Law Stripping Commissioners’ Badges OKd
Citing concerns about past abuses, the Los Angeles City Council adopted an ordinance Tuesday that takes authority away from dozens of city commissioners to carry city badges.
Long a perk of getting a mayoral appointment, the gold metal badges in leather cases look remarkably like shields carried by police officers.
The ordinance, approved on a 13-0 vote, removes the power of commissioners to buy badges, instead giving City Clerk Mike Carey the responsibility of issuing the gold shields only to those who get approval from the City Council.
“I’m pleased to see the city move forward with the ordinance which will establish a centralized system and process for the issuance of city badges,” said Council President John Ferraro.
Ferraro sponsored the proposal after incidents in which city commissioners were accused of misusing their badges, including the 1996 arrest of Building and Safety Commission President Scott Adler, who allegedly flashed his badge while soliciting a prostitute.
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