Longtime Support of Binkley Eroded Quickly : Police: Chief’s temporary reassignment marks an abrupt change in his warm relationship with City Hall.

The city manager’s decision this week to temporarily reassign Police Chief Lawrence L. Binkley marks a dramatic shift in the chief’s traditionally warm relationship with City Hall.

Since the 51-year-old chief took over the department in 1987, he has enjoyed the enthusiastic support of his boss, City Manager James Hankla, and City Council members, who have repeatedly come to Binkley’s defense in the face of rank-and-file criticism about his management style.

“Who has supported Larry (Binkley) through thick and thin but the city manager?” observed one councilman.

But this month, when complaints started coming from high-ranking officers, Hankla took the allegations seriously enough to launch a personnel probe of Binkley and his No. 2 man in the department, Assistant Police Chief Eugene Brizzolara. Although saying he had “found no concrete proof of wrongdoing” by either administrator, Hankla on Monday temporarily transferred Binkley to unspecified “special assignments” while the inquiry continues. Brizzolara filed for stress-related disability leave just before going on vacation last Friday.

Council members said it was Hankla’s idea, not theirs, to remove Binkley. “Obviously this is a very serious step on the part of the manager,” observed another councilman. “This is basically (Hankla’s) decision.”

Hankla said he reassigned Binkley because “it’s impossible to conduct a full review in an environment of openness” with Binkley running the department. Hankla said Binkley agreed with the change and “has remained calm and professional.”

Observers noted that the probe comes at a particularly sensitive time for the troubled Police Department. Next month the City Council is expected to receive a report discussing possible savings the city could achieve by abolishing the department and contracting with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services.

“I think Mr. Hankla is going to have to have some very good reasons to do this . . . or it will look like a play to get the sheriffs,” observed Ron Nelson, a longtime member of the Public Safety Advisory Commission, which advises the council on public safety issues.

Binkley’s cause was not helped by his statements to the Long Beach Press-Telegram last weekend, when he denied any wrongdoing and went on to say that he would ask for a grand jury review “of any and all elected and appointed officials and complete public exposure of everything found.”

His words were seen as a broad-brush attack on local officials and angered many in City Hall.

In a rare press release Monday, Hankla said he has “ordered Chief Binkley to immediately turn over to the appropriate prosecuting agency all evidence or information in his possession relating to alleged criminal misconduct by any public official.”

Hankla also took offense at Binkley’s apparent attempt to rally support. “I have received telephone calls from individuals in the community expressing support for the chief,” Hankla stated. “Frankly, I consider such contacts with me to be wholly inappropriate. I am not conducting a popularity poll on the chief.”

Binkley said the city attorney’s office instructed him not to comment. Brizzolara could not be reached for comment.

For their part, most council members publicly said little or nothing about Binkley or Hankla’s action, insisting it was a personnel matter. Mayor Ernie Kell did not return repeated phone calls to his office.

Some expressed continuing support for the chief. “Binkley came in at a rough time,” remarked Councilman Clarence Smith. “He has done the job that we expected him to do and unless (some wrongdoing) comes up, he still has that support.”

Others privately speculated that the inquiry was the beginning of the end for Binkley, a stern-faced veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department who has antagonized many Long Beach officers with a style they describe as dictatorial and stifling.

Binkley becomes eligible for retirement in March, after five years with the city. Although he would only qualify for 10% of his pay, several City Hall sources theorized that he would exit the force that way. “What you may see is . . . the chief may just retire,” said a councilman, noting that Binkley has been under considerable stress in recent years, both on and off the job.

Binkley’s 19-year-old daughter was killed in an auto accident a year ago, and he has been hospitalized with intestinal problems, in addition to dealing with ongoing problems in the department.

If Binkley does not retire, some predict his days are still numbered. “I would imagine that we need to heal some wounds and get on with business,” said a councilman. “I would imagine the chief is too much salt on an open wound.”

Hankla’s personnel probe was triggered by allegations from police commanders John Bretza and Alvin Van Otterloo earlier this month that Brizzolara talked to them about how they should testify in a civil trial involving a suit against them and Brizzolara.

According to city sources, Brizzolara did not tell them to perjure themselves, but he did coach them. Attorney Tom McIntosh, who represents both Bretza and Van Otterloo, said Brizzolara pressured Van Otterloo to “recall something he did not remember at all.” Van Otterloo told Brizzolara he could not testify to something he did not recall, “and he didn’t,” McIntosh said Tuesday.

Brizzolara and Binkley also purportedly attempted to force the commanders to take a stress-related leave of absence.

Police and City Hall sources say other complaints being reviewed by Hankla’s office include charges that Binkley has treated officers unfairly, has tried to control what they say publicly about him and the department, and has even dictated which community groups his command staff should join.

Some sources said Hankla is also re-examining Binkley’s use of a police helicopter to attend a Long Beach retirement dinner last August while he was on vacation in Paso Robles. At the time, Hankla defended Binkley, saying the trip provided valuable training for pilots and was made on police business.

Times staff writer Roxana Kopetman contributed to this story.