officers - The Black Vault

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LOS A}lGELES TIMES
Date: FRI • APRIL 5 19 91
Edition: METRO SECTION; PAGE 6
Title:
WHAT NEXT IN THE POLICE
FUROR?
Character: CIVIL RIGHTS
or
Classification: 80 _ 3 3 B
Submitting Off1ce:
LOS ANGELES
Indexing:
SEARCHED
SERIAtiZEO
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APR 1 0 1991
FBI
LOS ANGELES .~
What Next in the Police Furor?
Police Chief Daryl F. Gates is not
the sole issue in the divisive aftermath
of the videotaped beating of a
motorist suspected of speeding. The
accountability of the chief of policeand
the extent to which the brutal
beating of Rodney King reflects the
chief's style of leadership, a pattern of
behavior or a common attitude within
the police. department-are legitimate
questions that must be answered.
But the Police Commission's deci-.
sion Thursday to put Gates on administrative
leave for 60 days pending
completion of its investigation reminds
Los Angeles, as if any further
reminder were necessary, that the
chief has become the lightning rod.
The commission's action, whose
legality will be tested in the courts, is
understandable. Gates has not been
forced to leave. He is being asked to
step aside for a decent interval while
the commission's probe proceeds.
Gates is within his rights to
challenge the police commission .in
· court, but under the circumstances, is
that the wisest course? Given the
polarizing crisis and the increasingly
ugly tone of the debate, would it not
have been better for Gates to accept
the decision? Even if the chief prevails
in the courts, he must under"'
stand this issue is now larger than
anyoneman. ·
No doubt Gates feels he did nothing
wrong. But did his management style
or .controversial remarks foster a
climate that permitted the beating?
Lead to the failure of the sergeant at
the scene? .Set a tone that allowed
other officers to watch the beating
without intervening, and then fail to
report it to their superiors? Encourage
a belief that officers could transmit
personal messages-including ra­
.cially offensive remarks and jocular
sentiments about use of force-over
police·commuters without penalty?
The Police Commission, and ·the
newly impanelled Christopher Com:­
mission, must find answers to these
and other questions to help defuse
this intensifying storm. To avoid
counterproductive duplication and
increase efficiency, the independent
Christopher Commission has taken
aboard retired state Supreme Court
Justice John Arguelles, who had been
tapped by Chief Gates to chair a
narrower probe stemming from the
March 3 beating.
'The expanded commission fortunately
will not depend on funds, staff
or other resources from either the
city or the police department. To
guarantee independence, the citizens
panel will be able to draw on as much
as $1 million in funds and services
·raised from private foundations and
businesses. That independence-from
the mayor, the City Council, the
Police Commission and the LAPD-is
' absolutely essential to reassure the
·public.
It is in the best interest of public
safety to resolve this crisis. The
Police Commission and Christopher
Commission must act responsibly and
with all deliberate speed.
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