L.A. Turns to Retiree as Interim Chief

The Los Angeles Police Commission plucked a former LAPD deputy chief out of retirement Tuesday and tapped him to lead the department while the commission conducts a nationwide search for a new chief.

Martin Pomeroy--a taciturn top-tier deputy to former Chief Bernard C. Parks--was picked from a field of six finalists, all current or former ranking members of the Police Department.

The commission met with Pomeroy, who left the department in 2000 after 31 years of service, before choosing him to take over the agency for roughly the next six months. Other candidates considered for the temporary job included two deputy chiefs, a commander and two retired LAPD officials.

According to commissioners and others, Pomeroy was the favorite because he has held a variety of supervisorial and management positions in the department over the years--forging strong ties with Mayor James K. Hahn and other city officials along the way.

Recently, he worked for Parks on special projects, including helping draft police reforms as part of a long negotiation with the U.S. Justice Department over how best to address alleged civil rights violations by the LAPD.

Those talks resulted in the crafting of a consent decree that gives a federal judge the authority to monitor the department’s compliance.

“Marty Pomeroy is someone I have known for many years and who has had a very distinguished career at the LAPD,” Hahn said. “The goal is that we lose no momentum on finishing the job that we started on reforming the Police Department.

“We are going to lose no momentum on continuing our commitment to community policing. We are going to lose no momentum on continuing our effort to improve recruitment and retention in the LAPD. The job of interim chief is not one to be taken lightly. I look forward to working with Chief Pomeroy.”

Pomeroy’s appointment is effective immediately. And with an interim leader in place, city officials say they are ready to move forward with a nationwide search for a full-term chief.

Although commission staff members estimate that it could take six months or more to replace Parks, city officials hope to have the process completed by the end of August.

The city will hire a head-hunting firm to identify qualified candidates in police departments across the country. Meanwhile, commissioners say they intend to form a citizens’ committee to establish the criteria for picking the new chief.

The Police Commission and the city personnel department will interview applicants and narrow the list to the top three candidates. Hahn will then decide whom to nominate for the position. The nominee requires City Council confirmation.

Among those who have expressed interest in the permanent position are LAPD deputy chiefs David Kalish and Margaret York, LAPD Cmdr. Jim McDonnell, Oxnard Chief Art Lopez and Portland, Ore., Chief Mark Kroeker.

While the search moves forward, Pomeroy said he hopes to leave his mark on the LAPD in the coming months.

“I love this organization,” Pomeroy said. “I hope that when I leave in six months, you will say the LAPD is better because I was here. I’m grateful for this opportunity.”

The commission sought a temporary chief who was not interested in the full-term position. The job comes with the same benefits as those for a chief. The annual salary range is $168,105 to $252,147.

The department last had an interim chief when Bayan Lewis filled the top spot for almost three months in 1997, after then-Chief Willie Williams was denied a second term and before Parks was appointed. Lewis retired after Parks was in place.

Parks had sought to stay on for a second five-year term, but the Police Commission denied his request, saying he had not done enough to boost officer recruitment and lower the crime rate. Hahn had also expressed concerns, questioning, among other things, Parks’ commitment to reforming the department.

The former chief is considering running for the City Council.

Pomeroy--who moved to Montana after he retired in 2000--will take the helm of the department at a time when the LAPD is under the eye of federal authorities. Last year, the city entered into the consent decree with the federal government mandating wide-ranging changes to department policies and practices.

Under the terms of that decree, the LAPD is required by law to meet certain deadlines for programs: installing computerized officer tracking, for instance, and collecting data related to the race of those stopped by LAPD officers.

Top LAPD officials, including then-Chief Parks, had opposed some of those provisions, but the city’s agreement to implement the decree obligates the department to meet the deadlines or face possible sanctions from a federal judge.

As a result, Pomeroy inherits not only the difficulties faced by many big-city chiefs, but also the oversight of a judge and court-approved monitor who are charged with ensuring that the department keeps its word on the areas covered by that document.

Commissioners said Tuesday that they have confidence in the new interim chief, in part because of his wide-ranging background and familiarity with the consent decree’s requirements.

In addition to working on reform efforts, Pomeroy recently supervised the department’s SWAT team, the criminal intelligence unit and a variety of other special detective functions. Pomeroy also commanded all LAPD disaster response operations during the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

Commission President Rick Caruso said he would like the next chief to have qualifications that mirror Pomeroy’s.

“[Pomeroy] understands the role of civilian oversight in the operation and the management of running this department,” Caruso said. “He has an unblemished record of integrity and of service to this city.... We welcome him back.”