Outrage, disappointment over police officer who allegedly lied about being shot
School and police officials expressed outrage and disappointment on Friday over allegations that Los Angeles School Police Department Officer Jeff Stenroos lied about being shot by an assailant outside El Camino Real High School last week.
Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Ramon Cortines issued an apology, noting that the shooting case caused thousands of students to be under lockdown for hours.
"On behalf of the thousands of dedicated professionals that comprise the Los Angeles Unified School District, I would like to apologize to the public for the hoax that was perpetrated by a rogue officer of the Los Angeles School Police," Cortines said in a statement. "Thousands of people were inconvenienced by the actions of this one man. I want to again apologize to everyone who was alarmed, who worked long hours and who were adversely affected by his actions."
Cortines said the LAUSD has relieved Stenroos of duty and begun the process of firing him.
"Although Jeff Stenroos was an eight-year veteran of the Los Angeles School Police, his actions in no way reflect the professionalism and integrity of the men and women who protect and serve this District every day," he added.
Paul M. Weber, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said Stenroos was a "disgrace."
"The law enforcement community is disgusted," Weber said in a statement. "While Mr. Stenroos is a disgrace to the badge, his individual and dangerous actions should not reflect on the hard-working men and women in law enforcement."
Police announced Thursday that Stenross' story of being shot was a concocted. Stenroos has been booked on a felony charge of filing a false police report, and was released on $20,000 bail Friday morning.
Police had said Stenroos was shot in the chest Jan. 19 after he confronted a man who was attempting to break into vehicles near the eastern boundary of the El Camino Real High School campus. Stenroos' bulletproof vest absorbed the impact of a single gunshot, which Los Angeles Police Department officials said could easily have killed the officer.
The incident sparked a massive police response that inconvenienced thousands of people for the day as officers blocked roads, locked down schools and refused to let people in or out of a 7-square-mile area.
Authorities arrested Stenroos after he allegedly admitted to fabricating the story, a senior LAPD official close to the investigation told The Times.
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-- Richard Winton, Joel Rubin and Andrew Blankstein
Shouldn't the first clue have been that the guy had no bruise on his chest?
Posted by: zygion | January 28, 2011 at 11:07 AM
Let's Have A Look, Shall We?
An 8 year veteran, that makes him about 30 years old?
Can he collect his pension now under special circumstances?
After all, the "Bell 8" are going to get their pensions...
Sad when the politicians hand the keys to the kingdom to the unions just to get re-elected...
~ ~ ~
Posted by: IndianJoe | January 28, 2011 at 11:09 AM
Loser.
Posted by: Criminy | January 28, 2011 at 11:18 AM
A caller to a talk show the other day said her mother, who was employed by the school where the shooting took place, told her the "cop" was a well-known philanderer and was having an affair with more than one teacher/employee even though he is married. This might explain the bullet being from a jilted husband/boyfriend and why the "cop" wouldn't tell the real cops the truth.
Posted by: Mel Melman | January 28, 2011 at 11:23 AM
That's hilarious!
Posted by: quaranteen | January 28, 2011 at 11:26 AM
What an idiot! Did he shoot himself on accident and try and cover it up? Or did he do it on purpose?? Either way I'm glad they foiled his crime and arrested him, jail time is appropiate and obviously some mental heatlh evaluation.
Kudos to the LAPD for getting to the bottom of this and exposing this crooked cop for what he is.
This just goes to show that the cops DON'T lie for each other and cover up for each other. The cops turned their own in for lying and doing wrong.
If we had other professions do that this world would be so much better off.
Posted by: u know | January 28, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Is he or is he not going to get to keep his pension?
Posted by: EH | January 28, 2011 at 11:32 AM
THE REPORTERS ARE GETTING INFO FROM ANOTHER SOURCE AND DON'T BOTHER TO CLARIFY THE STORY OR ASK FOR MISSING DETAILS.
NEARLY EVERY STORY HAS THE SAME FAULTS.
NO INITIATIVE.
Posted by: parker | January 28, 2011 at 11:34 AM
I am a Policeman, 16 years of it in one of the meanest areas of Los Angeles, and I believe in the truth as do the vast majority of those I have worked with. I am furious with this clown the same as all of you, but one has to wonder why a person might lie and why a liar was allowed to be in a position of public trust.
First of all, please don’t condemn all Police Officers for the actions of a few bad ones. Whether its politicians lying, the police or just a guy breaking his back loading trucks, there are liars amongst all of us in every job: after all jobs are staffed by humans.
That being said, persons selected for a position of such trust should be done so carefully. Over my years I have watched as hiring standards have been seemingly reduced to nothing more than a questionnaire and the rush to put more Police on the street has meant less than thorough back grounds with quality being sacrificed for quantity. Traditionally, law enforcement was attractive to men like me who believe in putting real bad men away, and who are well aware that the job is not going to make us rich; that’s not why we took the job. Most of us came from public service families, military or simply had the drive to rid the streets of criminals.
When you put people of lower IQ, integrity and work ethic in positions that require a high degree of those, you are destined for failure. You cannot select a person based on the political correct reasons of today’s selection processes without sacrificing. If this continues, by some future point in time, all those who occupy these positions will be grossly substandard as per the original selection criteria.
I am tired of watching clowns like this make the rest of us look stupid by covering up for their own dumb mistakes, and although the details are not yet out, I’m sure they will be ridiculously stupid. I think that Chief Beck calling the press conference and immediately informing the public should show that we are doing our best to reveal the truth.
