George Floyd and Black Lives Matter protests across the US and world: Live updates

An effort is underway in Los Angeles to replace Los Angeles Police Department officers with unarmed, non-law enforcement agencies who will be responsible for responding to “non-violent calls of service,” Los Angeles City Council President Herb Wesson Jr. announced Tuesday.

Wesson, the first African American president of the Los Angeles City Council, said police have gone from part of the solution to part of the problem and “may not be best equipped” to respond to non-emergency situations.

“These calls need to be directed to workers with specialized training who are better equipped to handle the situation,” Wesson said. “My colleague Nury Martinez and I are calling for a systematic crisis-response plan to replace police presence in non-criminal situations with unarmed service providers including medical professionals, mental health workers, homeless outreach workers and others with specialized training.”

Read Wesson’s tweet about the motion:

Some background: At least seven Los Angeles police officers were removed from their field duties after using excessive force during recent protests, the police department told CNN on June 10.

The move comes as police across the nation have come under fire for violent responses to demonstrators protesting police brutality. Critics have pointed to the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and in several cases, physical actions as examples of excessive force.

“The Los Angeles Police Department continues to investigate allegations of misconduct, violations of Department policy, and excessive force during the recent civil unrest,” police said in a statement. 

The department has assigned 40 investigators to “look into every complaint thoroughly” and “hold every officer accountable for their actions,” the department said. Fifty-six complaints are currently being investigated, with 28 involving alleged uses of force, Los Angeles police said.