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. . Date: AILY NEWS
\Actin~ · li . hi f Edition:FRI.
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APRIL 5, 1991
called · 'quiet' leader .:~:~"CIVI:a::::TS
By John Polich
and Patrick McGreevy
Daily News Staff Writers
business of policing the city," Dotson
said. "That will be my goal and
really the thrust of my efforts in the
next several days."
Dotson is a ~~-year veteran and
Submitting Office:
!.OS ANGELES
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Interim Police Chief David D.
Dotson is 11 quiet administrator----One-Gf~artment's two assiswhose
manner owes little to that of tant chiefs. : APR 1 2 1991
.the man he was chosen to replace Commission president Dan Gar-
. for the next 60 days, the outspokep cia woulq not discuss ~hy Dots~>n ·
Chief Daryl F. Gates. · · was appomted over Assistant Chtef.
... Dotson, 58, was· appointed to Bob Vernon, who has more seniori-
.-head: the department Thursday by ty than Dotson. . .
the city Police Commission, which Colleagl.ies praised Dotson as a
} placed Gates on a 60-day paid hard-working_ leader who keeps
})eave while considering disciplinary himself ou.t of the spotlight.
·"~;;harges against him in the wake of· "I think he's a low-profile guy.
·the Rodney King beating. He's never been flamboyant or
:• ... We· intend to get back in the fl~hy," said Jack_!!-_ White, a for-
• • t'
----.,....--------- mer LAPD commander who now
heads the bureau of investigation in
the county District Attorney's Office.
"He's never been one to seek
out publicity." . ·
1 Gates' comments about minori­
;·ties have drawn criticism from City
: Council members, Hispanics,
~blacks and civil libertarians. ·
.·. White, who was .Dotson's patrol
·car partner in the lat~ 1950s, said
Dotson would dea.l with "acute
problems" such as the King investigation
but probably will not consider
wholesale changes in the department's
policies or structure.
"He's quiet and he's effective,"
. said Deputy Chief Ron Frankie,
FBI
head of the LAPD's Operations
Headquarters Bureau.
Dotso·n is a native of Des
Moines, Iowa. He joined the LAPD
as a patrol officer in 1958 .. He rose
to sergeant in 1964 and commander
10 years later. • "'
Dotson has held a dozen differ-·
eni commands, including the
Operations Valley Bureau, Central
Detectives and the Personnel and
Training Bureau. He became an assistant
chief in 1985 when Gates
named him to head the Office of
Administrative Services.
Earlier this month, Dotson was
named director of the Office Of
Special Services, which.includes internal.
d~sc;p~~n~ •. intelligenc/ ~
~•terrorism, narcotics, vice, lab~x. ":-
lations and other functions. ·,·
Dotson said he talked to Gates.
before ~he commission acted. '
"It's overwhelming and very
,gratifying that my 33 ·years of service
were recognized;" Dotson said ..
· "Chief Gates is a friend of mine.
We have a long, friendly relationship."
Dotson said he planned to send a
message to police officers urging
them to keep up their :standard of
·service.
· Daily News Staff Writer Tom·
~··Chomeau contributed to this_story.
LOS ANGELES
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