Sgt. Jim Parker of the Los Angeles Police Department, who briefly detained Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts several days ago, is being investigated for suspected racial profiling–and is now calling the inquiry “disgusting.”
Watts has been called out by several civil rights activists for “crying wolf” by pulling the race card. They have called for her to apologize to the LAPD for what they deem to be blatant lies, given evidence on audio tape of the encounter. However she has refused, while her publicist has revealed that she will take no further action in the case.
The LAPD’s leadership, however, seems to see things differently.
When Breitbart News initially spoke with a member of the Los Angeles Police Department’s media affairs team last week, we were told that they believed Watts had filed a complaint with the LAPD and requested an inquiry into her detention.
However, Sgt. Parker recently revealed that it was his own department that filed that complaint: “It’s very frustrating to learn Watts never filed a complaint but the department started its own complaint and no allegations have been framed yet,” said Sgt. Parker, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Two junior police officers are also being investigated along with Parker.
“This is what our department has become under current leadership. It’s disgusting,” Parker said. Parker, a senior veteran of the LAPD who is close to retirement, said he is worried about his two junior officers who have many years left ahead of them in the force. He said such an investigation would “taint” their careers, according to the Daily News.
“The younger officers are fearful. They’re under a lot of stress about what might happen. And it’s just because someone didn’t like the publicity from this at first,” Parker said.
An Internal Affairs email that was sent to Sgt. Parker read, “While no official allegations have been framed yet, we are looking at the following: Biased Policing; Conduct Unbecoming (language, media); unlawful detention; (unauthorized) Use of Force (related to the alleged injury to Watts arm); (and negligence) of Duty,” according to the New York Daily News.
LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck has stated that he supported the actions the officers took in handling the Watts case, and has also not ruled out criminal misdemeanor charges against Watts and her boyfriend Brian Lucas for engaging in public lewdness, notes the Reporter. Witnesses had reported seeing Watts engaged in a sexual act with Lucas in their car, during broad daylight, with her breasts exposed.
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter @AdelleNaz