6 Considered to Temporarily Replace Parks

Los Angeles police commissioners looking for a temporary replacement for Chief Bernard C. Parks have narrowed their list of candidates to three high-ranking department members and three retired veterans, officials said Monday.

The commission is expected to meet behind closed doors today to discuss who should lead the Los Angeles Police Department--and oversee the implementation of scores of court-mandated reforms--while the city conducts a nationwide search for a new chief.

The interim chief would be prohibited from applying for the chief’s position because the Police Commission did not want applicants to use the temporary job as a springboard.

“It creates an inherent conflict if the interim chief has an application in to be permanent chief,” said commission President Rick Caruso. “This way, it just keeps the process cleaner and more straight forward.”

According to City Hall sources, those up for consideration include:

* Deputy Chief Mike Bostic, who is in charge of recruitment, hiring and training of new officers. Bostic, who spent Monday presenting the LAPD’s proposed 2002-03 budget to members of the City Council, is filling in as acting chief.

* Cmdr. Tom Lorenzen, who heads the department’s internal affairs unit. He was responsible for helping plan deployment and policing for the Democratic National Convention in August 2000.

* Deputy Chief Julius I. Davis, a 35-year veteran. He is in charge of the LAPD’s specialized units, including the homicide detectives, narcotics officers and the SWAT team.

* Former Deputy Chief Martin Pomeroy, who retired last year after 31 years. He worked for Parks on a variety of special projects, including helping draft police reforms as part of a court-mandated consent decree.

* Former Deputy Chief Scott LaChasse, a 32-year veteran who recently retired after serving as head of the LAPD’s South Los Angeles bureau. He now works for Paramount Studios on security issues.

* Former Deputy Chief Larry Fetters, who retired as head of human resources for the department in 1994. Fetters was given the task of expanding recruitment for the department during former Mayor Richard Riordan’s tenure.

The commission rejected Parks’ request for a second five-year term earlier this month, and last week the chief announced he would step down May 3.

Since then, commissioners and city officials have privately queried department brass to identify people who would be interested in the temporary job.

City officials said they were hopeful that the commission would decide on an interim chief today.

The panel, however, cannot formally appoint an interim chief until it receives a letter of resignation from Parks, who is out of town on vacation.

While officials have focused on the six candidates, the list remains somewhat fluid, sources said.

On Monday, some city officials were discussing the possibility of adding Joe Gunn, the executive director of the Police Commission, to the short list.

Cmdr. Dan Koenig, who works on consent decree issues and other administrative duties, also has been mentioned as a possible candidate.