Assaults on Los Angeles police officers have skyrocketed this year, fueled by ongoing protests against police misconduct, officials said Tuesday.
During a meeting with the city's civilian-led Police Commission, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore said there were 282 felony assaults against his officers this year, compared with 110 in the same period last year, figures he called "troubling."
The increase represents a 156% surge in a year when police departments are under increasing pressure to institute reforms, Fox News reports. Most of the incidents occurred during protests against police brutality and racial injustice that swept the country over the summer, Moore said.
"I'm also calling out to our community leaders and elected officials to voice their support of our people, and that there's not a tolerance for violence against police officers," Moore said, according to City News Service. "I hear the need for many changes about our society, including policing, but these numbers are troubling, and these trends are serious."
