Why the L.A. City Council Backs Gates

Why does Police Chief Daryl F. Gates have the support of the predominantly liberal Los Angeles City Council ?

Predictably, conservatives back the chief. But they’re not a majority on the 15-seat council. Power is with the liberals and only one of them, Michael Woo, has demanded that the conservative Gates leave. Thanks to the liberals, Gates so far has survived the Rodney G. King controversy, the greatest crisis in his 14 years as chief.

The political values of the liberals are much different than those of the chief. One of them, Zev Yaroslavsky, forced the Police Department to open its intelligence files several years ago. Richard Alatorre, as a young man, opposed the Police Department’s harsh treatment of young Latino protesters. Joel Wachs is a strong supporter of gay and lesbian organizations and the council’s staunchest advocate of gay rights. Gays and lesbians have complained of harassment and brutal treatment from the Police Department.

There’s a lot of speculation in City Hall as to why this is so. Chief Gates himself fueled some of it by saying on ABC’s “Nightline” in April that much “has not come out yet. And I think that, at the appropriate time, it may have to come out.” Ever since, City Hall gossips have been talking about the chief acting like the late J. Edgar Hoover. They conjure up a picture of Gates threatening council members with incriminating files, as the late FBI chief did with Congress and presidents--though Gates says he has no such files.

But for some liberals, there’s a more solid reason to support Gates. It’s fear of their constituents, fear heightened by an ambition to become the next mayor.

An illustration of this can be seen in west San Fernando Valley Councilwoman Joy Picus.

Picus still looks like what she was, a Valley mom who dabbled in politics through the League of Women Voters. Fourteen years on the council have made her as mean as any pol, although she usually hides it behind an overly pleasant, occasionally simpering demeanor.

Gates wasn’t aware of her toughness when he gave her one of his for-women-only put-downs at a 1983 City Council hearing on the department’s discredited intelligence squad. One of the spy cops had squirrelled away intelligence files in his garage. Picus wanted to know why. Gates said he didn’t know anything about it.

“You are always blaming other people,” Picus snapped. “You don’t accept responsibility. It’s time for you to stand up like a man and take responsibility.”

A different Joy Picus appeared on Century Cable’s “Week in Review” discussion program several days ago. Gates’ fierce foe had turned into his steadfast defender, explaining why the chief should remain on the job. “I believe he is admired and looked up to by the officers of the department and they will follow his lead when he puts forward different values than have been expressed so far,” she said.

One of the panelists was Pat Caddell, a bearded, scowling political pollster who operates in a mood of nonstop indignation.

As Picus finished her answer, Caddell’s eyes rolled toward the ceiling. He slammed his pen down on the desk. “Excuse me,” he said. “You do something wrong in your department, (does that mean) you should have a lifetime appointment, you should not step down? Will you tell me where in the annals of government, except for here, is that the way it works?”

Picus was indignant--and defensive. “You ought to get my mail,” she said. “You’re not on the receiving end of the mail.”

“Ahhh” said Caddell, as if this explained everything. “Ahhhh.”

It explained it all. The majority of residents in Los Angeles oppose Gates’ immediate removal, The Times Poll showed in April.

Mayor Tom Bradley’s a virtual lame duck who’ll have trouble if he runs for a sixth term in 1993. Ambition is sweeping through City Hall.

Woo figures he can unite enough of the anti-Gates vote to get into a runoff. Alatorre and Yaroslavsky are adding up the pro-Gates numbers. Wachs, who ran for mayor in 1973, is doing the same, as if he is contemplating another try.

Picus, too, has mayoral thoughts. “I’m looking very seriously at it,” she said.

It would be different if the mayor were strong. At his height, Bradley’s popularity frightened away potential contenders long before the campaign started. He was unbeatable on the council, too. Despite City Charter restrictions on mayoral power, Bradley built a strong liberal core of council supporters and won the key votes.

As a result, Gates was powerless to stop the dismantling of his beloved intelligence squad or prevent restrictions on use of police force. The council also went along with the liberal Police Commission of that era.

Now, his former critics have placed Gates in charge, for as long as he wants to stay on the job.