LAPD WATCH : Latest Gatesisms

Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates is hardly the shy, retiring type. Sometimes that’s good, but sometimes the things he says leave people shaking their heads and chalking up another “Gatesism.” One public proposal from Gates this week left even the most unshockable in City Hall speechless.

Gates suggested that he personally lead two committees that would be in charge of implementing the recommendations of the Christopher Commission, which is reviewing LAPD policies in the wake of the Rodney King beating.

That struck a lot of people as at least a touch presumptuous. It might just be that the chief will not turn out to be the best person to head up panels that may be charged with reforming the Police Department.

In fact, the chief may have pushed even his staunchest defenders too far with this latest attempt to get ahead of the parade that he once tried so hard to stop. For he moved from initially seeking to minimize the impact of the King beating to now saying he wants to personally take charge of the commission recommendations.

But the recommendations have not yet even been made, so the chief’s suggestion is, at the very least, premature; in all likelihood, it’s also inappropriate, because it’s possible that the commission may seek major changes in the way the department has been run under Gates.

The chief did recoup from another utterly unnecessary, self-imposed controversy. He wisely changed his mind and will allow uniformed officers to recruit at a local gay pride festival this weekend.