officers - The Black Vault

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Warren M. Christopher
Jesse A. Brewer
"The public is interested in an The mayor's panel will ·be patindependent
analysis of what hap-·· 'terned after the Knapp Commission,
which investigated corruption
pened [in the King incident] and of
the Police Department," said an in the New YorK. 'Police. Department
two decades ago. That com­
official in the mayor's office. "The
mayor believes that, only by appointing
an independent group and power, found a pattern of systemic
mission, which also had subpoena
assuring them independent funding,
can you assure that the final mended broad reforms tQ clean up
police corruption and recom­
report has credibility."
tl}e problem.
For the last three weeks, the
mayor's office has waged a behind- .
the-scenes campaign, led by Deputy
Mayor Mark Fabiani, to seek
Gates' removal. .
The effort has included naming
civil libertarian and Gates critic
Stanley Sheinbaum to fill one of
two vacancies on the Police Commission,
coordinating calls for
Gates to resjgn by community
groups and lobbying council members
to publicly denounce the chief ..
So far, only Councilman:l Michael
Woo has demanded that Gates step
down. ·
F;.:biani could not be reached for
comment Sunday.
Bradley and the citizens' commission
are expected to raise more
than $1 million in funds and donated
servic~s through businesses,
foundations and universities. The
money will be used primarily to set
up a staff and conduct a massive
inquiry into Police Department
practices and procedures, the
sources said.
The mayor's office also has studied
the possibility of arming the
panel with subpoena power
through the city's Police Commission.
At his press conference today,
Bradley is expected to lay out an
elaborate and detailed charge for
the commission members, who will
appear with him at City Hall.