Council Panel Backs Political Activist for Spot on L.A. Police Commission

Stanley Sheinbaum, a political activist who serves on the board of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, edged one step closer to becoming a Los Angeles police commissioner Tuesday night when the City Council’s Public Safety Committee forwarded his nomination to the full council.

Before approving his nomination, Councilmen Richard Alatorre and Nate Holden grilled Sheinbaum on whether his views would be colored by his affiliation with the ACLU, which has demanded the resignation of Police Chief Daryl F. Gates in the wake of the police beating of Altadena resident Rodney G. King.

Sheinbaum responded that he has not made up his mind about Gates, whom he described as “intelligent” and “determined.” He said he met with the chief for an hour Tuesday, and while they did not discuss the calls for Gates’ ouster in detail, he told the chief he was undecided on the issue.

However, Sheinbaum did say that he believes the five-member commission, which is appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley and oversees the Police Department, either does not have enough authority or does not exercise its power strongly enough.

“I have a sense that the chief now is not responsible enough, is not accountable enough to the commission,” he said.

If he is confirmed by the full council, Sheinbaum will join the commission in the midst of its wide-ranging probe into police policies and practices, including those regarding the use of force. The investigation was requested by Bradley in the wake of the King beating in Lake View Terrace.

It is not clear when the council will vote on Sheinbaum’s nomination, and after Tuesday night’s hearing, the nominee acknowledged that he may have trouble gaining the council’s approval.

“I am told I’m going to have a difficult time because I’m controversial,” he said.

Following the discussion on Sheinbaum, Alatorre and Holden, joined by members of the council’s Budget and Finance Committee in a special session, questioned Police Cmdr. George Morrison about a report that showed the city spent $9 million in 1990 to settle police lawsuits, and nearly $12 million between 1986 and 1989.

The report, prepared by the city’s legislative analyst office, reviewed 140 lawsuits filed against the Police Department that cost the city more than $15,000 in settlement or judgment money.

The city found that 36 of those cases, involving 50 officers, were investigated by the department’s Internal Affairs Division. Other investigations, such as those conducted by the Officer Involved Shooting Squad, were not examined in the report.

The report found that of the 50 officers whose cases were reviewed by Internal Affairs, 24 received no penalty, two were removed from the department, 17 were suspended and four received verbal reprimands. Two cases are pending and the outcome of another was not disclosed.

While council members demanded to know why more officers were not disciplined, Morrison responded that the judgments against the city do not mean officers violated the law, or LAPD policy. He further suggested that some suits are lost “by default,” because the city attorney’s office is too overburdened to adequately defend the police.

Replied Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky: “The reason we settle some of these cases--and let me be blunt about it--is that the city attorney comes to us and says, ‘Councilmen, we think if we settle for half a million dollars you’ll be better off because if it goes to trial it could cost the city $2 million.’ ”