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MUSLIM COMMUNITY FORUM MINUTES
Omar Ibn Al Khattab Foundation
1025 West Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles
Thursday, June 5, 2008, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
AGENDA
I. WELCOME / INTRODUCTION – Deputy Chief Michael Downing, Muslim Forum Coordinator
II. REMARKS – Deputy Chief Michael Downing
III. REMARKS – Chief William J. Bratton
IV. MUSLIM FORUM FILM PROJECT – Deputy Chief Michael Downing
Imam Abdul Karim Hasan, Muslim Forum Co-Chair
Mr. Salam Al Marayati, Muslim Forum Co-Chair
V. OPEN DISCUSSION
VI. ADJOURNMENT
HANDOUTS
C-PAB Schedule Community Police Academy Schedule Area Roster
Area Community Relations Office Roster Clergy Council Roster Cell Phone Laws
UPCOMING EVENTS / MEETINGS
June 19, 2008, 6:00 p.m. Forum Summit
Friendship Center
5899 Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles
July 21, 2008, 6:00 p.m. Religious Forum
Church on the Way
14300 Sherman Way, Van Nuys
August 18, 2008, 6:00 p.m. African American Forum
Fame Renaissance Center
1968 West Adams Boulevard, Los Angeles
October 9, 2008, 6:00 p.m. Muslim Forum
Location to be announced
Command Officers:
Deputy Chief Michael Downing, Commanding Officer, Counter Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau, Forum Coordinator
Commander Joan McNamara, Assistant Commanding Officer, Counter Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau
Captain III Joseph Mariani, Recruitment and Employment Division
Captain I Philip Fontanetta, Commanding Officer Southwest Area Patrol
Guests:
Commissioner Alan J. Skobin, Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners
Mr. Dafer Dakhil, Director, Omar Ibn Al Khattab Foundation
Rabbi Allen J. Freehling, Director, City of Los Angeles Human Relations Commission
Reverend Leonard Jackson, Senior Advisor, Office of the Mayor, City of Los Angeles
Mr. Arif Ali Khan, Homeland Security, Office of the Mayor, City of Los Angeles
Sergeant I Rasheed Saafir, West Los Angeles Area, Patrol
Police Officer III + I Yasir Gillani, Risk Management Group
Welcome and Introductions – Deputy Chief Michael Downing
Deputy Chief Michael Downing introduced Imam Abdul Hasan and Salam Al Marayati, Muslim Community Forum Co-Chairs. Imam Abdul Hasan offered the invocation.
Chief Downing told the group Chief Bratton had been detained due to an Officer Involved Shooting in Hollenbeck Area. He thanked Mr. Dafer Dakhil, Director, Omar Ibn Al Khattab Foundation for hosting the forum at his foundation.
Chief Downing acknowledged the guests. Commissioner Alan J. Skobin greeted the forum participants and said he viewed the Muslim Forum as an opportunity to build bridges and relationships. He said he hoped there would be a Muslim Community Police Academy in the near future. Mr. Arif Ali Khan of Mayor Villaraigosa’s Office said he felt it was important for the Department to learn about the Muslim Community and equally important for the Muslim Community to learn about the Police Department. Mr. Ali Khan’s most recent endeavors are in the area of emergency preparedness. He encouraged all present to become involved in this vital area.
Chief Downing led introductions. He introduced Sergeant I Rasheed Saafir and Police Officer III + I Gillani, who shared some background information and how they became police officers.
Lieutenant Douglas G. Miller reviewed the handout materials with the forum. The handout materials will assist the forum members in making contact with the Area’s they serve and participate in upcoming events.
Remarks – Deputy Chief Michael Downing
Chief Michael Downing shared the multiple accomplishments of Muslim film makers. The films included Aliens in America, Charlie Wilson’s War, Inconvenient, Where is Osama Bin Laden?, Darfur Now and The Visitor. Chief Downing announced the Department and members of the Muslim Community would work together and produce a film depicting the Muslim community. The film makers will include footage of the Muslim Community in Los Angeles from the past 50 years.
A video containing several excerpts from recent Muslim movies was shown. The excerpts were from A Land Called Paradise by Kareem Salama, Islam Empire of the Earth by Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden by Morgan Spurlock and Aliens in America by David Gurasico. The movies dealt with the issue of the negative stereotype portrayal of Muslims. The themes of the movies included the presentation of specific facts that could help correct the negative stereotype perceptions.
