Curb Proposed on Gates’ Statements : Police: Councilman Ridley-Thomas calls for measure that would bar chief from speaking in an official capacity on proposed reforms of the department.

Newly elected Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas on Friday proposed a controversial measure restricting public statements by Police Chief Daryl F. Gates as the city moves toward reforming the Police Department.

Under the unusual measure, designed to diminish the chief’s influence, Gates would be restricted from appearing in uniform or in front of any LAPD facility while speaking on reforms proposed by the Christopher Commission, which will be placed before voters.

He would be able to offer an opinion but would have to “distinguish that he’s speaking as Daryl Gates, a private citizen, not the chief of police,” said Ridley-Thomas, who represents South-Central Los Angeles and has been one of the chief’s toughest critics.

Critics of the measure, which was sent to committee for further study, denounced it as a possible infringement on Gates’ constitutional rights.

Elsewhere in City Hall on Friday, the fallout from the Christopher Commission report continued to dominate the debate.

* Mayor Tom Bradley joined a growing number of City Council members who favor waiting until the next statewide election, in March or June next year, for a vote on term limits for future police chiefs and other reforms urged by the commission, rather than holding a special election.

If state legislation is approved to move up the California presidential primary from June to March, “it will be the appropriate time for this measure to go on the ballot,” Bradley said. “It would ensure that there will be a large turnout.”

The city attorney’s office has concluded that, even if a new chief is hired before an election is held on the reforms, he would be bound by the results because he would be on probation for one year. Therefore, according to Bradley, there should be no rush to hold a special election.

* Council President John Ferraro named council colleagues Richard Alatorre, Ernani Bernardi, Marvin Braude, Joy Picus and Ridley-Thomas to a new panel to consider Christopher Commission recommendations. Ferraro said the appointments “reflect the geographic, ethnic, philosophic and genderic diversity of the city.”

The idea apparently was to consolidate the numerous council committees that are holding hearings on various aspects of the Christopher Commission’s proposed reforms, said Braude, who was named chairman.

Braude said that he initially had reservations about the job but then concluded that “it is crucial that the wounds our city has suffered be healed and that the controversy surrounding the Police Department be resolved.”

* The Ethics Commission asked the City Council to plug a loophole that exempts Gates and other top city administrators from a provision in the ethics law approved by voters last year barring retaliation against whistle-blowers. Ridley-Thomas introduced a similar motion in the council.

Gates has been accused of retaliating against officers who criticized him and the department in testimony before the Christopher Commission, including Assistant Chief David Dotson.

The day’s most controversial measure, however, was Ridley-Thomas’ plan to restrict campaigning by the outspoken Gates. The proposal was sent to committee for study.

The proposal--seconded by council newcomer Rita Walters--asks the Police Commission to direct Gates to “limit his political activity concerning any LAPD reform proposal to his private capacity” and make no public statements on reform “while wearing his uniform, in view of any LAPD facility or when making any official appearance or representing the LAPD.”

“That is absolutely absurd,” said Councilman Joel Wachs, who has been supportive of Gates. “He is chief of police, and he has a right to say how he feels about any issue, particularly public safety.”

“How can he call himself a civil rights leader?” Councilwoman Joy Picus said, referring to Ridley-Thomas, a former executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. “Civil rights leaders, of all people, ought to recognize that this is an outrageous infringement on the chief’s civil rights.”

Picus said that Gates told her that “he would not campaign against (a term limit for future police chiefs), but if asked his opinion, would give it.”

“I hope this is not an attempt to muzzle someone with whom we may disagree,” added Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky. “He is the police chief. These are reforms that affect the operations of the department. If he has a point of view of how something is going to affect the department, he can claim that he is not being political, he is doing his job. Who are we to question that?”

Police Commissioner Melanie Lomax, who will soon be leaving the panel, said she favored the restrictions on Gates and will ask for a city attorney opinion. Commissioner Stanley Sheinbaum, a longtime civil libertarian, said he has no position yet on Ridley-Thomas’ proposal but expressed concerns about Gates giving the “impression” he is speaking for the Police Department.

Gates was on vacation and could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, all 9,000 free copies of the 228-page Christopher Commission report had been given out by Friday and officials were unsure whether they would print more. Those calling the commission’s phone number now get a recording telling them that only 23-page summaries remain available.

The volume was given to all major police departments in the country, as well as to universities and law schools. Many individual police officers picked up copies as did a broad cross-section of the general public.