Police Panel Selects Mayoral Aide

After a three-month search, the Los Angeles Police Commission announced Thursday that it has selected Assistant Deputy Mayor Joseph A. Gunn, a former LAPD commander, to serve as its executive director.

The affable Gunn, with a broad network of police contacts, brings a strong background in both policing and city government to the Los Angeles Police Department’s civilian oversight panel.

“This was a very exhaustive and thorough search,” said Commissioner T. Warren Jackson. “We are very pleased with the outcome.”

While Gunn, 60, is highly regarded among police and city leaders, he also carries some baggage: Several observers already are concerned about a perceived dearth of commission oversight regarding Chief Bernard C. Parks, and Gunn is an unabashed admirer of Parks.

In fact, Gunn was among those who lobbied for Parks’ selection when Mayor Richard Riordan was considering his choices for a new chief last year. Gunn’s selection leaves close Riordan loyalists at the top of both the LAPD and the mayor-appointed commission.

“The apparent lack of independence concerns me,” said Carol Watson, a member of Police Watch, a community watchdog organization. “A lot of people will be watching with hope that he will be independent and have the personal fortitude that’s needed in that position.”

Commissioner Dean Hansell said the five-member panel took a hard look at whether Gunn was “too close to the mayor and came to the conclusion that he wasn’t. . . . We made it clear to him that we were going to be his boss and he understands that.”

Gunn said he considers his relationships with the chief, the mayor and other city officials “an asset” in his new position.

“The No. 1 priority is assisting the commission in its oversight role,” he said during a press conference.

Before he can get to work, however, Gunn said he needs to finish some tasks for the mayor. Gunn is expected to start at the Police Commission within the month, officials said. Gunn will replace acting Executive Director Cliff Weiss, who will return to a senior management analyst position. Weiss was asked to fill in after the commission removed Richard Dameron as executive director last September.

The search for a new executive has been a long and somewhat disappointing one for the commission. While commissioners expected hundreds of candidates to apply, only 13 people did. The commission was not able to attract more candidates, members said said, because the salary range of $90,000 to $115,000 was too low .

For months, the commissioners unsuccessfully lobbied city leaders to increase the salary level to make it equivalent to that of a deputy police chief, which is $136,000 to $151,000.

The commission fought for the salary increase in part by stressing that the 1991 Christopher Commission report, which proposed police reforms after the beating of Rodney G. King, recommended that the commission strengthen its executive director post. City Council members this week rejected increasing the salary level, saying that enough qualified candidates had applied under the current pay structure. Jackson said the council agreed to consider a future hike in the salary.

Gunn’s salary has not been determined.

Despite the setbacks on the salary issue, commissioners said they were pleased with the qualifications of several of the applicants. Commissioners declined to identify any of the other finalists.

Commission President Edith Perez praised Gunn’s “integrity” and “strength of character.”

“He’s certainly someone I’ve got a lot of respect for,” said Councilwoman Laura Chick, who heads the council’s Public Safety Committee.

Gunn retired from the LAPD as a commander after a 20-year career. At the time, he was the youngest officer to reach the rank of commander.

As a young vice officer in 1964, Gunn became aware that his partner, a longtime vice officer, was accepting bribes from a bookmaking ring. His partner even offered him a bribe to protect the illegal operation. Gunn, however, reported the bribes to his supervisors and Police Chief William H. Parker. Not knowing how high up the graft went, Parker arranged for Gunn to go undercover within the department to investigate.

As a result of the investigation, two officers went to prison and the city’s largest bookmaking operation was dismantled.

After retiring from the LAPD, Gunn launched a successful career in television and film writing. He wrote or produced two feature films, three TV movies of the week and more than 150 hours of television episodes, including “Hill Street Blues,” “Miami Vice” and “Kojak.”

Three years ago, Gunn went to work for the mayor, handling most of the office’s law enforcement matters. Initially, he was expected to stay just a few months, but Riordan repeatedly extended his stay.

“This is the final journey for me in public service,” Gunn said. “I’m enthusiastic. . . . I can’t wait to get to work.”

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Profile: Joseph A. Gunn

* Age: 60

* Residence: Burbank

* Education: Associate of arts degree in police science. Completed additional courses in police studies and management.

* Career highlights: Assistant deputy mayor; former Los Angeles Police Department commander; writer and producer of feature films, TV movies and numerous television series episodes.

* Family: Married with four daughters and four grandchildren.