3 Finalists for Police Inspector General Named

Two assistant U.S. attorneys and a private attorney who is a law enforcement consultant are the three finalists for the Los Angeles Police Commission’s inspector general position, sources confirmed Thursday.

Assistant U.S. Attys. Jeffrey C. Eglash and Gregory W. Jessner and Palo Alto attorney Robert Aaronson were interviewed in private by the five-member Police Commission, which is expected to select the new civilian watchdog next week.

Police commissioners and members of a blue-ribbon panel that helped screen nearly 100 applicants said the finalists all have skills suited for what has proved to be a very difficult job.

“This is a very qualified group,” Commissioner Dean Hansell said after the three contenders were individually interviewed behind closed doors. “Each one of them would make a strong inspector general.”

The Police Commission stepped into a whirlwind of controversy last year by pressuring Katherine Mader, its first inspector general, to resign. Mader, who at times clashed with her commission bosses and LAPD officials, accused the panel of undermining her office. The commission’s executive director said her work was substandard.

Since Mader’s departure, the commission has renewed its commitment to a strong inspector general and has vowed to hire a person who will competently perform the role of being the public’s eyes and ears inside the historically insular LAPD organization. One of the main responsibilities of the inspector general is to monitor the LAPD’s discipline system to ensure that complaints are investigated and adjudicated fairly.

For many police activists and reformers, a strong inspector general is one of the most powerful tools for carrying out effective civilian oversight. The position was first proposed by the 1991 Christopher Commission, which investigated police abuse after the beating of Rodney G. King.

City personnel and Police Commission officials declined to discuss any of the candidates for the position, which has an annual salary of $82,000 to $102,000. Throughout the five-month search, Deirdre Hill, a former Police Commission president, has served as the commission’s interim inspector general. Hill, who is widely praised by the commission, applied for the job but did not make the list of finalists.

On Thursday, the finalists were quizzed by commissioners on a variety of issues ranging from their writing and investigative skills to their ability to work with a diverse group of people with competing interests.

The interviews were conducted in a formal atmosphere. The contenders weren’t even given a glass of water as they fielded an hour’s worth of questions.

Eglash and Jessner are well-respected supervisors within the U.S. attorney’s Los Angeles office.

Eglash, who graduated from Boalt Hall law school, is chief of the office’s public corruption and government fraud section. He has handled a number of high-profile criminal prosecutions of defense contractors, welfare cheats and sheriff’s deputies.

Eglash could not be reached for comment.

Jessner, who also graduated from Boalt Hall, is chief of the criminal complaints section in Los Angeles. He has prosecuted major cases involving white supremacists and stalkers of celebrities.

Jessner, who also worked in the Los Angeles district attorney’s office, said he applied because he was intrigued by the position’s challenges.

“It’s an important job because it bridges the gap with the LAPD and the community,” Jessner said.

Aaronson, according to sources, works in the Bay Area representing several police chiefs and teaching a course on police officer discipline for the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training program. He could not be reached for comment.