LAPD fireworks – Leaked internal affairs files show LAPD bomb squad members received brief suspensions after a 2021 fireworks detonation destroyed homes and injured dozens, sparking calls for accountability.
Leaked internal‑affairs documents reveal that the LAPD bomb squad members involved in the 2021 fireworks explosion faced only short suspensions, reigniting public demands for tougher discipline.
The 2021 East 27th Street Blast
Disciplinary Fallout and Public Outcry
The disciplinary pattern raises questions about how the LAPD evaluates risk‑taking errors.. Internal investigators described Levesque as “deficient in his supervisory duties” for failing to verify his team’s calculations. yet the punishment barely exceeds the standard for routine infractions such as a minor use‑of‑force violation.. By contrast, officers who physically endanger civilians often face longer suspensions or termination.. The disparity suggests a cultural tolerance for technical mishaps within specialized units. where the consequences are measured in property damage rather than direct violence.
Misryoum’s release of the files also sheds light on the state’s transparency law. which obliges agencies to disclose records when officers cause severe injury.. The law, passed in 2021, aims to curb secretive personnel files that shield misconduct.. Yet the LAPD continues to cite privacy protections to withhold details, arguing that officer identities fall under strict confidentiality.. The leaked documents circumvent that shield, offering a rare glimpse into the decision‑making process that typically remains hidden.
Residents still feel the sting of the blast.. Maria Velasquez, whose family home was destroyed, shouted, “Eighteen freaking days?!” when she learned of Levesque’s suspension.. Her parents. now elderly. have spent three years in a hotel while waiting for rebuilding permits. and a portion of their settlement goes toward rent.. The emotional toll extends beyond dollars; displaced families grapple with lingering trauma each time a siren wails down East 27th Street.
When placed alongside other police disciplinary cases, the LAPD’s response appears unusually lenient.. In 2020. a Chicago police officer who fired an errant shot into a crowd received a 30‑day suspension. while a New York bomb‑squad mishap involving a faulty explosive device led to a two‑month unpaid leave.. Those incidents, though less destructive, prompted broader policy reviews.. The comparatively mild penalties in Los Angeles suggest a need for a unified standard that reflects the scale of harm caused. not just the nature of the error.
Nationally, several cities have revised bomb‑squad protocols after similar accidents.. After a 2018 explosion in Seattle that damaged a storefront, the department instituted mandatory third‑party safety audits.. Such reforms have reduced accidental detonations by 40 % in the following two years, according to a municipal safety report.. Los Angeles could benefit from comparable oversight, especially given the city’s dense housing and frequent illegal fireworks seizures.
Looking ahead. community groups are petitioning the city council to amend the transparency law. demanding that any officer involved in a disaster that injures civilians face a public disciplinary record.. Legal experts warn that continued secrecy may invite federal investigations under civil rights statutes.. If pressure mounts. the LAPD may be forced to adopt stricter disciplinary guidelines. expand external safety reviews. and provide victims with clearer avenues for restitution.