Two Burbank police officers transported a distressed homeless man into Los Angeles and abandoned him outside of City Council President Paul Krekorian’s North Hollywood office, a video shows.
The video, recorded Thursday morning and released Friday by Krekorian’s office, shows a Burbank police cruiser pulling up to the sidewalk and dropping off a man who appears disoriented and injured. The man collapses to his knees as the cruiser drives away.
“I was outraged by it and continue to be,” Krekorian said. “It’s almost impossible to fathom, you know, professionals who are trained and paid to protect and serve the public, to take somebody at this moment of maximum vulnerability, somebody seeking medical care, and dumping – literally dumping him on a sidewalk to fend for himself. It’s a disgrace.”
Staff from Krekorian’s office located the man and ensured he received medical attention. Krekorian said the man, who is homeless, had been hospitalized in Burbank before the incident. The hospital had reported him to the police for creating a disruption.
Krekorian demanded that the City Attorney, District Attorney, and State Attorney General investigate the incident. He said he plans to have a “difficult conversation” with the mayor of Burbank on Friday afternoon.
In a statement obtained by KNX News, the Burbank Police Department said;
"The Burbank Police Department is aware of a video circulating that shows Burbank police officers dropping off an individual on a sidewalk in North Hollywood.
The Burbank Police Department initially responded to a call for service on June 6, 2024, at around 8:45 am, regarding a naked individual sitting at a bus stop near Buena Vista Street and Alameda Avenue, just outside Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center. Responding police officers located the individual and found him lucid and communicative, and offered him clothing. The individual refused to accept the clothing as he had his own, and after a brief conversation, the individual got dressed.
Officers asked the individual if he needed assistance. The individual said he was homeless and had been transported to the hospital from the Sunland / Tujunga area. The individual said he had a leg injury he had suffered many years ago, and officers learned he had left the hospital voluntarily prior to the officers’ arrival. Upon inquiry, the individual declined any medical service(s).
As the individual did not appear to have transportation, and to gain cooperation for the individual to put on clothing, the officers offered to drive the individual to a place of his choosing. Initially, the individual asked to be taken to Sunland / Tujunga and ultimately agreed to be transported to the Metro Red Line in North Hollywood.
He voluntarily got into the patrol vehicle and was driven towards the Metro Red Line station. Along the way, the individual asked to be let out of the patrol vehicle to get coffee. The officers complied immediately with his request, pulled over, and let the individual out of the patrol vehicle in the 5200 block of Lankershim Boulevard.
The Burbank Police Department is currently conducting an in-depth investigation into this incident, including the actions of the involved police officers. The investigation will include a review of all available body worn and in-car camera footage, interviews with witnesses, and any other relevant evidence.
The Burbank Police Department remains committed to treating the unhoused community with compassion and respect and thanks Los Angeles City Council President Paul Krekorian for bringing this matter to our attention."
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