KOREATOWN : Dinner Honors 5 LAPD Leaders

The Korean American community hosted a dinner to bid farewell and say hello to top brass at the Police Department’s Wilshire and Rampart divisions.

The outgoing area commanders, Julius Davis and Margaret York of the Wilshire Division and Gregory Berg of the Rampart Division, received plaques and flowers for their service in the area, while newcomers Nick Salicos and John Mutz were welcomed with praise and hope.

Sponsored by the Koreatown Assn. of Los Angeles and the Korean Restaurant Assn. of Southern California, last month’s seven-course meal at the Kang Nam restaurant was attended by 60 Korean American businessmen.

Before the dinner, organizer Yohngsohk Choe, speaking in English and Korean, introduced the police brass, which included Assistant Chief Bernard Parks.

“I want to thank you very much for your outstanding service in Koreatown,” Choe said, “and we look forward to forming new relationships with your successors.”

Davis offered advice to Mutz, his replacement: “It’s important to keep open the lines of communication. (Mutz) has to be open and able to show that he’s listening.”

Davis, who was promoted to lead the internal affairs division at Parker Center, said the relationship between the police and the Korean American community needed improvement when he arrived at the Wilshire Division nearly four years ago.

“There was a gap in what the Korean community expected and what we are authorized to do as police officers,” he said. “The police in Korea have greater latitude. We, on the other hand, have more laws and rules regulating how we do an investigation.”

But through communication, Davis said, that gap has closed and relations continue to improve.

Mutz comes to Wilshire with 20 years’ experience in police work, while Salicos has 24 years with the Police Department.