Irvine Couple's Invite to Obama's State of the Union Address is Questioned by LAPD Critic

An Irvine couple's invitation from first lady Michelle Obama to join her at the President's 2015 State of the Union address is being questioned by a critic of racism within the Los Angeles Police Department.

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Christopher Dorner Nightmare Relived by LAPD Couple of Irvine Phil and Emada Tingirides

Mrs. Obama extended the invitation to LAPD Captain Phil Tingirides and his wife LAPD Sergeant Emada Tingirides because of their work with a community policing program in Watts. But you may already know of them from the hours after Christopher Jordan Dorner met a fiery death in a Big Bear cabin in February 2013.

Police Chief Charlie Beck introduced the Tingirideses to the media back then, explaining they had remained under guard and huddled together in their Irvine home with their blended family of six children–ages 10 to 24 at the time–while former La Palma resident Dorner was on the loose, picking off cops.

The Tingirideses were targets because the police captain was part of the same dismissal process of Dorner as former LAPD Captain Randy Quan had been. Quan represented Dorner while Tingirides chaired the three-member board that ultimately upheld the police officer trainee's termination.

Eerily, the Tingirideses watched the news coverage from their Irvine home of the slayings of Randy Quan's daughter Monica and her fiance Keith Lawrence in a nearby parking structure, without realizing Dorner was the murder suspect and that he also had also threatened them.

This is from Dorner's infamous “manifesto” titled “Last Resort” that became known of on Facebook the day after the bodies of Monica Quan and Keith Lawrence were discovered:

In essence, I've lost everything because the LAPD took my name and knew I was INNOCENT!!! Capt Phil Tingirides, Justin Eisenberg, Martella, Randy Quan, and Sgt. Anderson all new I was innocent but decided to terminate me so they could continue Ofcr. Teresa Evans' career. I know about the meeting between all of you where Evans' attorney, Rico, confessed that she kicked Christopher Gettler (excessive force). Your day has come.

. . .

Tingirides, Eisenberg, and Martella all heard it. You're going to see what a whistleblower can do when you take everything from him, especially his NAME!!!

. . .

Bratton, Beck, Hayes, Tingirides, Eisenberg, Martella, Quan, Evans, Hernandez, Villanueva/Gallegos, and Anderson. Your lack of ethics and conspiring to wrong a just individual are over.

Which brings us to retired LAPD Sgt. Cheryl Dorsey, who–speaking of manifestos–is the author of The Creation of a Manifesto, Black & Blue, “an autobiography that pulls the covers of the LAPD and provides an unfiltered look into the department's internal processes.”

Writing HERE, Dorsey first stresses, “Let me be clear, I DO NOT CONDONE DORNER'S ACTIONS.”

After the sound of the other shoe dropping …

“However, I do understand Dorner's frustration.”

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Dorsey, who did not know Dorner and says she “was not a fan,” nonetheless picks up and runs with his manifesto claim that Phil Tingirides was a personal friend of Teresa Evans dating back to the time he was her supervisor at the Harbor station. Evans was the training officer that Dorner claimed had displayed racism in front of him–although he did not bring it up to superiors until after she had recommended his dismissal.

“If the LAPD wanted to appear fair and avoid any inference of impropriety; negate any argument of collusion between the Internal Affairs advocate, Capt. Tingirides and Officer Teresa Evans, why didn't the LAPD assign any one of the other 60-plus captains at their disposal?” Dorsey writes. “Not only was Capt. Tingirides allowed to remain on the board of rights but he chaired the panel. It's important to understand that the BOR [Board of Review] chairman wields particular power over the other sworn member as well as the civilian member on the BOR.”

Dorsey also has problems with Emada Tingirides, who like her is African American, saying at that February 2013 press conference that she “had never seen racism within the Los Angeles Police Department.”

“Really, sergeant?” Dorsey writes. “Well, I just want to know where the heck have you been sergeant? I believe that working conditions have improved somewhat between the time that I first joined the LAPD in 1980 and the time that you joined–but never?”

Dorsey says she saw racism and favoritism within the LAPD and was a victim of racism and the kind of discipline system that set Dorner off within the LAPD. While wrapping up (you really must read the whole thing to get the full flavor), she calls on the LAPD to: “Tell the truth, don't embellish, don't hide the facts and let the chips fall where they may.”

Email: mc****@oc******.com. Twitter: @MatthewTCoker. Follow OC Weekly on Twitter @ocweekly or on Facebook!

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