Commission Clears Way for Police Complaint-Tracking Plan

After more than two years of debate and delay, the Los Angeles Police Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to dip into its own budget to pay for a computer system that will track complaints against police officers.

The commission authorized the expenditure of $39,000 for what is known as OBITS--the Officer Behavioral Indicator Tracking System. Development of the system will take months, but William Russell, the commanding officer of the LAPD’s Support Services Bureau, said he expects it to be complete by the end of 1994.

“I’m delighted to see this go forward,” said Gary Greenebaum, president of the Police Commission. “I wish we could have had it more quickly, but it needs to be implemented.”

LAPD reform advocates have been urging progress on OBITS ever since the 1991 report by the Christopher Commission, which examined the use of force by Los Angeles police officers. That commission recommended a number of improvements in the monitoring of officers, particularly with respect to the use of force against suspects.

Since then, City Hall officials have rejected efforts to secure funds for the system. Tuesday’s vote by the Police Commission finally clears those obstacles and allows development of OBITS to begin. In fact, LAPD officials, anticipating Tuesday’s vote, began the process on April 1.

“It’ll be a good personnel system,” said Police Chief Willie L. Williams, who has supported OBITS despite the reservations of some officers, who worry that it will catalogue complaints against them without giving adequate weight to commendations or other positive aspects of their job performance. “It’s important that we move ahead with it , “ Williams added.