Los Angeles Police - Public Statement Regarding Eugene Ingram's Wiretapping

Source: Los Angeles Police Department
Date: April 23, 1985

The following is a public announcement by Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates disavowing any cooperation with Eugene Ingram, longtime Scientology agent, who claimed to have obtained a letter from the LAPD authorizing Ingram to eavesdrop on others.

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
BY
DARYL F. GATES
CHIEF OF POLICE, LOS ANGELES

It has come to my attention that a member of the L. A. P. D. very foolishly, without proper authorization and contrary to the policy of this Department, signed a letter to Eugene M. Ingram, believed to have been drafted by Ingram himself. The letter purports to authorize Ingram to engage in electronic eavesdropping. The letter, along with all the purported authorization, is invalid and is NOT a correspondence from the Los Angeles Police Department.

The Los Angeles Police Department has not cooperated with Eugene Ingram. It will be a cold day in hell when we do.

I have directed an official letter to Ingram informing him that the letter signed by Officer Phillip Rodriguez dated November 7, 1984, and all other letters of purported authorizations directed to him, signed by any member of the Los Angeles Police Department, are invalid and unauthorized.