CHRISTOPHER COMMISSION REPORT 1991: Chapter 10, Page 220-221
“The Chief while needing to be more responsive to the Police Commission and to the city’s elected leadership also must be protected from improper political influences.
“The Independent Commission recommends that the Chief of Police not endorse candidates for public office
“Because the chief’s office is inherently powerful, it is unseemly for the Chief to use that position to influence the political process. It is particularly ironic to create a system to insulate the Chief from improper political pressure, and then have the Chief use that protected position to campaign on behalf of politicians who thereby become indebted to him.
“Such activity politicizes the Chief, and ultimately the Department.”
I think Cooley so openly trying to put into office people he can control at the city level, where he has no business interfering, is very inappropriate, especially when his choice has never held elected office and all his endorsements seem to be coming from Cooley. He’s doing way more than endorsing: he recruited the candidate and has worked to get him virtually all other endorsements and funds through his own connections and called favors.
And if you say that’s okay because Cooley was elected, the nature of his last campaign made it more of a coronation, with some underfunded unknowns brave enough to take him on despite claims they’d received retribution for it, making valid points. He in turn answers to his bosses, the County Board of Supervisors, and the chummy nature of his and Antonovich’s conservative relationship and their both trying to influence our city elections toward their conservative Republican, anti-LA candidates, tells me it’s very appropriate for the Chief in this case to make an endorsement. I’ll bet if it were Chief Gates endorsing the most conservative, exurban candidates, you’d have no problem with it.
The voters will have to choose the people, views and teams they feel will represent them and their interests and communities best. For me in Los Angeles, that’s someone who knows and loves the city and has shown commitment to LAPD and the issues that combat gangs and crime TODAY.
The Chief and Mayor work well with the Sheriff’s dept. — in fact, it’s been their hallmark to join forces across agencies, to maximize their forces beyond what any of them can do alone — and have held numerous conferences and summits.
On the other hand, Antonovich and Knabe have consistently shown antipathy and an “us vs. them” attitude toward the actual city of L. A., on everything from mass transit to hospitals and programs for the poor, which makes me personally very wary of anyone they endorse at the city level and their motives for it.
Of course someone will jump all over me alleging I’m a “third floor spinner” but that has nothing to do with it. I’m a moderate Angeleno first and foremost, a proud resident of the westside in the CITY of L. A., and we have two very different choices: one I can live with and be hopeful about, and know their selection will probably make Bratton more likely to stay in L. A. despite offers from all over, and another which makes me very uncomfortable and leaves me feeling disenfranchised.
I live in the City and no plans on leaving. The Mayor and his boy Jack Weiss have done nothing for this City. The candidates running for Mayor do not have a shot against the money that Villar has raised.
The City Attorney’s race has some really good lawyers in the race and I want a lawyer that can prosecute the gang members and those who ruin of City by breaking the law.
Cooley has done a exceptional job at cleaning up the County of LA. I have done my homework and believe that Carmen Trutanich is the only candidate in the City Attorney’s race that can do the same for the City.
Anonymous @ 8:46, thanks for the empty cheerleading for the Worst Mayor in America.
The de-politicization that the Christopher Commission report considers important to be maintained is completely undermined by Bratton’s decision to do this ad for the re-election of the Mayor. Bratton may not have actually “decided” to do this, and that could by the simple and easiest reason to see why it happened. There is heavy political pressure being exerted all around when you examine the Villaraigosa administration- also a bit of retribution going on for those who don’t yield to the influence.
But if Chief Bratton chose to make this ad, he’s got to be fully aware of the report as part of his managerial duties and this is not helping the LAPD operations that the Christopher Commission was examining in the first place.
The posting above is nearly a complete non sequitur to the cited portion of that report that includes the rationale behind it. Yet to continue in a direction that does not follow the report, regardless of whether it’s considered intrusive or burdensome, has ill effects on the Department. It is apparent that the short-term benefit to the Mayor is the overriding concern and goal, not the LAPD’s improvement and maintenance as an apolitical organization.
The danger of politics in law enforcement is bias in decision making that may not be in the best interest of the city and manner in which law enforcement is carried out. Tony Villaraigosa and William Bratton do not recognize that the LAPD should not be dragged into the political arena, at least here in an election framework, a high visibility example of the breach of what the Commission’s report warned of.
Personally, my opinion is that Bratton has always given lip service to the way the LAPD operates and has not really been into what’s going on with the Dept. and opearations. His term as Chief included the May Day Melee and he came out blame-free, but assorted middle-manager police bore the entire blame for the errors that resulted that day. The setting up for this day was not considered and that is the chief’s responsibility to be sure things run correctly, and training is up to date- and we saw it was not.
Bratton is not the best of chiefs, he’s only making the Mayor look good and that’s why the Mayor has him there. Tony’s self-aggrandizement is fully supported and fostered by Bratton working more with that in mind than the Department’s long-term welfare. This being the priority is what makes the whole picture a bad one and answers the question: Why would Bratton do something that was explicity stated shouldn’t be done if the LAPD’s integrity were to be maintained by following political neutrality?
Bad all around. But look at the actors. Neither one my choice. And I just don’t know what’s that Cooley problem all about here; an axe to grind? That another story and irrelevant to Bratton’s endorsement for Mayor that is the issue, but it surely is bothering the poster.
In Eagle Rock
well I have voted and my vote did not go to Villaraigosa, Wendy Gruel or Jack Weiss, vote and stop the corruption!!!
Sheriff Baca works hard to serve the citizens of LA County, as does DA Cooley. They have earned my respect and I trust their endorsement of Mr. Trutanich. These two ELECTED officials have nothing to gain by endorsing Carmen Trutanich for City Attorney. The three of them working with the U.S Attorney’s office will really clean up the City, as they have for the County of LA.
The current LAPD Chief has always supported the current Mayor and his lackies (Weiss). I was very alarmed when the Chief became involved the City Attorney race……….just shows how people are scared to end up the Mayor’s bad side.
Me and my partners who SERVE AND PROTECT will not follow the Chief and his endorsement.
Ron, the LAPD has ALWAYS been politicized! You want to end that dubiously proud tradition now?
Then there’s the Sheriff’s department.
Sigh……
I think his active support of Villar makes it perfectly clear why Chief Bratton came out of the May Day Melee blame free.
Angelenos complain and continue to reelect these same ineffective politicos over and over which is why the politicos do as he/she pleases with no accountability to their constituents. Don’t be fooled by the colorful fliers and twenty second media sound bites during elections.
A NO vote for Villaraigosa
A NO vote for Weiss, and
A NO vote for Greuel
Who cares what Bratton thinks? He’s just a political hack masquerading as a police chief. He barely wears the LAPD uniform–what is he, ashamed of it?
What do the rank-and-file cops of the Police Protective League think?
That’s the endorsement I’d like to see.