LAPD Leadership Vacuum Hampers Daily Operations

With Chief Willie L. Williams heading out the door and nobody tapped to take his place, the Los Angeles Police Department is running on autopilot as it braces for a top-to-bottom overhaul of its command structure.

Some Williams loyalists are eyeing new jobs, others are planning retirements, while still others are looking to cash in a few favors before the chief leaves.

Meanwhile, some foes of the outgoing chief are positioning themselves for advancement. All of which has created a leadership vacuum that, at times, has threatened to paralyze the day-to-day functions at the department’s headquarters.

Deputy Chief Mark Kroeker, one of several high-ranking officers with his sights on the top job, said the turmoil in leadership has put the department in operational “doldrums.”

“This is a distraction for the department. All the forward momentum on innovations and problem solving goes into neutral,” he said. “A malaise hangs in the air over the department like a mist over a swamp. . . . There is tremendous rumormongering.”

Although the leadership problems have become most acute since March 10, when Williams was denied a second five-year term, some police officials say the department has been rudderless for more than a year as the chief struggled to take command of the department and waged a campaign for reappointment.

Uncertainty is likely to persist for several more months, as a permanent replacement for Williams is not expected to be chosen until summer. Even before that selection is made, the chief is expected to leave by the middle of next month.

Some LAPD officials said Williams’ departure could not have come at a worse time, as the department prepares to enter budget negotiations, the police union presses for compressed work schedules, and officers face what is considered the peak crime season.

Additionally, a number of critical issues have been given little attention by officials inside and out of the LAPD because of their preoccupation with the changes at the top. Those issues include a pending merger with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police, a proposal to absorb all independent police agencies in the city, and an effort to upgrade the department’s emergency communication system.

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“We don’t have a strong voice anymore,” said one command officer. “We have City Council members pushing, pulling and tugging us all around the place. They’re all out there pushing their pet projects because we haven’t set forth our own vision.”

The command officer said some department brass are trying to fend off a council member’s request to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new parking lot and some lockers at the Rampart station.

“That’s one of the first stations we’re going to tear down once there is enough money to build a new one. That money could be better spent elsewhere,” said the official, adding that a stronger leader would have the council following a department plan for facility improvements.

One of the most immediate concerns among the department’s upper echelon is the LAPD budget, which is under consideration by city officials. Without a chief to articulate the department’s vision for the future, some fear that the organization will be forced to accept political agendas rather than pursue law enforcement priorities, such as money to hire 44 more operators to answer the crush of 911 calls.

“Whatever budget is passed, how is that going to mesh with the goals of the chief of tomorrow?” asked Kroeker.

One top LAPD official said the chaos in leadership is nothing new.

“This place has been screwed up for more than a year,” said the official, referring to the protracted discussions over Williams’ unsuccessful bid for a second term.

That view was clearly expressed in a recent internal survey of LAPD command officers who complained that the department lacks a meaningful strategic plan for the next three years. Senior officials also said the LAPD leadership has failed to move forward on important initiatives, such as community policing, and has poorly allocated department resources.

Deputy Chief David Gascon said command officers should not allow the selection of the chief to become too much of a distraction.

“It’s like in football, too much credit goes to the quarterback when the team is winning and too much blame goes on him when it is losing,” he said. “We all have to do our own jobs well and expect others will do the same.”

Deputy Chief Bernard C. Parks said transitions “cause people to be less concerned about the work product and more concerned about personal issues.”

“But the problems never stop, and they don’t slow down and the magnitude does not get smaller,” he said.

While the rank-and-file officers say they continue to do their jobs, they admit that the leadership turmoil is a concern.

“We would like to know what direction we are going in,” said Dave Hepburn, president of the Police Protective League. “The longer we are without a chief, the longer we are going to flounder.”

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Many LAPD employees say the Police Commission, the mayor and City Council need to act quickly to fill the chief’s vacancy. Even though Williams’ term expires July 7, he has reached an agreement with the city to vacate the office as soon as May 17.

“The commission should really jump in and set the tone now,” said Cmdr. Royal Scott LaChasse, who works in the Valley Bureau. “We know we need an interim chief. . . . They should get that individual in there now and start the planning process. We should have some interim goals and plans.”

Indeed, the Police Commission is well aware of the managerial crisis gripping the department. Commission President Raymond C. Fisher has said the panel is moving as quickly as possible to install an interim chief. He said one could be selected by next week.

“There is an absence of focus in leadership, and we do need to address this issue promptly,” Fisher said. He added that the commission is “monitoring” important initiatives and projects, like the budget, to make sure the department’s interests are served.

But there are still some issues that commission members need to resolve, including: Do they appoint an interim chief who is interested in the permanent position and risk giving that person the inside track on the job? Or do they choose a person who is only interested in running the department until a permanent chief is found?

Of the five candidates under consideration for interim chief only two--Assistant Chief Bayan Lewis and Deputy Chief Martin Pomeroy--have said they do not want the permanent slot. The others--Deputy Chiefs Gascon, Kroeker and Parks--have all expressed a desire to run the department on a full-time basis. Other possible candidates for the permanent position include former New York Police Department Commissioner William Bratton and two former LAPD deputy chiefs--William Rathburn and Lawrence Fetters.

The commission also needs to consider how much power to give the interim chief. Will the interim chief be able to assign deputy and assistant chiefs? Should the interim chief have the authority to promote and demote officers?

“Those are all key questions,” Fisher said.

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And that’s just the considerations for the interim chief. The permanent chief selection is even more complicated for the Police Commission, which plans to provide the mayor a list of three qualified candidates to choose from by July 29. Already, the commission has been peppered with letters from community groups suggesting how to select a chief and who it should be.

Meanwhile, the Police Protective League, which represents about 9,000 LAPD officers, announced Friday that a vote of the rank and file showed overwhelmingly support for Kroeker. With 52% of members casting ballots, Kroeker received 75% of the votes.

Also Friday, Councilman Joel Wachs proposed holding public forums with the candidates to increase the community’s input in the selection process. City and Police Commission officials said they will consider the idea.

While some officers are jostling for a place among the department’s upper ranks, others are wondering whether it’s time to get out. Several have already made the decision to leave.

Deputy Chief John D. White has announced his retirement so he can take a position with a private security firm. Assistant Chief Lewis is a finalist for the chief’s job in Reno. And sources say Assistant Chiefs Ronald Banks and Frank Piersol are preparing for retirement.

Banks and Piersol, who face possible demotions when a new chief is appointed, recently have asked Williams to approve 5% raises. Although Williams signed off on the raises, they were rejected as improper by the department’s fiscal auditors.

“Some people are looking to get out as fast as they can with as much as they can, before a new chief comes in and makes those choices for them,” said one top official. “Others are waiting for their stock to rise. These are interesting times.”