Lewis Says He Will Probe Complaint About Kroeker

Interim Los Angeles Police Chief Bayan Lewis said Tuesday he will investigate allegations of racial bias and insensitivity against Deputy Chief Mark Kroeker, even though he believes the accusations are “absolutely uncalled-for and unjust.”

“Mark Kroeker has a history of being a person who has concerned himself with affirmative action and diversity,” Lewis said. “I think the allegations are old news, things that have been looked at before and were never an issue.”

Nonetheless, Lewis said he will reexamine the charges made by the vice president of a black police officers association in a recent letter to city officials. Lewis said he will also investigate whether the author of the letter--Sgt. Ronnie Cato--violated any department policy by writing it.

In the missive, Cato warned city officials that race relations in the department and community would suffer if Kroeker--one of six semifinalists for the vacant police chief’s job--is selected to lead the department. Cato accused Kroeker of not handing down severe enough punishments in two instances where white officers allegedly mistreated black officers under his command.

Kroeker strongly denied the allegations and said the attack was a vicious assault on his reputation. Civic leaders and LAPD colleagues have rallied to Kroeker’s defense.

Speaking publicly for the second straight day on the subject, Mayor Richard Riordan, who previously labeled Cato “a racist,” told reporters: “I’m sick and tired of this type of rhetoric. We have to stop it.”

Seven black LAPD command officers, including Deputy Chief Bernard Parks, who is considered Kroeker’s main competitor for the chief’s job, also denounced Cato’s letter.

“It is imperative that the community understands that the African American command officers . . . do not agree with or endorse the view and opinion held by Sgt. Ron Cato,” the officers said in a letter to The Times. “We are extremely disappointed that race had to be injected in an otherwise neutral selection process for the next chief of police.”