2 Finalists for LAPD Chief’s Job Cleared in Misconduct Inquiry : Police: The third candidate accused by a Latino group may have violated a department rule, commission finds.

Two finalists vying to succeed Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates have been cleared of misconduct allegations lodged last month by a Latino community group, the president of the Police Commission said Monday.

But an internal police investigation found a possible infraction of department rules by a third candidate stemming from his personal relationship with a female subordinate.

In announcing the conclusion of the monthlong investigation, Commission President Stanley K. Sheinbaum declined to name the candidates involved or provide details of the panel’s findings.

However, records and interviews indicate that Deputy Chiefs Bernard C. Parks and Matthew V. Hunt were cleared by the investigation. At a Police Commission meeting March 3, the Latino group, NEWS for America, made allegations against three of the finalists but declined to identify them. Sources later said they involved charges that Parks had intervened to help free his daughter’s boyfriend from police custody, and that Hunt had discouraged investigators from releasing a wrongly accused rape suspect. Parks and Hunt, who could not be reached Monday, strongly denied doing anything improper.

The sources said the third allegation involved charges that Assistant Chief David Dotson had an improper relationship with a female subordinate officer and may have retaliated against the woman’s husband, a Los Angeles police sergeant.

The possible infraction uncovered by the investigation relates to a requirement that department managers promptly report personal relationships with subordinate officers. The commission investigation, conducted by the Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division, found no evidence that Dotson had retaliated against the officer’s husband.

Dotson acknowledged the relationship with the officer, but denied doing anything improper or violating department rules. He said Monday that the investigation was “damaging my standing amongst the candidates” competing to succeed Gates, and said he would vigorously defend himself in internal department hearings.

Sheinbaum said it is hard to tell how much significance the commission will attach to the possible infraction, in part because the department is still reviewing the matter.

But Sheinbaum expressed relief that the sensitive investigations, which he characterized as thorough, were complete so the commission can move on with the task of picking someone to guide the Police Department beyond tumult of the Rodney G. King beating controversy.

“It helps enormously. . . . It’s hard to make decisions about people who have allegations” hanging over them, Sheinbaum said.

Xavier Hermosillo, chairman of the group that demanded the investigations, strongly criticized Sheinbaum’s announcement. “I’m shocked . . . it’s a mockery,” he said, adding that NEWS for America last week provided additional information to police investigators that has not been fully considered.

Hermosillo said his group has affidavits from three officers, whom he would not name, who claimed to have witnessed intervention by one of the candidates in the release last December of Nathan Thomas. Thomas, who was briefly booked at the Southwest Station on suspicion of attempted murder, was the boyfriend of Parks’ daughter.

Parks acknowledged accepting courtesy calls from the police station because of his daughter’s involvement in events surrounding the arrest. But he said he avoided involvement in Thomas’ case and sought no favors for his daughter.

Hermosillo said his group’s police sources have offered to testify before a grand jury, but are fearful of coming forward to police investigators. As a result, Hermosillo said he could not provide the affidavits to investigators.

Sheinbaum and Police Commission member Antonio de los Reyes said they were satisfied the investigation had gone as far as it could and criticized Hermosillo for not producing the evidence he claims to have. “These are serious allegations. . . . It’s somewhat irresponsible,” said De Los Reyes.

Monday’s announcement came as the Police Commission entered the last phase of its selection process. It is expected to name a new chief within three weeks.

Panel members completed a second round of closed-door interviews over the weekend with five finalists for chief, focusing on their plans for the beleaguered department and on background investigations.

On Monday, commissioner members Jesse Brewer and Ann Reiss Lane went to Philadelphia to explore the background of Police Commissioner Willie Williams, the top-ranked candidate to succeed Gates and the only finalist from outside the department.

“We’ll be talking to anyone who might have something critical to say,” including civil rights groups, police union officials and political leaders, Brewer said before leaving. Brewer, a former Los Angeles Police Department assistant chief, is playing a key role in the screening process. He said the commission wants to be sure it has a full picture of “the kind of administration” Williams brought to the Philadelphia Police Department.

On Thursday, the commission will meet again in a closed session with Gates to discuss his views of the finalists.

The finalists in addition to Williams, Parks, Hunt and Dotson are Deputy Chiefs Mark A. Kroeker and Glenn Levant.