LAPD launches internal investigation into Valentine’s Day-themed image with George Floyd and the phrase ‘You take my breath away’

The post in question was described to CNN by an LAPD official as using an image of Floyd with the phrase “You take my breath away.” Floyd died last May after repeatedly telling an officer “I can’t breathe” while the officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.

In a series of tweets On Saturday evening, the LAPD announced that it was launching an internal investigation into the image, claiming to have “zero tolerance for this type of behavior”.

“We do not know the source of this image, whether on social media, in an email or in some other form. It is not known at this time whether the image was from an original source outside of the LAPD, ”said Capt Stacy Spell. CNN.

LAPD internal affairs officials said they would be interviewing staff on Monday to learn more about the circumstances surrounding the post, including when and where the person saw him and who is in charge, the official told CNN. It is not known whether these talks took place.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office also announced that it would review the incident to “determine whether the integrity of any of our cases may have been compromised by biased police work,” the District Attorney George Gascón in a statement.

“Celebrating the murder of a black man at the hands of the police demonstrates a profound lack of humanity. The fake Valentine’s Day underscores the highly problematic and downright racist perceptions that permeate the law enforcement culture of the communities we have sworn to protect and serve, ”Gascón said.

Floyd’s family said they were furious and devastated by the news of the image being released and called for the immediate firing of the person responsible for it, according to attorney Ben Crump.

“The Floyd family are understandably outraged. It goes beyond insult plus hurt – it’s hurt plus death. The kind of harshness and cruelty in a person’s soul is necessary to do something like this is beyond comprehension – and points to a much larger problem within LAPD culture. We demand that everyone involved be held accountable for their outrageous behavior and that an apology be made immediately to the LAPD. family, ”Crump said in a statement.

Activists also gathered outside an LAPD station on Monday to demand the dismissal of officers involved in sharing the message.

“Any LAPD mocking the death of George Floyd must be stopped immediately,” Los Angeles activist Najee Ali said at a press conference. “They don’t deserve to wear the LAPD uniform.”

The union representing LAPD officers is also calling for those involved to be held accountable.

“The Los Angeles Police Protection League rejects this odious image and anyone associated with its creation, dissemination or passive observation,” the union said in a statement. “If this image was created, ‘liked’ or shared by a member of the LAPD, the chief of police must act quickly to hold these people to account. There must be zero tolerance for this behavior in our profession, and Any police officer who feels the need to be part of any online group that engages, promotes and / or celebrates this type of activity should quickly rethink their career choice as they clearly lack the judgment, nor the temperament, to be a member of the police. “