Semifinalist Ends Quest for Top LAPD Job

Salt Lake City Police Chief Ruben Ortega--the only out-of-state semifinalist for the Los Angeles police chief’s job--has withdrawn his candidacy, saying Monday that he was swayed in part by his growing perception that the LAPD job will be given to an insider.

“It’s not too likely that the job would go to an outsider,” Ortega said in a telephone interview Monday. “Reality had to be faced.”

Since his interest in the LAPD job was disclosed two weeks ago, Ortega said he has been “besieged with calls” from Salt Lake City residents and officials asking that he reconsider and remain in Utah.

The support from the community, he said, helped convince him to drop his candidacy and “finish a number of projects” that he has started with the Salt Lake City Police Department, including community policing programs.

Ortega’s withdrawal means that six candidates remain for the LAPD job--only two of whom are from outside the department.

The contenders, selected from 32 applicants by a city screening committee, are: LAPD Deputy Chiefs Bernard Parks, Mark Kroeker and David Gascon, LAPD Cmdr. Art Lopez, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Chief Lee D. Baca and Sacramento Police Chief Arturo Venegas Jr.

Four of the candidates are Latino, Parks is African American and Kroeker is white. The six are scheduled to be interviewed Wednesday by a screening committee before their names are submitted to the Los Angeles Police Commission for further review.

Ortega said he was a little discouraged by the selection process for the LAPD job because he did not think it was a very thorough process in terms of examinations and interviews with candidates, or completely open to outsiders.

Ortega, former chief of police in Phoenix, said he applied for the LAPD job because he believes the department is one of the finest in the nation, although it has “gone astray” over the last several years.

He said he wanted to play a part in rebuilding the department’s image.

During his five years with the Salt Lake City Police Department, Ortega has moved to expand community policing and diversify the force. He has also increased citizen involvement on internal review boards concerning police pursuits and use of force issues.

Police Commission President Raymond C. Fisher said he was disappointed that Ortega “pulled out prematurely.”

“I’m concerned that we’re down to six [candidates] before we even get the list certified,” Fisher said.

He defended the selection process as open to all candidates and disputed suggestions that it is prejudiced against outsiders.

“We’re looking for the best, most qualified candidates,” Fisher said.

Despite Fisher’s comments, many department observers say it appears that the next chief has been preordained by Mayor Richard Riordan. According to sources close to the mayor, he is leaning toward giving the job to Parks.

Under a new process approved by the voters, the Police Commission will submit to the mayor a list of three finalists, in order of preference. Riordan will make his selection, which must be approved by a majority of the City Council.

The Police Commission will interview the six contenders to take the place of former Chief Willie L. Williams, who was recently denied a second five-year term, and is then due to send its list of finalists to the mayor by July 29.