LOS ANGELES : Police Union Files Claim on Behalf of White Males

The Los Angeles Police Protective League on Wednesday filed a labor grievance against the Police Department’s second highest-ranking official, accusing him of engaging in a “concerted and coercive effort” to force promotions of women and minorities at the expense of qualified white male candidates.

The claim, signed by league general counsel Hank Hernandez, accuses Assistant Chief Bernard C. Parks of illegally disallowing results of oral tests for detective positions in the LAPD’s Narcotics Group. The list of finalists for those positions did not include any women or minorities, and league officials say Parks rejected the white male candidates because of their race and gender.

The action Wednesday is part of an unusual showdown between the league and one of the department’s best-known figures. Parks, who has made clear his commitment to increasing the representation of women and minorities, said he rejected the promotional tests because they were conducted improperly.

His move angered many detectives in the Narcotics Group, and some of them are expected to address the Police Commission next week. But news of the league’s confrontation with Parks also has prompted some City Council members to rally to his defense.