News June 04, 2020
LAPD Commander Cory Palka on Joining Protesters, and His Advice for Law Enforcement
LAPD Commander Cory Palka made headlines when he took a knee during a George Floyd protest in Hollywood.
In a gone-viral video, the officer pledges, “I give you my heart more than my badge.”
“Extra's” Charissa Thompson caught up with Palka, who told her, “I just feel gratitude that I was put in a position to try and strike an accord.”
He added, “I'm an inner-city kid from the housing projects… I come from difficult roots. And to now be in the Los Angeles Police Department for 34 years has allowed me to go in there during that difficult time and use the conflict resolutions to bring peace to the people… and show our hearts and show we are in pain and show we did not want conflict.”
Palka shared his advice for other law enforcement, saying, “We need to talk. We need to communicate. The first step needs to be to step across the line, to step between the boundaries, to shake an organizer's hand to heal wounds.
He also gave a health update on himself after contracting COVID-19. “I still feel there's some slight ramifications related to exhaustion, maybe,” he said. “But more importantly, I donated my plasma and donated my blood continuously.”