Posted by: Dan | January 28, 2011 at 11:36 AM
any story that has los angeles school in it you know you'll just shake your head in disbelief. be it la school teachers, admin., police or students
Posted by: schlock | January 28, 2011 at 11:36 AM
His actions absolutely reflect on the integrity of every man and women who is trusted to protect and serve.
Posted by: Rob | January 28, 2011 at 11:36 AM
chuck:
he did get shot, they are just sure by whom....
Posted by: yanges | January 28, 2011 at 11:37 AM
Hmmm... so what ever happened to all that 'one for all, and all for one' mentality of the law enforcement industry. I think it would be appropriate to let everyone on the force pony up an equal share (out of their own pocket) to cover the wasted time/money.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, some sort of rudimentary screening process would likely weed out most of these little clowns before they're hired in the first place. Some pre employment basic training and ongoing managerial oversight would also go a long way.
Posted by: Bob | January 28, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Could this have been some sort of secret drill? The overboard reaction to the shooting was strange enough but now the story doesn't make any sense whatsoever. They took the guy to the hospital... nobody noticed that he wasn't shot until today? Not even doctors? How is this a "hoax".
Posted by: Jack | January 28, 2011 at 11:39 AM
the punishment?
early retirement
with Full pension and UNION benefits
Posted by: bruce | January 28, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Not all cops are like Jeff Stanroos, but far more like him exist in the LAPD ranks than they will admit.
Posted by: Dad | January 28, 2011 at 11:45 AM
How was he shot? Did he shoot his own vest and then put it on afterwards?
Giant gaping hole in the story of this idiot!
Posted by: KE | January 28, 2011 at 11:46 AM
What a joke, if it were me I would consider suicide. Your life is meaningless.
Posted by: weak ass | January 28, 2011 at 11:54 AM
Um what about that LAPD guy that shot himself in front of his house and said a gangbanger did it? This happened about 2 years ago. Then the police had a fundraiser bbq for the guy LOL! The court ordered him to pay back the money they raised for him. Again this wont be the last time a cop shoots himself to become a hero or collect workers comp.
Many years ago I remember in the news about a CHP officer shooting himself in the stomach and then driving himself to the hospital LOL!
Posted by: Steven | January 28, 2011 at 11:55 AM
First of all, too bad for everyone working and studying at El Camino Real High. They almost had the reputation of their school tarnished by a deceptive and greedy "cop". The kids went to school the next day confident that their school is still safe-kids just want their education you know. Because of this man, El Camino Real was caught up in the sensationalism stemming from Gardena High's shooting earlier that week. Anyway, too bad for the local mom-and-pop businesses trying to get by in this sluggish economy because of JEFF STENROOS. Does this guy have a middle name so that it can sound a little more notorious? No doubt he was trying to attain some extra cash and some attention, why not? A medal and a promotion. Sympathies from everyone galore. Ohhhh, so many ambitions, so little careful thinking. We'll pick up the check Jeff, no worries.
Posted by: Frank | January 28, 2011 at 12:00 PM
BKgo: Please,this was NOT, (let me repeat so you'll understand) NOT an LAPD officer. This waste-or-breath belongs to the Los Angles Public School Police. And as for examining his clothing, they did, and there was a hole in his shirt and vest. The news has stated that this wonderful idiot probably misfired his own gun and didn't want to tell anyone.
And for those of you who scream about using all those officers to hunt for a suspect. If there really had been a suspect, and the LAPD had NOT conducted such a search, and the suspect harmed someone else, all of you holier-than-thou critics who obviously know how to run the police department do much better whould have been screaming because the police DIDN'T conduct a proper search, according to your advice, that is.....
Posted by: Astonished | January 28, 2011 at 12:02 PM
Cops lie, its part of the job. I hope this scumbag is charge & is forced to reimburse any & all expenses resulting from the so-called manhunt for somebody was only a figment of his imagination...speaking of which, I wonder what drugs this jerk was on at the time?
Posted by: kgoddess | January 28, 2011 at 12:20 PM
seems to me that the kids were illegally detained. might there be a class action case in the works?
Posted by: gloria h/fresno | January 28, 2011 at 12:23 PM
remember when you were in high school?...now remember the guys in your class who went on to be cops....they weren't the validictorians or the class leaders, they were the average or below average guys who thought they were smarter and tougher than they actually were...these are the people who are running the LAPD.....what do you expect from them, creative thinking?...the only thing they know is CYA after they screw up!!!...blame the guy you shot when he was naked and unarmed(Playa Del Rey) or holding a garden hose nozzle while you were shooting from behind a building, with no warning to him at all(Long Beach)
Posted by: glenn grab | January 28, 2011 at 12:59 PM
There are always a number of marginal people (usually very right wing gun-centric weirdos driving dark sedans, sporting antenna farms) drawn to pseudo-police work, ie. the School Police.
I had the chance to join back in the 70's after my stint as an MP in Viet-Nam.
Having had enough I chose another career.
I wouldn't paint the entire LAPD as culpable on the actions of one unstable individual.
What we need is better Beltlines for all applicants in any capacity where deadly force is involved.
ps: It is always easier and more cowardly to tear down rather than Build Up.
Posted by: vonTrapp | January 28, 2011 at 02:00 PM