What Do We Want in Our New Chief?
by Bobbie J. Logan

The Los Angeles Police Commission hosted the first of five public meetings to help them determine criteria for the next Chief of Police on Thursday evening, May 23, at Kedren Community Hall in Watts.

In attendance was Commissioner David Cunningham, who personally greeted attendees at the door, Commission Executive Director Joe Gunn, and the Commission's hardworking and very organized staff.

From the very outset, there was a pleasant and positive attitude as each of about 25 participants who requested to speak was called to the microphone to give his or her opinion as to what they would like to see in our new chief.

Commissioner Cunningham wanted to be sure he understood each speaker, and he reviewed their comments personally before they sat down. He seemed to enjoy the freedom of this "question and answer" part of the meeting, and even stated as much. Because there was no quorum of the Commission present, there was no need to adhere to the restrictions of the Brown Act, and he was able to converse openly with the participants.

Nearly an hour into the event, Mayor James Hahn quietly arrived and gave a short speech saying he wants to see where the police department is going, that community support is needed for recruitment and that he wants a chief that understands community policing.

Several common threads were woven throughout the comments of the community speakers, the most prevalent being the desire for a chief that can communicate well with both his or her own officers and members of the community. Participants wanted a chief that will regularly attend town hall and C-PAB (Community-Police Advisory Board) meetings in order to get a realistic idea of what needs to be done by listening to us, the community, not one who merely sits in an office giving executive orders, or listens only to the Police Commission.

There were those that felt the new chief should be promoted from within LAPD, while others felt a nationwide search for the very best possible candidate should be conducted. But all seemed to agree the we need a chief that will be respected by all, a chief that knows the street and is flexible, a chief that will respect his or her officers, a chief that has the self-discipline to make decisions with the community and ask the right questions of the community, and one who realizes we have the right to make our own decisions too.

The community requested a chief that understands LAPD is a service organization and its chief needs to interact with the community personally. This appeared to be the most common thread, heard over and over again. Participants wanted a chief that understands he or she is at the bottom of the organizational chart and not the top, a chief that understands that community policing goes beyond the Senior Lead Officer and C-PAB programs, but uses them as a good place to start, and a chief who's not afraid to act on behalf of the community.

Another passionate topic for the evening was youth programs. Many speakers felt these vital programs have fallen to the wayside and would like to see a chief with the vision to implement and support more programs and participate with some new, creative ideas. The question was, "... what better way to educate our children to become possible police officers themselves, to avoid gangs and drugs and to become responsible citizens?" It was suggested that perhaps a "youth advisory board" would be an excellent start.

Two programs brought up quite frequently by participants were the Senior Lead Officer (SLO) and Community-Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) programs. The SLOs appeared to have strong support from everyone and there were those that felt the new chief should truly understand the program and consult with the SLOs on issues important to the community. The C-PABs were surprisingly represented, and many felt a need to restructure them so the area Captains no longer make all the decisions.

It was suggested that the C-PABs have more input, be given more leeway by the Commission and have more power. Speakers wanted to know what commitment the new chief will have to C-PAB, and how visible C-PABs will be to the new chief. C-PAB members voiced that they want a "flexible" chief, one that will attend regular C-PAB meetings, and one that will allow a restructuring of the C-PAB program.

National Civil Rights and racial profiling were also very important issues brought to the forefront, with many speakers concerned that we find a chief that thoroughly understands the diversity of Los Angeles and someone with a proven track record of performing minority outreach. Many felt that candidates that are a product of Los Angeles would have a better understanding of these issues than most.

Speakers stated that officers should "get out of their cars," meet the community and present themselves as a "friendly police department." They said the history of each candidate should also be analyzed and studied regarding knowledge and experience in working with diverse groups. Sensitivity towards the homeless situation, hate and/or sexually oriented crimes was also brought up in relation to our choice for a new chief, along with the understanding that racial profiling does exist.

Many other views were stated, some obvious, others less so. Some speakers spoke of a chief that can take criticism, a people person that can work with us and not just in front of the cameras focusing only on the media. Others asked for a chief who's a product of the community, a chief that can state their experience with morale issues, and a chief that will work on officer retention through promoting fairness in the discipline system.

Participants mentioned a preference for a chief that has had at least two years administrative service as a Deputy Chief, a chief with superior communication skills, and someone who can understand and translate empirical statistical data into creative approaches to managing LAPD, and strategies for community policing. Still others asked for a chief with a strong albeit firm hand in the face of terrorism and secession, and for someone the rank and file officers can depend on.

It was also suggested that the community be given the opportunity to interview the candidates, after the short list with final selections has been made.

Finally, many asked the obvious, "How about the selection of a woman?" It was expressed, and quite passionately by some, that the choice of a woman chief be given serious consideration also. Many said that perhaps it's finally time to have a woman do the job, as gender diversity is just as important an element as any other, and I quote, "Let us look for qualified ladies. LAPD will run smoothly!"

But perhaps the evening's best and most encouraging statement was this, "God will send us a good police chief."

Amen.

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See Choosing the New Chief to find out what was shared
at the six other public meetings held out in the communities.

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