officers - The Black Vault

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of the racial reinarks inade by officers
probably reflects deep felt anger based on
the mayor's own experiences, said. this
source, who asked not to be named. ·
While Bradley lobbied football officials,
Councilwoman Joy Picus introduced a proposed
Charter amendment that would eli!llinate
civ.il service protection for the police
chief and other department heads. In some
ways, her measure goes further than a
similar proposal offered by the mayor last
week.
Picus was one of the few council members
willing to operate in public view on the
sensitive King affair.
Privately, some council members said
they feel limited in the action they can take.
Some said they believe Gates should re- .
sign-but declined to say so in public.
"Gates should go, but it's a question of
how it's done," said one council member,
who spoke only on the promise of anonymity.
"The more the issue becomes polarized,
the tougher it's going to be to convince him.
H.ere's a guy who's been on the force 42
years. He wants to fight back to sa.ve his
career." ·
GOP p,olitical consultant Arnold Steinberg,
who recently observed that Gates
would make a strong mayoral candidate,
was less optimistic Tuesday.
"The chief doesn't want to leave under
fire," he said. "But [there is] no question his
days are numbered."
Steinberg remarked on the silence of
Gates' traditional allies on the City Council.
To survive this crisis, he said, Gates would
need his council supporters to step forward
. and defend his management of the department.
· ·
Among those he singled out was Councilwoman
Joan Milke Flores, a Republican
who represents the Harbor District. Flores
was ill Tuesday and unavailable for comment,
her staff said. Spokeswoman Niki
Tennant said Flores thus far has chosen not
to take a position.
"I think she's waiting to see the whole
thing played out," Tennant said. "She's
waiting to see the evidence as presented in
the [police] commission. . . . She's· not
taking a position on [Gates]."
A spokeswoman for Council President
John Ferraro, often one of Gates' strongest
supporters, said the councilman has not
publicly criticized or defended the chief. He
. "hasn't said anything," the spokeswoman ·
emphasized.
'.-a· reg Nelson, a spokesman for Council­
. man Joel Wachs, said he and Wachs on
, Tuesday were still attempting to formulate
a position on the King controversy.
Shortly after the King beating, Wachs
'SUpported a motion to have Gates address
the council -and speak about the .incident.
The motion failed. Nelson said Wachs
thinks Gates "has a proud record of being a
strong disciplinarian" and that it might be
.helpful to go over that record.
"'J;'he biggest problem is we know very
few facts," Nelson said. "And a lot of it has
to do with magnitude of the issue. I don\
think anyone wants to act irresponsibly and
shoot off their mouth."
Several council members are mounting
reelection campaigns, and their positions on
the King beating and Gates' tenure as chief
could well arlse as issues in the April
elections.
Two incumbents up for reelection, Councilman
Nate Holden and Councilwoman
Ruth Galanter, have endured catcalls at
· recent public appearances from critics who
think the candidates.should be tougher on
Gates.
Kerman Maddox, a public relations consultant
running for the seat being vacated
by Councilman Robert Farrell, said: "Anybody
running for office, whether you're an
incumbent or a challenger, silence [on this
issue] can only hurt you."
Times staff writers James Gerstenzang In
Washington, Richard C. Paddock in Sacramento
and Leslie Berger in Los Angeles contributed to
this story.