LOS ANGELES : Chief to Look at ‘Problem Officers’

Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams said Wednesday that he will review how the department has handled 44 officers the Christopher Commission determined were “problem officers” and who may not have received the recommended counseling and retraining.

“There will be some action, in terms of review,” Williams told reporters. “We are going to be looking at areas of training, who has been counseled or not counseled, those who are on the street or not on the street.”

Of the 44 “problem officers,” eight are still working in Valley divisions. Four of the officers are stationed in Van Nuys, two in West Valley and two in Foothill.

Williams’ action comes in response to a story this week in The Times that identified the officers and revealed that 37 of them remain on the force, mostly in jobs that involve contact with the public.

The story reported that many of the officers have not received the extensive psychological counseling and training recommended last year by the Christopher Commission, which conducted a landmark review of the Los Angeles Police Department after the Rodney G. King beating.

The list, which was criticized by former Chief Daryl F. Gates and the Police Protective League as being unfair to many of those on it, was composed of officers who had been named in six or more complaints of using excessive force or improper tactics between 1986 and 1990.

On Tuesday, Police Commission President Jesse A. Brewer said he would seek an evaluation from Williams on what has happened to the officers since the Christopher Commission published its findings.

Williams said he will prepare a report on the officers over the next two weeks before commenting at length. He also indicated that an investigation could follow into how the closely guarded identities of the officers were leaked to The Times.

“I don’t know if it was a violation of law,” he said. “If it is determined there is some kind of violation, we’ll go from there.”