rene enriquez (pictured)  is currently serving two life sentences for murderthe black hand tattooed on his chest is the symbol of the mexican mafia  the los angeles police department used an invalid court order and spent $22,000 to bring an imprisoned killer and former gang leader to speak to an exclusive dinner for business executives, according to a report released friday in all, 38 lapd employees worked about 320 hours to prepare for the january event at a downtown building and protect rene 'the boxer' enriquez, 52, while he was there, the inspector general of the city's police commission wrote what's more, the department didn't have authority in the first place to remove enriquez from custody because it used an order from a 2012 murder case that has been closed — and in any case only allowed his release to act as a witness — the departmental watchdog's report said enriquez, an ex mexican mafia leader who has been in prison since 1993 and is serving two life sentences for murder, has gained allies in law enforcement california governor jerry brown has acknowledged enriquez's past cooperation with authorities but denied him parole last month, saying his history of violence meant he still presented 'an unreasonable danger to society if released' the decision came despite letters of support from the fbi and several federal prosecutors formed in the californian prison system in the 1950s, the mexican mafia has a reputation for extreme violence enriquez worked his way up from enforcer to a leader in the organization   which is also known as la eme   before his arrest and conviction after two decades in the gang he defected in 2003 and began helping police by describing the hierarchy and methods used by the gang after the january event, los angeles police commission president steve soboroff has called for an investigation into the incident and called the episode 'embarrassing' 'there were some decisions made that in retrospect were the wrong decisions,' soboroff said the los angeles police department used an invalid court order and spent $22,000 to bring enriquez, pictured in an undated file photo, to speak to an exclusive dinner for private executives, according to a report released friday  he called the lapd's involvement in the event as 'very, very misconceived and surprising' and a 'giant waste of public resources' in recent years, enriquez had talked to various groups of officers and provided valuable information on the transnational criminal enterprise to which he once belonged, los angeles police deputy chief michael downing said in the days after the event on friday, the department issued a short statement, saying that chief charlie beck had asked his professional standards bureau to launch its own investigation beck already had said the department's role in the event was a mistake the watchdog agency revealed new details about the event that almost immediately attracted criticism from the mayor and police commission president according to the report, a commanding officer at lapd characterized the event in december as a law enforcement training session in asking beck to approve the use of department resources, which he did those resources would eventually include officers making three visits to enriquez before he spoke, a police helicopter to scout his route to the building, and swat officers who secured the area the event attracted 175 people invited by a chapter of the young presidents' organization, which describes itself as 'the world's premier peer network of chief executives and business leaders' four lapd officers attended, as did ten other 'high ranking law enforcement executives' from other agencies the invitation promised a once in a lifetime chance to hear a mystery guest, promising that attendees would be 'amazed, shocked, blown away and maybe even a little scared' inside the room, the presentation included some theatrics 'silhouetted behind a screen, enriquez described how an organization creates, delivers, and accumulates value economically, socially, and culturally,' the report said 'it was not until the curtain was lifted that the audience saw enriquez standing on a small stage, in a black business suit, with his hands cuffed to waist chains and his legs in shackles' the lapd headquarters in los angeles (pictured) los angeles police commission president steve soboroff  called the episode in which enriquez was given a police escort 'embarrassing' once the handcuffs were removed, enriquez explained who he was and how the mexican mafia worked nbc news reported that a source who attended the session said enriquez had the air of a 'corporate leader' who provided 'a rare look into life of a criminal corporate executive' in a statement to nbc news, lapd said: 'the purpose was to learn how a transnational criminal enterprise was built, branded and marketed 'it is the hope that we can learn and develop better strategies to counter these threats to our region' the source who attended the event said enriquez discussed 'gang franchising, marketing, sales, merchandising and branding' afterward, guests went for a buffet dinner they were allowed, in pairs, to meet enriquez, who signed copies of a 2009 book about his life enriquez rose from low level thug to a major player in the organization as his reputation for violence grew and he served time in prisons such as san quentin and folsom just one of his many tattoos, the black hand on his chest is the symbol of the mexican mafia in 1993, enriquez pleaded guilty to two counts of second degree murder and two counts of attempted murder and is serving life in prison in a 2008 interview with the bbc he said: 'i believe i'm a cut above the rest 'as a mafioso, you have an elitist, arrogant mentality 'that's how you carry yourself in the mexican mafia   you walk into a room and everybody knows you're a leader' on friday, los angeles police commission president steve soboroff credited the police chief for taking 'the action necessary to do a thorough personnel investigation' the commission is an independent civilian board that oversees the department
rene enriquez 52 boxer the mexican mafia us californian lapd about 320 hours january december enriquez
rene enriquez, 52, known as 'the boxer' was a leader in the mexican mafia . the gang is one of the us's most notorious, organized and violent gangs . he is currently serving two life sentences for murder in a californian jail . lapd employees worked about 320 hours to prepare for the january event . the department  characterized the event in december as a law enforcement training session in order to get it approved . the department didn't have authority to remove enriquez from prison 