Yaroslavsky to Seek Ban on Promotion of Religion

One day after a Los Angeles federal judge rejected Assistant Police Chief Robert L. Vernon’s $10-million religious discrimination lawsuit, Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky announced plans to introduce legislation prohibiting city employees from using city property or time to promote religion.

Vernon filed his suit after a probe of allegations he improperly injected his religious views into Los Angeles Police Department business. The complaints leveled against Vernon demonstrate the need for city codes that would more clearly delineate the separation of church and state, Yaroslavsky said. “This city has to make it clear, once and for all, that religion has no place in the operation of this government. Religion--any religion--has no place in government.”

Meanwhile, on a day of dueling news conferences, Vernon said he is strongly considering appealing U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson’s ruling that city officials were within their rights to investigate complaints that he let his fundamentalist Christian beliefs conflict with his official duties and that he showed favoritism to fellow officers who shared his faith.

Vernon contends that the investigation conducted by Chief Daryl F. Gates destroyed his career even though it found no evidence of wrongdoing on Vernon’s part.

Yaroslavsky’s proposals would prohibit city employees from using religious symbols on uniforms, city property or official city communications; from conducting religious services or religious study courses or proselytizing on city property or on city time; from spending city money on religious materials, and from using “city resources to advance any religion in any way.”

“We’re not attacking anyone’s right to have whatever views they wish to have,” Yaroslavsky said. But his proposed series of amendments to ordinances, he added, would create a process to deal with complaints concerning employees who try to foist their views upon others.

Yaroslavsky acknowledged that his proposal may conflict with such City Hall traditions as the monthly invocations at council meetings and the annual holiday display of a Christmas tree and a menorah. He said ordinances could be written to address such concerns.

Yaroslavsky refrained from discussing Vernon’s case, noting the likelihood of an appeal. He emphasized that Vernon “tried to take the city and the taxpayers for $10 million” and said the city’s defense has cost $330,000.

Vernon, in his news conference, repeated charges that he had been “smeared and slandered.”

Three police officials who gave sworn affidavits claiming that Vernon’s fundamentalist views influenced his police duties are finalists in the competition to succeed Gates as police chief. Vernon was passed over and said he intends to retire rather than accept another role under a new chief.

Bob Phillips, chairman of Friends of Bob Vernon, said thousands of dollars have been raised to assist Vernon’s legal efforts. The group is affiliated with the Western Center for Law and Religion, which has provided legal assistance for Operation Rescue anti-abortion protesters.

Phillips said Vernon was victimized by the Police Commission, Mayor Tom Bradley, the council and the media. “If Bob was a minority or if he was of another faith other than the Christian faith, I think the news media would be screaming bloody murder,” Phillips said.