Civic Leadership Award
Martin Ludlow
Los Angeles City Councilman
In 1991, the police world was rocked by a videotape that aired on television news around the globe depicting an ex-convict named Rodney King, who had led CHP officers on a high-speed chase that concluded with a physical altercation. The videotape, which was edited to remove King’s violent actions, made him appear to be the victim of an unprovoked, savage beating, showing him being repeatedly struck by police batons. The world was shocked and outraged.
On April 29, 1992, a jury acquitted all four of the officers involved in this incident of charges of assault with a deadly weapon and assault under color of authority. The acquittal created uproar within the community, prompting riots throughout Los Angeles and resulting in 54 deaths.
A separate incident occurred in summer 2004, which had the overtones of Rodney King. LAPD officers were involved in a 21-mile pursuit of a felon who was driving a stolen car. At the end of the pursuit, the suspect fled on foot. When the officers caught the ex-con and met with resistance, one officer struck the felon 11 times with a flashlight. This incident was captured on video by a news helicopter and was ultimately broadcast by news networks everywhere. The media spoke openly of comparisons between Rodney King and this incident and the tensions between police and the African-American community were extremely high. Once again, there was potential for civil unrest.
One very heroic man stepped into the fray to calm passions and prevent an eruption of violence which could have led to a repeat of the 1965 and 1992 riots that had been sparked by similar circumstances.
Under the leadership of Los Angeles City Councilman Martin Ludlow, meetings were organized where the point was stressed that sometimes officers need to use force to get suspects to comply, reminding the community that out of the Rodney King incident a new system was developed to deal with these types of situations. Based on his calm, persuasive and passionate manner, there was no eruption of violence. There was no civil disturbance or rioting as there had been in the aftermath of similar incidents in 1965 and 1992.
Martin Ludlow is very passionate about working to find solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems, particularly youth at risk. He developed the first official inner city Little League in South Los Angeles and in 1999, organized a “Crime Summit” bringing together the leadership of California’s law enforcement to address a rash of murders in South L.A. He has also convened a panel of human rights experts, leading to legislation creating the California Human Relations Commission. Earlier this year, Martin Ludlow left the Los Angeles City Council to become executive secretary-treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.
For his work in preventing civil unrest and for his continual leadership in bringing people together to solve social problems, the Golden Badge Foundation is honored to present this year’s Civic Leadership Award to Martin Ludlow.
