TORRANCE, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the City of Torrance are working with the Torrance Police Department to address bigoted text messages exchanged between officers and implement reforms to “advance public safety,” according to the Attorney General’s website.
The agreement follows a request from the Torrance chief of police after discovering racist messages exchanged among officers. Bonta launched an independent review in response to the racist texts and broader concerns about excessive force.
The offensive messages, exchanged by more than a dozen officers, were uncovered during a 2021 investigation. Two former Torrance officers had previously been charged with felony vandalism for spray-painting a swastika on an impounded car. That investigation revealed “racist, homophobic, and antisemitic messages,” according to the Attorney General’s office.
Police Chief Jeremiah “Jay” Hart requested state assistance to reform the department, prompting the California DOJ to initiate an independent review to identify “systemic failures” in policing practices. Bonta said, “Where there is evidence of potentially pervasive bias or discrimination, it can undermine the trust that is critical for public safety and our justice system.”
Under the agreement, the department will undergo “a comprehensive set of reforms” overseen by an independent monitor to address the discriminatory conduct and “to improve TPD’s organizational health and its relationship with the community,” according to the Attorney General’s office.
Interim Police Chief Robert Dunn said implementing the reforms “will significantly improve our department, through better policies and practices, modern technology to track performance, and enhanced transparency.” He added that the changes will help keep the community “safe and secure.”
“Change does not happen overnight and requires the support of personnel and budget; we are committed to working together with the DOJ to improve our police department,” said Torrance Mayor George K. Chen. To address the concerns, the DOJ and City of Torrance established a five-year plan to promote accountability and reform.
One element of the five-year plan is to strengthen systems for setting professional standards, according to the Attorney General’s website. The Torrance Police Department will engage in data analysis to improve policing operations and will “redesign its Early Intervention System” to better identify misconduct.
The plan also includes independent external oversight through city and community stakeholders. The Attorney General’s office said the oversight will “ensure that there is transparency, accountability, and engagement with the community.”
The department will also work to address the “need for fair and impartial policing” by recognizing and responding to bias. The process will aim to ensure that enforcement approaches do not include targeting or result in disparate impacts.
In response to allegations of excessive force following the DOJ’s investigation, improving use-of-force policies is also part of the five-year plan. Field tactic training and use-of-force protocols will be revised to align with correct practices.
The final component of the plan focuses on organizational health. According to the Attorney General’s office, “TPD will expand its employee wellness resources, identify and address barriers to access, and work to improve the department’s culture around mental health and wellness more generally.”
Bonta has emphasized the importance of restoring trust between law enforcement and the community as a way to increase public safety. He previously reached a settlement agreement with the City of Vallejo to improve police practices and announced the successful conclusion of DOJ oversight of the San Francisco Police Department.
Bonta is also conducting investigations into alleged discriminatory conduct within the Antioch Police Department, excessive force within the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, and conditions of confinement in jail facilities operated by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.
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