Baldwin Park : Keyser Hits at Police Dept.

Councilman Herschel Keyser, whose run-in with police officers who arrested him on suspicion of drunken driving caused a controversy in January, said he wants to consider disbanding the Baldwin Park Police Department.

Keyser said Wednesday that he will look into having the city contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for police services. He said the department is too costly and accused officers of harassing and intimidating citizens.

He was angry about a plan to enforce a loud-party ordinance that allows the Police Department to assess fees to people when officers are called out repeatedly to control a disruptive party. The fees could be as much as $500 depending on the number of officers involved.

Keyser’s reported comments when he was arrested that he understood why people shot at officers and that he hoped they would be killed caused police to protest to the City Council. His case is pending.