The Los Angeles City Council president is demanding answers after surveillance cameras caught two Burbank Police officers reportedly dropping off a homeless man outside his office and driving away while he was lying on the ground this week.
Councilman Paul Krekorian revealed video footage of the two uniformed officers pulling up to the street in North Hollywood on June 6, handcuffing the unidentified man, uncuffing him, and driving away as he seemed to get on all fours.
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Afterwards, we see the man, who was barefoot, lying on his stomach on the ground.
“This was callus cruel, inhumane, and fundamentally irresponsible,” Krekorian told reporters at a news conference on Friday.
Krekorian claimed his office staff was able to locate the individual and provide him with medical care after receiving the camera footage.
The councilman expressed his displeasure that the officers made no attempt to assist the man.
“Without giving any aid to this person, without determining if anyone could provide services to him, they dumped him in North Hollywood,” stated Krekorian.
The councilman contacted the Burbank mayor’s office about the event. According to the city, the Burbank Police Department “is conducting an in-depth investigation.”
“We do not take this concern lightly, as the City of Burbank’s foremost priority is to provide our unhoused residents with the support and resources necessary to transition from the streets into stable and secure living conditions,” Burbank Mayor Nick Schultz stated in a statement on Friday afternoon.
According to Krekorian, his office established that the man sought medical treatment at a hospital in Burbank, and hospital staff called the police when he allegedly got disruptive.
The Burbank Police Department has provided more information regarding the officers’ encounter with the individual.
Officers responded to a call around 8:45 a.m. PT on Thursday about a guy sitting naked at a bus stop on Buena Vista Street and Alameda Avenue, right outside Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, according to police.
When the cops approached the individual, he refused an offer of clothing because he already had his own, according to authorities.
According to authorities, the individual claimed to be homeless and had been carried to the hospital from the Sunland-Tujunga area.
“The guy claimed he had a leg injury from many years ago, and officers discovered he had left the hospital voluntarily before their arrival.” Upon inquiry, the individual declined any medical service(s),” the Burbank Police Department stated.
The police claimed that in order “to gain cooperation for the individual to put on clothing, the officers offered to drive the individual to a place of his choosing, and that he eventually dressed.
Authorities claim that the person first asked for transportation to the Sunland-Tujunga neighborhood before consenting to a ride to the Metro Red Line in North Hollywood.
The authorities reported that the man requested permission to get coffee during the ride.
“The officers immediately complied with his request, pulled over, and let the individual out of the patrol vehicle,” the Burbank Police Department stated in a statement.
The police said they are evaluating all information from the event, including body-worn cameras and witness testimony. They praised Krekorian for bringing this to their attention.
The councilman emphasized that law enforcement should take better care while dealing with the ongoing situation of unhoused people.
“If you see it happening on a random security camera, chances are it’s happening a lot more often at times when we don’t see it,” he stated.
