Council rejects ban on LAPD weapons

'Less lethal' launchers of projectiles and tear gas at ICE protests drew criticism.

- SANDRA MCDONALD AND LIBOR JANY

CARLIN STIEHL Los Angeles Times LAPD officers fire flash-bang grenades during a "No Kings" protest on June 14.

The Los Angeles City Council voted against a proposal on Tuesday that would have prohibited police from using weapons that launch hard-foam projectiles and tear gas, amid lingering concerns about their deployment at protests last summer.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the council decided against approving the proposal 8 to 4, with three council members absent.

Addressing his colleagues on Tuesday, ordinance backer Hugo Soto-Martinez said he felt extra restrictions were justified because Los Angeles Police Department officers seemed to be deploying the weapons in ways that violated state law, court orders and the department’s own policies.

Videos from the protests over the federal immigration crackdown that roiled the city last summer revealed “documented verified evidence of military equipment being used in ways that should make everyone on this body pause,” he said.

He noted that on one day alone in early June, LAPD officers fired more than 1,000 foam projectiles — appearing to fire indiscriminately into crowds of protesters with weapons that are meant to target specific individuals.