In this episode of The MPAC Podcast, host Salam Al-Marayati sits down with longtime colleague Mike Downing, former LAPD Deputy Chief and head of the Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau.
Reflecting on a 35-year law enforcement career spanning the 1965 Watts Riots to the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising, Downing breaks down what it takes to build authentic community-led policing, why federal consent decrees were essential to institutional LAPD reform, and the critical difference between local community police and militarized agencies like ICE.
Salam and Mike also engage in a direct, candid discussion regarding post-9/11 counterterrorism policies, intelligence gathering, the roots of radicalization, and the ongoing stigmatization of American Muslim civil rights organizations.
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction & 35 Years on the LAPD Force
03:56 – Smart Policing vs. Hunting & Pursuing
08:32 – The 1992 Uprising, Christopher Commission & Federal Consent Decree
12:12 – America’s Homelessness Failure & Systemic Solutions
16:36 – Defund the Police Debate & Quasi-Military Structures
19:12 – Suspicious Activity Reporting, Intelligence & Community Trust 28:23 – Comparing Gang Dynamics to Counterterrorism & Radicalization 30:08 – The Problem with ICE: Excessive Force & Lack of Accountability 36:47 – Civil Rights Engagement: CAIR, MPAC & The Legacy of Dr. Maher Hathout
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