The Los Angeles Police Department has faced outrage after leaked documents revealed that officers responsible for a botched fireworks detonation that destroyed 22 homes received relatively light disciplinary action. The explosion in 2021 on East 27th Street also damaged 13 businesses and 37 vehicles, injuring 17 people, including six civilians and 10 police officers.
An internal investigation was conducted but punishments were never made public. However, a hacking group targeting the city attorney's office leaked the documents. According to the Los Angeles Times, the harshest punishment was an 18-day suspension without pay for Detective Damien Levesque, the highest-ranking officer at the scene. Two other technicians, Stefanie Alcocer and Mell Hogg, received 10-day suspensions. All three were transferred off the bomb squad.
The investigation found that Levesque was "deficient in his supervisory duties" for failing to check the technicians' calculations and for walking away from safety discussions, which contributed to an excessive quantity of explosive material being detonated. One officer, Brendan McCarty, received a five-day suspension despite having tried to warn colleagues of the danger. Officials concluded he should have been more persistent.
Residents affected by the blast have long demanded that those responsible be dismissed. Maria Velasquez, whose home was destroyed, told the Los Angeles Times she had to stay in a hotel for three years. Ron Gochez, a member of the Union del Barrio neighbourhood advocacy group, said: "Whatever money they lost out on these [suspensions], they more than made up for with their raises." Several officers involved were later promoted.
The 10-day suspensions given to Hogg and Alcocer are similar to penalties for lesser infractions, such as an officer failing to disclose a relationship with a subordinate. Arturo Ceja III, the 26-year-old who bought the illegal fireworks, pleaded guilty to one count of unlicensed transportation of explosives from Nevada to California.
