Former LAPD Police Chief Darryl Gates Dead at 83: Batterram Video Adequately Commemorates Him

We wouldn't be representing Los Angeles properly if we didn't acknowledge that former Police Chief Darryl Gates died of complications from bladder cancer yesterday. Gates joined the LAPD in 1949 and then later reigned as L.A.'s Police Chief for 14 years (1978-1992). He founded S.W.A.T-- Special Weapons and Tactics teams to handle hostages and high-risk situations. He also created DARE-- Drug Abuse Resistance Education, a drug resistance program targeting L.A.'s youth, and CRASH-- Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums, his response to L.A.'s gang problems. CRASH was immortalized in the 1988 film, Colors. To his credit, many of his strategies and programs have been adopted nationwide and are still in effect today.

Unfortunately, Gates is best remembered for his aggressive policing of black and latino men-- and his response, or lack thereof, to the notorious 1992 L.A. Riots during which more than 50 people died and hundreds of buildings were torched. And, let's not leave out the infamous Rodney King beating and the officers who were acquitted even after the infamous video proof of the beating. The video was the catalyst to the infamous trial and the riots were a result of the acquittals. Oooh, were black folks pissed! Gates could never live down the bad reputation of his force after this took place.

Gates was notorious for his "old school", or in other words, racist behavior and commentary, which is why in the 90's he became a lyrical target of rappers like Ice Cube. As an example of his attitude towards blacks, he was quoted as saying, "the physiology of black people was different than that of "normal" people." This in defense of the use of the chokehold after it caused the death of a black male suspect.

Well, we feel that pretty much sums things up. If you lived in L.A. in the 80's and 90's you know what's up. Especially, if you are black. Remember, the batteram? Another one of Gate's anti-drug and gang tactics used to literally bust through and as a result destroy the homes of suspected drug dealers. The problem with it was sometimes there was no drug dealing. Just a poor grandma taking care of 5 grandkids on her social security. The song Batterram by rapper Toddy Tee says it all. Check it out, below.

Oh-- and, may Darryl Gates rest in riot.... oops! we mean peace.



vid clip via YouTube