The departments were also criticized for not planning protests, despite evidence that they would be large. In Los Angeles, “the lack of adequate planning and preparation made the Department reactive, rather than proactive”, inhibiting the police’s ability to control violence by small groups of people.
As with the protests in Washington, DC, on January 6 that culminated in the Capitol rebellion, the police also failed to understand how furious the people were, in some cases because they lacked resources dedicated to the intelligence and outreach that would put them in better contact with their communities.
“The American police were simply not prepared for the challenge they faced in terms of planning, logistics, training and supervising police command and control,” said Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, a non-profit organization that advises departments on management and tactics.
Police departments in some cities fought against the findings, arguing that police officers were asked to stand up to undisciplined crowds that lit fires, smashed shop windows and sometimes attacked the police. Business owners, downtown residents and elected leaders demanded a strong response against protesters who were often never held accountable, police said.
“Blaming the police departments and ignoring the criminals who used the protests as cover for planned and coordinated violence almost guarantees a repeat of the chaos we saw last summer,” said Patrick J. Lynch, president of the Benevolent Police Association in New York City.
‘Warrior’ vs. ‘guardian’
On May 29, Indianapolis police showed up with helmets, face shields, reinforced vests and batons. Protesters told investigators that this “made the police appear militarized and ready for battle”.
At a peaceful protest in Chicago on May 30, a protester later told the inspector general’s office that the mood changed when the police arrived. “They were dressed in shock clothes,” said the protester. He added: “They already had batons in their hands.”