The city of Beverly Hills has firmly denied new claims of racial bias among its police officers who are working to combat crime in the affluent area.
This response comes after a press conference held by attorneys Benjamin Crump and Bradley Gage, where they announced that two officers from the Los Angeles Police Department had alleged that they were victims of racial profiling while driving in Beverly Hills.
Two years ago, the attorneys filed a proposed class-action lawsuit challenging the racially discriminatory stop, search, and arrest practices of the Beverly Hills Police Department.
The civil rights complaint claims that arrests made in Beverly Hills between August 30, 2019, and August 30, 2021 disproportionately targeted Black individuals intentionally. The plaintiffs argue that the number of arrests far exceeded the percentage of Black people in both the city and state. There was even a two-month period during which 90% of those arrested in Beverly Hills were Black, despite the city’s Black population being only 1.95%.
In response, the city of Beverly Hills stated, “We vigorously defend this case and reject the portrayal of the facts and evidence presented today. Beverly Hills is a global destination that warmly welcomes visitors from all over the world and the United States. The Beverly Hills Police Department is committed to upholding the law impartially, regardless of race. We eagerly anticipate presenting our case in court.”
The lawsuit, filed in 2021, was brought forth by Jasmine Williams and Khalil White, a couple hailing from Philadelphia who were arrested by the Beverly Hills police during a visit in September 2020, as outlined in the pending complaint in the Los Angeles federal court.
At the time of their arrest, the couple was riding a scooter together on the sidewalk, which violates a city ordinance. However, prosecutors declined to press charges against them, according to the lawsuit.
In a development that may expand the scope of the lawsuit, Gage disclosed on Friday that two Black officers from the LAPD have come forward, stating that they were pulled over without valid cause by the Beverly Hills police while driving unmarked vehicles. Additional details were not immediately available.
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