News
Government
Mar. 1, 2002
Mayor Touts Civilian Input Into Discipline
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Jim Hahn on Thursday asked the City Council to support his plan to overhaul the LAPD's discipline system so that civilians, rather than command officers, would review disciplinary decisions.
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Jim Hahn on Thursday asked the City Council to support his plan to overhaul the LAPD's discipline system so that civilians, rather than command officers, would review disciplinary decisions.
Hahn advanced the proposal as a means of improving the police department's recruitment and retention, which have suffered under bad publicity from the Rampart corruption scandal and internal squabbling between Chief Bernard Parks and the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
"His thinking is that he wants to create a process that is perceived as fair by the public and the sworn officers," said Hahn's spokeswoman Julie Wong. "Neither the public or the officers have confidence in the disciplinary system."
The LAPD is 1,200 officers short of authorized levels, Hahn noted Thursday. The mayor has submitted a package of reforms, including the discipline revamp, to the Police Commission. The matter is pending before the commission.
If the City Council approves the mayor's proposals, they will be placed before voters as a ballot referendum, possibly in November 2002.
Under the mayor's proposal, the chief of police would gain the power to fire officers, but his command staff no longer would have the last word in disciplinary appeals. The three-member Board of Rights, comprising two command staff officers and a civilian, now reviews disciplinary appeals.
Under Hahn's plan, a three-member panel comprising civilians with law enforcement backgrounds, such as retired judges, would hear the officers' appeals.
The mayor's reforms would cut out pay and benefits for fired officers during the appeal process.
Hahn advanced the proposal as a means of improving the police department's recruitment and retention, which have suffered under bad publicity from the Rampart corruption scandal and internal squabbling between Chief Bernard Parks and the Los Angeles Police Protective League.
"His thinking is that he wants to create a process that is perceived as fair by the public and the sworn officers," said Hahn's spokeswoman Julie Wong. "Neither the public or the officers have confidence in the disciplinary system."
The LAPD is 1,200 officers short of authorized levels, Hahn noted Thursday. The mayor has submitted a package of reforms, including the discipline revamp, to the Police Commission. The matter is pending before the commission.
If the City Council approves the mayor's proposals, they will be placed before voters as a ballot referendum, possibly in November 2002.
Under the mayor's proposal, the chief of police would gain the power to fire officers, but his command staff no longer would have the last word in disciplinary appeals. The three-member Board of Rights, comprising two command staff officers and a civilian, now reviews disciplinary appeals.
Under Hahn's plan, a three-member panel comprising civilians with law enforcement backgrounds, such as retired judges, would hear the officers' appeals.
The mayor's reforms would cut out pay and benefits for fired officers during the appeal process.
- Gina Keating
#337608
Gina Keating
Daily Journal Staff Writer
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