Chaired by prominent attorney and former Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher, the Independent Commission on the Los Angeles Police Department assessed the structure and operations of the LAPD in connection with the Rodney King incident of March, 1991. The collection consists of materials collected and analyzed by the Commission and its professional staff over the course of their 100 day study. Materials reflect the major themes of the Commission's investigation including use-of-force guidelines, bias and discrimination, personnel and hiring practices, internal discipline, complaints, and citizen oversight.

Included in the collection are the following: excerpts from books, journals, dissertations, and reports related to the role of the police in society; newspaper and article clippings; excerpts from and analyses of the Los Angeles City Charter; court transcripts, memoranda, and legal briefs; correspondence with witnesses, LAPD personnel, and members of the general public; interview transcripts and copies of witness testimony; statistics related to the use of force maintained in LAPD databases; summaries of and excerpts from selected LAPD personnel files; settlement agreements between the city of Los Angeles and aggrieved citizens; street maps delineating the LAPD's service areas; and draft copies of several chapters from the Commission report. Also featured are materials related to the Commission staff's work product, including work plans, meeting agendas, notes, and correspondence.