Salam Al Marayati of Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) shared his enthusiasm for the project. He noted Mr. Samir Muqaddin and his son Lon Muqaddin would also be working on the film and include the footage they had filmed of the Muslim Community. Mr. Al Marayati stated the five-fold purpose of the film was to show the:
- Transformation of the history of the Muslim Community in Los Angeles
- Muslim landscape in Los Angeles
- Muslim American Identity
- What services the Muslim Community need and provide
- Five things the Los Angeles Police Department needs to know about Muslims and five things Muslims need to know about the Los Angeles Police Department
Imam Hassan commented the film would show the social and business relationships of Muslims with their neighbors in the communities they live in. The film will show that Muslims have similar hopes and desires for their families. Imam Hasan said Mr. Muqaddin and his sons have been filming events in Los Angeles since 1971. The Imam said the film could be used for present and future educational purposes.
Mr. Samir Muqaddin expressed his appreciation for police officers protecting the community. He said the shooting that had occurred in Hollenbeck Area demonstrated how officers work to protect the community. He echoed the importance of the Muslim Community understanding the work of the police officers. He gave advice and said if officers have official business at a Mosque; ask to speak to the Imam. If they have business at a residence, they should remove their shoes at the door. Mr. Muqaddin concluded his remarks by asking for input and advice from those present.
Mr. Lon Muqaddin shared how he and his father had produced the film: Muslims in America, which had been recently honored at the Pan American Film Festival. He said the upcoming film venture with the Department would include narration, interviews and dramatization. He also noted the film would bridge gaps, raise serious issues and cause dialogue.
Open Discussion
Chief Downing asked the forum participants for feedback on the purpose of the film and input on what should be included in the film. He noted this was the first film collaborative between police and the Muslim Community.
In response to a question, Mr. Al Marayati said the film would be available to be shown to officers during Roll Call. He suggested the film could be shown by a forum member partnered with command staff.
The question of funding arose and Chief Downing said based on the description of the film, it appears the film effort could receive Federal funding.
Mr. Al Marayati said the five most important things the Department needs to know about the Muslim Community and the five most important things the Muslim Community should know about the Department, would be determined by the input they received. Chief Downing said the points mentioned should show how LAPD can be the catalyst to solve problems. Also, how can the Department get Muslim representation in the Community Police Advisory Boards (C-PAB), Explorers, DAPS and Reserve Officers.
A forum member asked if there was a script in existence for the film. Mr. Samir Muqaddin said the film was still in its conceptual stages and there was no script.
Mr. Al Marayati shared the film was designed for viewing by Department employees, the community and government employees.
In response to the question if the film was feature length, Mr. Al Marayati said it was a documentary and two versions could possibly be produced. The outreach could include Roll Calls and community television.
Comments included: the project was a good idea and should include a broad identity of the Muslim Community and the Department. Also, it is important to show the relationship and needs between the Department and the Muslim Community.
It was noted the DVD with the excerpts from Muslim films would be good to show the youth in our community.
Chief Downing told the group, copies of the DVD would be made and dispersed.
The open discussion also included a question about Special Order No. 11, March 5, 2008, Subject: Reporting Incidents Potentially Related to Foreign or Domestic Terrorism. It was noted Fox News said the Special Order has a list of 37 items they check off or look for.
Commander Joan McNamara responded and said the Department has a training film on Special Order No. 11 they show to officers. Officers are trained to look at behavior and not individuals. It is seven times more likely for an incident of domestic terrorism to occur then an incident of foreign terrorism.
Commander McNamara said the order takes into account there are 800,000 law enforcement officers in America. Commander McNamara said the Special Order deals with a standardized reporting of incidents on the Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) and educates officers to look at behavior not individuals. Officers will be able to stop or prevent incidents. There is coding involved. Suspicious activities include suspicious packaging and photography. Commander McNamara will provide a presentation on Special Order No. 11, March 5, 2008, Subject: Reporting Incidents Potentially Related to Foreign or Domestic Terrorism, at the next Muslim Community Forum meeting in October. The presentation will include the training film shown to officers and review of the SAR.
Mr. Ali Khan noted the SAR is an analysis tool. Commander McNamara said in the past there was no process to assimilate this information. Now officers know what to do.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:45 p.m.
Action Items
- Schedule Commander McNamara to discuss Special Order No. 11 for the next meeting.
- Copy and disperse the DVD shown.
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