CRISIS IN THE LAPD: THE RODNEY KING CASE : Political Opinions as Varied as the People

The hallowed words of Abraham Lincoln greet arrivals to Los Angeles City Hall. “Let us have faith that right makes might,” say the words chiseled in stone. Beneath it is this offering from Solomon: “Righteousness exalteth a people.”

But it was 4:40 p.m. on a Friday and Chris Vacca had a bus to catch. So her political ponderings had to be swift and to the point.

“I think if they get rid of Gates, they should get rid of Bradley too,” said Vacca, an RTD employee waiting at the City Hall bus stop. “One’s as bad as the other.”

Faith and righteousness are getting a severe test in Los Angeles these days. On Friday, the Civic Center was abuzz with the latest news: One day after the Police Commission had succeeded in booting Chief Daryl F. Gates out of office (for 60 days, at least), the City Council figured out a way to put him back in.

As TV trucks camped at the Spring Street steps, downtown workers, City Hall employees and police officers discussed the political drama that has put a national spotlight on Los Angeles.

Waiting for their bus, Vacca stood with two other women. Three women, three opinions. Unlike Vacca’s solution, Susan Iamurri said Gates should resign, while Rebecca--just Rebecca, thank you--said the chief should stay.

“It doesn’t do any good just to punish the little guys,” Iamurri said. “Gates should go.”

One block away at Parker Center--Police Department headquarters--the snack shop was selling plenty of pins resembling blue ribbons, meant to symbolize support for Chief Gates.

Officer Ernest Murray said he was pleased with the council’s action, but he had not removed the black tape over his badge. He had placed it there, he said, “because the department died when they got rid of the chief. Maybe now it will come back to life.

Waiting for a ride home outside City Hall East, Reeshema Whittington expressed hope that Gates would never return.

Whittington is black, but said she did not consider the controversy an issue of race. “The way they (officers) act towards people, it doesn’t matter. Any color. They just have bad attitudes.”