Growing Sense of a Need for Change : Times poll shows support for a new chief

The beauty of the Christopher Commission report on the Los Angeles Police Department was in the clearheaded, reasonable and empirical manner it came to its major conclusion: that although the LAPD is a hard-working, efficient and professional force, serious problems in management have permitted a small group of officers to repeatedly get away with brutality, racism and bias.

This obviously is unacceptable, the commission said. The 10 respected Angelenos then set forth recommendations that would carefully address the problems of the department without throwing it into chaos. The key thread common in the commission’s recommendations--from consistent disciplining of problem officers to ending what is, in effect, lifetime tenure for the police chief--is accountability.

For any battle against racism, bias and excessive force to succeed, the department’s top officers--including the chief of police--must be accountable to the people and their elected representatives.

The cool, unarguable logic of those conclusions is why the findings of the Christopher Commission are supported by a dramatic public consensus. Among the results of the latest Times Poll:

-- 78% of those polled believe that Police Chief Daryl F. Gates should resign immediately or as soon as a new chief can be found.

-- Those who believe that the chief must go represent a cross section of Los Angeles; 76% of Anglos, 90% of blacks and 78% of Latinos polled agreed on this. And, the poll indicates, fully 70% of city residents think a new chief would be needed to put the recommended reforms into action.

Since the police beating of Rodney King on March 3, the City Council has walked a fine line between decrying the incident and not moving precipitously in reaction to the controversy. Before the com- mission report was released, the council had been extraordinarily cautious, and was sometimes criticized as a result.

But with the release of the well-documented report, more council members seem to agree that the LAPD needs major change quickly.

The council’s shift is underscored by the Times Poll findings. That’s why the diplomatic efforts of Council President John Ferraro and Councilman Joel Wachs to work out a deal for Gates to retire by year’s end are valuable, affirmative steps, in contrast with the chief’s apparent vendetta against LAPD “whistle-blowers.”

The councilmen’s good faith should not be trifled with by Gates. He can either cooperate with the council members and business leaders who would try to work with him on a transition or he can try to fight the many lined up against him. If only in the interest of the LAPD itself, the chief should choose the former course.

With the Christopher Commission report, there’s been a sea change. Now the City Council, as the legislative leader of the city, must respond--preferably with the cooperation of the chief. He can read political tea leaves as well as anyone. It’s time for a change at Parker Center.