City attorney wants independent review of LAPD corruption probe

March 21, 2000
Web posted at: 10:56 p.m. EST (0356 GMT)

From Correspondent Charles Feldman

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- The city attorney of Los Angeles is urging city government to hold an outside, independent review of the police department.

James Hahn sent a letter Tuesday to Mayor Richard Riordan and the City Council urging that former Secretary of State Warren Christopher again be called upon to head an independent commission looking into police corruption.

Christopher headed a commission that investigated police abuse following the Rodney King case. One of the numerous recommendations his report made was greater civilian oversight of the LAPD.

As recently as two weeks ago, the city attorney said at a meeting of the Police Commission that he did not believe there was a need for such a review. But "events of the past week have now convinced me otherwise," Hahn said.

MESSAGE BOARD LAPD probe

Hahn said his request was prompted by a public feud that erupted between Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard Parks and county District Attorney Gil Garcetti over how the various investigations are being conducted.

The U.S. Attorney's office, FBI, the Los Angeles County district attorney and the civilian Police Commission are all conducting probes of the LAPD.

"Reluctantly, I have now come to the conclusion," Hahn wrote in the letter hand-delivered Tuesday, "that the only way to restore credibility to the investigative process and to the Police Department is to appoint an independent commission to oversee the investigation of the Rampart scandal and the circumstances that brought us to this point."

Hahn said Christopher "should be allowed to choose five panelists to join him on the commission."

In a statement faxed from his Los Angeles office, Christopher said he doesn't agree with the suggestion that he form a commission. He said he believes the current process, stemming from his so-called Christopher Commission report, should be given time to work.

"I feel this is not the moment to back away from our established civilian oversight mechanisms," Christopher said.

As long as the Police Commission "has the will to get at the facts" and the inspector general receives the proper information and cooperation from the LAPD to conduct a thorough investigation, "I think they should be given the chance to perform the jobs defined for them under City Charter," he added.

The inspector general's office is the investigative arm of the Police Commission.

A spokesman for Riordan said the mayor "doesn't see the need for another body to investigate" the Rampart scandal.

A City Council committee approved a motion Monday to ask the U.S. Justice Department to take the lead in the investigations. It is expected to be voted on by the full council sometime next week.

The scandal began last fall after one police officer was caught stealing cocaine from a police evidence locker. To obtain a reduced prison sentence, he told prosecutors that other officers in a now-disbanded, anti-gang unit that had operated in the Rampart neighborhood beat, framed and even shot suspects.

Allegations of tainted evidence have resulted in numerous criminal convictions being overturned, at least 20 officers relieved of duty and at least 70 others under investigation.

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The Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles County District Attorney
United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California
Federal Bureau of Investigation

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