎 On Faith & Justice (@JMcCorrySpeaks) May 9, 2020
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37. Sean Reed
Source:Twitter
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38. Steven Demarco Taylor
Source:S. Lee Merritt
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39. Ariane McCree
Source:The Herald/YouTube
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41. Miles Hall
Source:KRON4
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42. Darius Tarver
Source:S. Lee Merritt
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43. William Green
They murdered my cousin. How do you have someone in handcuffs and in a seat belt and shoot them multilpe times.All cops aren’t bad but those were. I will fight with the last breath in me for justice. William Green was a family man, a working man. Funny. Loving. Love and miss you. pic.twitter.com/PhM3a6C7uj
This is a 2019 mugshot of the murder suspect Cobb police shot & killed today. Samuel Mallard, 19, was previously arrested for impersonating officers a half dozen times. In the 2020 case, the GBI says he’s involved in a murder/robbery. CCPD says there are other suspects. @wsbtvhttps://t.co/7EfuVQLmNBpic.twitter.com/ttWg5HjFkj
Former Officer Robert Olsen killed Anthony Hill over four years ago and was finally convicted (not of murder). Will get get the Amber Guyger treatment? #AnthonyHillhttps://t.co/HZVf3tOEOL
Two lawyers representing the estate of 54-year-old Eric Logan, who was shot and killed by a South Bend police officer, have sued that officer, Sgt. Ryan O’Neill and Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
This is Jaquavion Slaton, the 20-year-old who was was shot & killed by Fort Worth Police on Sunday. Community demanding release of body camera video, but FWPD hasn’t said when/if that will happen. #WFAApic.twitter.com/iakQyWrRCl
Patrick Harmon was shot and killed by police in Salt Lake City, Utah. The district attorney says the shooting was “legally justified.” pic.twitter.com/zYBOwlTzRb