The Region - News from Feb. 11, 1986

Cheryl Ward Smith, once chief of criminal operations under former Los Angeles City Atty. Ira Reiner, has been named senior adviser on legislative and criminal justice matters to Reiner’s successor, James K. Hahn. When Reiner was elected district attorney, Smith, 42, joined his staff as a special assistant overseeing child abuse, sexual crimes, domestic violence and family support cases. Reiner also named Smith to head a committee aimed at learning why few women or minorities are in top positions in the district attorney’s office. She became the target of criticism in the office after saying that many deputy district attorneys believed that they would suffer reprisals if they freely voiced their own opinions on controversial issues.