Commission Acts to De-Escalate Its Clash With Gates : LAPD: Special panel is formed to review high-level reassignments made by chief. Move averts new head-on collision over issue.

The Los Angeles Police Commission averted--at least temporarily--a head-on collision with retiring Chief Daryl F. Gates on Tuesday, forming a special committee to review a series of reassignments the chief had refused to rescind in defiance of a commission order.

The panel’s action, which came without debate, appeared designed to de-escalate tensions with Gates--tensions that peaked last Friday when the commission issued its directive during a special session.

At Tuesday’s meeting, which lacked the bitter confrontational tone of the previous session, Commissioner Anthony De Los Reyes suggested that the committee be formed with an eye toward “balancing” the interests of the outgoing and incoming police chiefs on a variety of transitional issues, including Gates’ staff reshuffling.

The commissioners had alleged that Gates was in effect making a series of last-minute promotions that would undermine the ability of Philadelphia Police Commissioner Willie L. Williams to assemble his own team. Gates said the “acting” command appointments could be reversed by Williams, but were essential to the safety of the city. He also accused the mayoral-appointed commission of improperly meddling in police matters.

The issue could flare again, when the committee reports back to the full commission next week. But De Los Reyes, who was named to serve on the committee with Commissioner Ann Reiss Lane, said he believes there may be room for compromise.

“I’m saying let’s back off and look at the need” for Gates’ reassignment of commanders, said De Los Reyes.

Gates, still holding firm Tuesday in his refusal to rescind the command changes, said the commission’s action was “a very, very positive move” that should have been taken initially. He predicted the commission would ultimately agree with the “reasonableness” of his actions.

Reporters and television news crews jammed the commission hearing room in anticipation of a clash, but the fight seemed to have gone out of both sides before they headed into Tuesday’s meeting.

“I’d like to find some way to work this out and see if we can’t get Chief Gates on his way, and get our new chief installed in the most expedient fashion,” said Lane, one of those who strongly opposed Gates’ reassignments last week.

Sources familiar with the commission’s thinking said the panel had been leery of a full-blown battle with Gates because it could make him more obstinate and elevate his public profile at a time when the commission is trying to smooth the transition of power to Williams.

The staffing dispute centers on a series of six commanding officer changes Gates quietly ordered last Thursday, one day before the commission ordered him to make no new changes and rescind the earlier ones.

Because of a city hiring freeze, the reassignments do not include pay hikes or increases in rank. But they do move commanders into positions of greater responsibility and, Gates acknowledges, raise expectations that they will receive promotions when the freeze is lifted.

Not everyone agreed with the soft-handed approach toward the chief. Jospeh Duff, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP, said the commission should be pressing Gates to leave office this month, as he initially indicated he would in a letter to the panel last year.

Since then, Gates has said he will leave in June.

“They’re asleep at the switch if they let him get off” of his earlier commitment to retire this month, Duff said, warning that there is no assurance Gates will leave in June.