Suit by 41 current and former officers and others claims a code of silence is enforced by retaliation against those who report misconduct.
Officials decline to comment.
Among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is Officer John Goines, a veteran motorcycle officer who broke ranks with LAPD officials by saying in a deposition last month that he believed the March 1999 fatal shooting of Margaret Mitchell, a mentally ill homeless woman, was unwarranted. Since his comments became public, Goines has been harassed by other officers, including a supervisor, his attorney alleges. Other plaintiffs include officers who contend they were victims of retaliation for reporting incidents of excessive force, hostile work environment issues and other forms of police misconduct. Many of the plaintiffs said they were forced out of the LAPD because they reported police abuses to their supervisors. LAPD officials declined to comment on the lawsuit, citing the pending litigation.