The Los Angeles Police Department has abruptly ordered officers to stop using 40mm less‑lethal launchers for crowd control, effective immediately, after a federal judge found the department in contempt of a previous court order. The move sidelines one of LAPD's go‑to protest‑dispersal tools and leaves a big question hanging over how the city will handle demonstrations in the near future.
Officers received an internal message this week stating that "effective IMMEDIATELY the 40mm SHALL NOT be used during any CROWD CONTROL situation," according to NBC Los Angeles. U.S. District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall's contempt order said plaintiffs presented evidence that officers used 40mm munitions on protesters who did not pose an immediate threat, failed to warn demonstrators, and struck people in areas that a prior injunction had explicitly put off‑limits.
Judge Cited Specific Misuses
The contempt order recounts incidents in which people were hit in the head, groin, and face, including a person who was shot while seated and another who was struck despite raising his hands, according to a summary of the filing. The judge said those examples supported a finding that the LAPD violated the restrictions she imposed after the 2020 protests, as reported by Courthouse News.
What The 2021 Injunction Required
Marshall's 2021 preliminary injunction limited the use of 40mm and 37mm launchers to officers who had completed specific training and annual qualifications, and allowed 40mm rounds only when an officer reasonably believed a person was violently resisting or posed an immediate threat. The injunction also prohibited aiming at the head, neck, face, eyes, kidneys, chest, groin, or spine and required a minimum firing distance and warnings when feasible, per the court document, Justia.
State Law and Missing Reports
The ruling lands as the department faces scrutiny over its reporting practices. State law requires agencies to post reports after using crowd‑control weapons, but the LAPD has missed several deadlines for those disclosures, LAist reports. Assembly Bill 48, codified at Penal Code section 13652, limits kinetic projectiles and chemical agents to objectively reasonable circumstances and requires repeated warnings and steps to minimize harm to bystanders and journalists. Critics say the reporting gaps have complicated oversight and made it harder to verify compliance with the courts' rules.
How This Could Change Protest Policing
On the street, the new ban removes a tool officers have frequently used in attempts to disperse crowds, while 37mm launchers remain tightly circumscribed and generally require incident‑commander approval before use, according to outlets summarizing the judge's directives. Police‑focused coverage notes that the launchers fire foam or sponge projectiles powered by a small gunpowder charge, and that they can cause serious injury, which is why the court confined target zones and set minimum distances. Police Magazine has detailed the operational distinctions.
City Response and What Happens Next
The LAPD confirmed the internal order but declined to comment, and the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office said it was reviewing the ruling, according to reporting on the order by Bloomberg Law. Legal observers say the contempt finding could lead to additional court supervision or sanctions if the city does not show prompt compliance, and plaintiffs in the Black Lives Matter Los Angeles suit argue the decision backs up their claims about indiscriminate force.
City leaders now face immediate decisions about retraining, public reporting, and whether to appeal or seek clarification from the federal court. For protesters, journalists, and civil‑rights advocates, the order sharpens the legal limits on a weapon that has already left multiple people injured and sets the stage for more litigation over how Los Angeles polices public demonstrations.
