Commission’s LAPD Report
The Christopher Commission report clearly shows that the Rodney King incident was no aberration.
The fact that Chief Daryl Gates said it was one is evidence that the chief was either covering up the true extent of the Los Angeles Police Department’s pattern of police abuse, or he is truly out of touch with the actions of LAPD’s rank and file.
In either case, Gates has shown that he is not the kind of police chief a major metropolitan city such as Los Angeles needs or deserves.
It’s no surprise that Gates failed to fulfill his promise to step down if the commission found that his leadership contributed to an environment where police brutality and disrespect for citizens by the LAPD officers have flourished.
Gates is unable to understand why he is a roadblock to real change in the LAPD.
Gates has come to symbolize what is wrong with LAPD, and by extension, what is wrong with police organizations nationwide and perhaps worldwide.
Gates is not able to see the problems with his own department, let alone with his leadership.
GARY AVRECH, NAACP, Santa Monica/Venice Branch
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