A Los Angeles Police Department Captain who was removed as commander of the Foothill Division for allegedly failing to act against officers accused of using excessive force during a videotaped arrest has been demoted and assigned to the LAPD's Northeast Division.
Capt. Joseph Hiltner filed a complaint with the California Department of
"I have been demoted two substantial levels and transferred against my
will without cause,'' according to Hiltner's complaint, a copy of which was
obtained by the station. "I have and will continue to lose substantial
financial damages and extensive damage to my standing and reputation in my
workplace.''
Hiltner was removed from his command last week, with LAPD Chief Charlie
Beck saying Hiltner was "severely deficient in his response'' to an arrest
captured on surveillance video that appeared to show a handcuffed woman being thrown to the ground.
Hiltner is now working as the patrol commanding officer at the Northeast Division, which is below a division commander, according to the LA Daily News.
Michelle Jordan, a 34-year-old registered nurse from Sunland, was
stopped in a Del Taco parking lot near Foothill Boulevard and Saluda Avenue in
Tujunga around 11:15 a.m. Aug. 21 for allegedly using a cell phone while
driving.
Police said Jordan got out of her car and was taken to the ground and
handcuffed. After she was handcuffed, she was taken to the ground a second
time. The video shows one of the officers landing on top of her during the
second takedown.
Jordan was arrested and booked on suspicion of interfering and resisting
arrest, and then released on her own recognizance, police said.
The officers involved, one with 22-years of service and the other a
probationary officer with 10-months on the job, were reassigned to non-field
duties pending the outcome of the investigation, police said.
But Beck took more severe steps against Hiltner, removing him from
command of the station and initiating the process of demoting him.
"Proper steps were not taken, including appropriate notifications and
the removal of the involved officers from the field,'' Beck said.
Hiltner's attorney told Channel 4 the demotion was in response to his
involvement in an earlier, unrelated harassment case against another LAPD
captain who was eventually exonerated.
His assignment to Northeast comes at a time when the Division is facing abuse claims of its own. Brian Mulligan, a media executive for Deutsche Bank, has filed an abuse claim against LAPD, .
LAPD disputes Mulligan's story.
Also, this alleged cell phone violator is an RN. It's doubtful she's stupid enough to risk her nursing license & career by actually resisting arrest, let alone the fact that she's got a toddler! I'm thinking she was protesting the reason she was pulled over & perhaps taunted them or used a few choice words. That is no excuse for the police to flip out & body slam her like that. What would happen if these guys didn't have badges!? It would be criminal assault! What if other cops pulled over one of your wives or daughters and did that? Would you fist bump them for doing a good job? These officers must be held accountable for abusing their positions of authority as well as assaulting a handcuffed suspect. Perhaps let them be judged in a court of general population in county!