officers - The Black Vault

FD·350 (RP•, 5·8·81)
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(Indicate page; name of
newspaper, city and state.}
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. loa~:: MON, MAR 25, 1991
FBI t I t
Edition:
0 n ervtew FBI TO INTERVI:W FOOTHILl
Foothill Officersc...-., CIVIL RIGHTS
(Mount Clipping in Space Below)
• Poli9e: Chief Gates says he is upset at the plan.
He assures 3,000 supporters he will not resign.
By RONALD L. SOBLE
TIMES STAFF WRITER
LOS ANGELES TIMES
. Title: OFFICERS
METRO SECTION PAGE 1
I ClasC:ification:
Submitting Office:
IDS ANGELES
lnd
8 0-3 3 B
'CHEO INOEXED'---1
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After reassuring a boisterous rally of about 3,000 supporters that
he would not resign, Los Angeles Police Chief ·
Daryl F. Gates told reporters Sunday he was "very
upset" with FBI plans to interview officers from
the division where four police officers are charged·
with beating motorist Rodney G. King.
Beginning today, FBI agents will visit the homes
of the more than 200 officers who work out of
Foothill Division to learn if there is a pattern of
civil rights abuses, Gates told reporters after the
rally at the Los Angeles Police Academy.
Four white officers from Foothill Division were
indicted earlier this month on felony charges in the
March 3 beating of King, a black Altadena resident. Gates and his wife, Sima.
The incident, which was videotaped by an amateur
photographer, has sparked cries from many quarters for Gates'
resignation. ·
Gates said he had no specific quarrel with the FBI, but rather
with the Justice Depar~ment
"bureaucrat [who] made that
- . -- .~--.-
decision. I think it's a bad decision."
· Without pointing a finger at anyone specifically in Washington,
'Gates declared he would prefer that FBI agents do their
interviewing at the police station, rather than in the officers'
,farnily environment.
"I'm unhappy they're going to go to the officers' homes," he said.
• Gates said Special Agent Lawrence G. Lawler, who is in charge
of the FBI's Los Angeles office, assured him tl)at his agents would
try to question the officers J~in a very sensitive
way" with "a series of questions" about the King
beating and . any other incidents. He did. ·not
elaborate.
Police spokesman Lt. Fred Nixon said the: FBI
asked for names, addresses·and telephone ntimbers
of every officer at the division.
. Lawler was not available for comment Sunday.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League said it
has advised officers that they have the right to
have an attorney present during the questioning
and that they should tell agents.they are cooperating
"under duress."
Gates, 64, police chief since 1978, spoke to his
vocal supporters in a parking lot in front of the Police Academy 'in ·
Elysian Park.
•
Wearing a white sweater with light blue ~d green patches and
APR 13 1991
FBI -
LOS ANGELES
blue jeans, Gates appeared relaxed
as he waved to the crowd from a
balcony with his wife, Sima, at his
side. Over his head was an arch of
red, white and blue balloons.
The crowd loudly booed any
mention of Mayor Tom Bradley,
who recently said that "the only
way" for the Police Department to
recover from the King controversy
was for Gates "to remove himself."
Several anti-Bradley signs were
displayed Sunday.
Among the speakers supporting
Gates was Los Angeles attorney
and civil rights activist Gloria
Allred. "Surprise, surprise," ·she
told the crowd, in expectation of
raised eyebrows ·at her taking a
stand in support of Gates. .