LA Times- Rodney King Riots 25 Years Later
When the video of Los Angeles
police officers beating Rodney G. King shocked the world 25 years ago,
the baton quickly became a symbol of law enforcement abuse.
The
grainy black and white images showed a group of LAPD officers
delivering 56 crunching blows to the African American motorist.
Back then, the 2-foot solid piece of aluminum was an essential tool
in the police officer's arsenal. In 1990, Los Angeles police officers
used their batons 741 times during force incidents, more than any other
weapon.
But the infamous video marked the beginning of the end for
the baton's reign. By 2015, LAPD officers used their batons just 54
times.
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