City of L.A.’s Chief Problem

Los Angeles does not have to have an African American police chief, or a Hispanic, Asian or Caucasian police chief. We need a competent chief who can lead the LAPD.

I do not know if that person is Bernard Parks. I am gathering as much information as I can in order to decide. Why is the police union so opposed to the chief? What are its specific concerns? Why is the LAPD low on personnel? What is the story about the senior lead officers? What is the role of the chief with regard to some of the police officer performance problems that I have observed?

These are just some of the questions. None pertain to racial considerations. Long ago these were deemed improper and illegal if used in making employment decisions. It is ironic that these laws were shaped primarily through the African American civil rights movement and now some vocal leaders of the black community assert that we should consider race as a hiring and firing criterion with regard to the position of police chief.

Mike H. Miller

Los Angeles

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According to your Feb. 10 editorial (“Chief: Walk Away Proud”), Parks should not apply to be reappointed chief because he is opposed by Mayor James Hahn. If the mayor’s opposition mandates the chief not being reappointed or even applying, then there is no need for the Police Commission, which has the responsibility of selecting the chief.

Most of the black political, religious and community leaders enthusiastically supported Hahn. This support was based primarily on his father’s legacy and what they thought was a promise by Mayor Hahn, if not to support Chief Parks for reappointment, to at least let the process work fairly and allow Parks to be judged on his record of accomplishments.

Those of us who supported [mayoral candidate] Antonio Villaraigosa (and also Parks) felt that he was honest in his position of being noncommittal on Parks until the proper review of his record was impartially made.

We also felt that Hahn was “carrying water on both shoulders” in securing the support of both the leaders of the black community and the police union.

Neville M. Tucker

Los Angeles

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I applaud your editorial about Chief Parks. After almost four decades of wonderful service to Angelenos, maybe it is time for some other more challenging career in law enforcement for Parks--maybe giving a hand, with his years of experience, to the newly created Afghan administration in the training of its police force.

One of the former New York City police chiefs (now he is back again under new Mayor Michael Bloomberg) did that for Haiti for a time.

George Dass

Beverly Hills

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Congratulations for presenting, in the same issue, two sides of the question, what is America (or Los Angeles) about?

Frank del Olmo says, “Don’t get mad, get even at the polls” (Commentary, Feb. 10), not just continuing but intensifying the ethnic conflicts in the city. Indeed, his metaphor is war. “So if black activists can’t convince the Police Commission to . . . give Bernie Parks another term as chief, it won’t mean they lost the war. They can bide their time, like Latinos are doing, and plan for some political payback at election time.” At least Del Olmo does not recommend taking to the streets.

Gregory Rodriguez (“Private Lives That Belie Public Words,” Opinion), on the other hand, complains, “For too long, Angelenos have defined ‘community’ racially,” and writes, “If we are going to cohere as one city, we must redefine community in geographic terms and eliminate the anachronistic racial vocabulary we have inherited.” Does an elected minority leader represent an ethnicity or a geographical district? Does an appointed school superintendent represent his/her ethnicity or gender, or the children of the school district? Does the appointed minority police chief serve his/her ethnicity or the residents of the city?

If only Del Olmo and other minority leaders would support a government of the people, by the people and for the people that acts for the greater good, then the real issues could be faced.

George Wolkon

Pacific Palisades

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Robyn Mancell needs to do some homework before expressing her erroneous views on the relationship of the L.A. police union and former Chief Daryl Gates (letter, Feb. 12).

Having been an officer on the LAPD at that time, I can tell you without doubt that the union and the chief had a dysfunctional relationship at best, for many reasons. There was no love lost between the union and the chief. One should dare to explore the real issues and become informed before jumping to a racist-painting conclusion!

Terry Schauer

Sherman Oaks