officers - The Black Vault

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Fo-350 (Rev. 5-8-81 )
•(Indicate page, name of
newspaper, city and state.)
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Gat -~~-~s'- Edition: FRI., APRILs, 1991
c Front Section, Page 1
Trtle: GATES PLACED ON PAID LEAV
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·patd leavemdei~~:o ~---~~~:k/.
Acting chief says
he~s
By Howard S. Gantman
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
~caretaker~
Assistant Police Chief David Dotson, a 33-year
Los Angeles police veteran, seemed almost embarrassed
as he was called into a Police Commission
meeting Thursday and placed in .charge of
the LAI?D while Chief Daryl Gates is on forced
leave.
With dozens of television cameras trying to spy
on what was transpiring as various LAPD officials
and lawyers went in and out of the confidential
commission meeting, Dotson quietly wait-
:e}:I his turn. . . .
_.,...Finally, after Gates was besieged by the
;pamera crews and reporters, the media
'turned their attention to Dotson and he
responded evenly, thoughtfully and carefully
to the questions about how he would
restore the shattered morale of the 8,300-
member department.
The key, Dotson said, was to get officers
"to concentrate on their roles as servers
1Uid protectors of the city. They have got to
believe they are effective."
"The officers of this department identify
closely with their chief and they are sad­
.-4eped," Dotson said. "I think the events of
ttne past four weeks have, no question, had
:..an: effect on the morale of this depart­
':.Pl~nt."
· .... Despite the controversy over the March
·:3:·beating of black motorist Rodney King
J,y.' white officers, Dotson insisted that the
J .. ~D remained a "model department."
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,:\PR 1 2 1991 ·
FBI -
LOS ANGELES
Dotson said he considered himself a
"steward, caretaker, interim manager in
Gates' absence and added, "I will not be
revolutionary about what I do."
He said his goal was "to manage the
affairs of this department in such a way
that the people of this city do not see any
diminishment in the services they are provided."
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- Avoiding confrontation
Where Gates would look closely into the
eyes of reporters and almost dare them to
ask a tough ·question, Dotson sought to
avoid confrontations, and he repeatedly deflected
queries about Gates.
"I am J;lOt going to now or probably in
the near future make any comments regarding
the actions of this board this morning
or the controversy that surrounds the
chief of police or the board action in this
matter," Dotson said.
One high-ranking LAPD member, who
asked not to be identified, called Dotson a
"quiet survivor" who has stayed out of the
interdepartmental politics that have forced
a number of other top officials to leave the
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