Villaraigosa Names Public Safety Deputy

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa appointed a former federal civil rights prosecutor as his deputy mayor for homeland security and public safety, one of five top posts filled Monday as he continues to round out his staff.

In addition to naming Maurice Suh to the public safety job, Villaraigosa tapped City Hall outsiders as deputy mayors for communications; energy and the environment; and legislative affairs. And he turned to the airport agency’s top financial official for his director of finance.

“In selecting my team, I looked for people who brought with them a passion for public service, the highest ethical standards and a commitment to improving the quality of life for all Angelenos,” Villaraigosa said in a statement released by his office.

Suh, 40, is a private attorney and partner with the law firm Howrey LLP, where he works with Jeffrey C. Eglash, former inspector general for Los Angeles Police Commission.

“He’s going to be outstanding in that position,” Eglash said. “He has a wealth of experience in government and public safety.”

Suh is a former assistant U.S. attorney who served as deputy chief of the public corruption and governmental fraud section in Central California.

Prior to that, Suh was a trial attorney in the criminal section of the civil rights division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where he prosecuted police brutality and corruption cases, as well as violent crimes motivated by race.

Suh was also appointed in 2002 to the Blue Ribbon Rampart Review Panel, headed by civil rights attorney Connie Rice. The panel is about to release a report on the progress the Los Angeles Police Department and city have made identifying the most important lessons of the Rampart corruption scandal and implementing reforms.

There was no response to the appointment from the Police Protective League, whose directors were taken by surprise and said they would review Suh’s background.

Suh said he has worked closely with police officers in the past and that his goals include fulfilling the new mayor’s campaign pledge to expand the police force by 1,300 officers.

“I do have faith and confidence that can be done,” he said.

The other appointments made by Villaraigosa are:

* Cecile Ablack, a former Clinton administration senior official and now director of communications for the Yale University School of Management, as deputy mayor for communications.

* Nancy Sutley, a member of the State Water Resources Control Board, as deputy mayor for energy and the environment.

* Kevin Acebo, former statewide political director of the California Democratic Party, as deputy mayor for legislative and intergovernmental affairs.

* Karen Sisson, the chief financial officer for the Los Angeles airports department, as director of finance and performance management.