Police Chief Makes His First Arrest in a Long Time

He’s already been called one of the world’s most beautiful people, an honor bestowed by People magazine. Now, it looks as though he’s bucking to be called one of the toughest, too.

Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard C. Parks arrested a suspected vandal Wednesday, helping another officer and concerned citizen wrestle the suspect to the ground and slap a pair of handcuffs on him.

Parks, who has been with the LAPD for 34 years, made his last arrest--well, a long, long time ago is all the department officials would say.

The 55-year-old chief’s willingness to mix it up in the streets surprised and pleased police union leaders, who have often complained that Parks is aloof and out of touch with the rank-and-file.

“We all miss working in the street and it’s a good feeling to put a bad guy in jail,” said Ted Hunt, president of the police union. “It’s good to see the chief is out there doing what every good patrol officer does. We hope he doesn’t get a personnel complaint out of it.”

As it is, the incident may be forwarded to Parks’ boss, the five-member Police Commission, which oversees use-of-force incidents.

The cuffing is the latest in a thin but colorful history of arrests by Los Angeles’ top cops.

The last time an LAPD chief made an arrest was when Daryl F. Gates went on a police raid to arrest Damian Monroe Williams, one of the men who beat truck driver Reginald O. Denny in an attack that came to symbolize the 1992 riots. Gates arrived for that event backed by scores of officers and reporters tipped to the event.

Before Gates, former Chief Ed Davis found himself in at least two situations where he had to collar a suspect. Once, he nabbed a drunk driver who rear-ended him. In another instance, a motorist, this one drunk as well, challenged Davis to a drag race and sped away. Davis caught him.

Parks’ predecessor, Willie L. Williams did not make an arrest during his five-year tenure as chief.

Parks’ arrest Wednesday occurred about 9:40 a.m. when the chief and his driver, Officer Andrea Balter, spotted a “tagger” scribbling on a street sign near Vernon Avenue and Leimert Boulevard.

Parks and Balter, who were in an unmarked black sedan, made a U-turn and caught up to the suspect who by then was vandalizing the wall of a building.

The chief and his aide, who were not in uniform, told the suspect to stop, but he refused and began to walk away. Not about to let him get away, Parks and Balter grabbed the suspect by his backpack.

“The suspect struggled in an attempt to flee,” according to a police statement of the incident. At that point a concerned citizen helped Parks and Balter wrestle the suspect to the ground and handcuff him.

With the suspect detained, Parks put out a radio call that “Staff One” needed backup. Patrol cars showed up in a jiffy.

“We’re all very proud of him,” said Lt. Sharon Buck, the LAPD’s spokeswoman.

Herlindo Rodriguez, 19, was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor vandalism and resisting arrest.