LAPD Graduates Schooled by King Case : Training: 29 new officers are ready to hit the streets. Lessons from the beating controversy figured heavily in all phases of their training.

The Rodney G. King beating case was discussed when recruits at the Los Angeles Police Academy learned about use of force. The case was studied in their police ethics lectures. It was talked about when they learned about community relations.

But in addition to influencing their training, the King case almost cost them their graduation ceremony.

When the federal case against the officers accused of violating King’s civil rights went to the jury, the graduates were told that the ceremony would be postponed if there was unrest. They would all have to hit the streets.

But the city was calm Friday morning, and the 29 graduates had their day.

“Until very recently, there was no guarantee we’d have a graduation,” said Anthony Green, 28, who won the class physical training award. “We were told we might have to go right to our assigned divisions, and we wouldn’t have a graduation until things calmed down.”

Members of the graduating class, Green said, knew that if there was unrest after the verdicts, they would not have time to ease into their new duties. Their first day of work could be extremely dangerous, and they might face an array of confusing confrontations not covered in academy lectures.

While most of the new officers approached the situation stoically, many of the family members in the audience expressed concern.

“If these young officers had a year or two of experience, I wouldn’t be so worried,” said Donna Copeland, whose son graduated Friday. “But they might have to deal with all this right away.”

Jesse Brewer, Police Commission president, told the recruits Friday that the Police Department and its training procedures have changed significantly since the King beating.

“In the aftermath, the Los Angeles Police Department became the focus not only of the country and the world, but of our own intense self-scrutiny,” Brewer said. “We took stock of our assets, looked long and hard at our mistakes and began the slow, slow process of reform, reorganization and growth.

“Then, the events of last spring once again stunned the city and the department. In the pain and turmoil that followed, we continued that painful process of self-examination and change. This week, almost a year to the day later, Los Angeles awaits the culmination of a second trial. Whatever the outcome, it is a very changed world, and a very changed Police Department.”

Some of the changes in training were made in response to recommendations of the Christopher Commission, formed to investigate the department after the King beating. Others came at the behest of Willie L. Williams, the new chief.

More time is now devoted to studying human relations, cultural diversity and community-based policing, said training officer Jim Katapodis. And Williams has emphasized the need for a less confrontational attitude toward the public and critics of the department.

“It was instilled in us daily that they did things one way in the past and another way now,” said Anthony Green, 28. “There was a lot of emphasis on dealing with people the right way . . . not acting superior, not yelling, not saying: ‘Do it my way because I’m in charge. . . . I’m the police officer.’ We learned to relate to people on a more human level.”

All the recruits learned from discussing the King incident, said Jeffrey Brugger, 30. The recruits spent lots of time in simulated situations, he said, where they learned how to defuse potentially volatile confrontations.

“They tried to make the use-of-force policy very specific,” he said. “They really wanted to make sure that we knew exactly where we had to draw the line.”