N.Y.’s Bratton Applies to LAPD

William Bratton, the former New York City police commissioner whose tenure with that department made him the subject of national attention, said Thursday that he is applying for the position of Los Angeles police chief, calling it the “most exciting and challenging police leadership opportunity in the U.S. today.”

He joins a large field of candidates--many of them LAPD insiders--vying for the job to replace Bernard C. Parks, who was denied a second term by the Police Commission in April.

“I’ve always been someone who goes where the opportunities are,” Bratton said.

Although Bratton is considered one of the top contenders for the job, city officials say he could face opposition from those who question whether the LAPD should be led by an outsider. In 1992, the city ended a long tradition by hiring an outside candidate to run the LAPD.

Willie L. Williams was credited with helping improve the LAPD’s standing in the community--then badly damaged by the Rodney King beating and the 1992 riots--but he was denied a second term by city officials who concluded that he had failed to lead the department effectively.

Today, some city officials and residents remain wary of going outside the department ranks again. In a Times poll conducted in March, 61% of those questioned citywide said they want the next police chief to come from within the LAPD, while 22% said they would prefer an outsider.

On Thursday, some city leaders said that they too had reservations about choosing a candidate from outside the LAPD.

“Bratton certainly has a very impressive record in a number of areas,” said Councilman Jack Weiss. “But here’s the dilemma L.A. faces: On the one hand, here’s a national leader who can talk the national talk in the area of criminal justice and police reform, but can he talk Pacoima and Palms?

Still, Weiss added that he also has concerns about whether the LAPD’s “home-grown talent” is up to the task of fixing what he and others say are serious problems within the Police Department.

“Are they ready to step up--from Day 1--and become national leaders in the areas of reform, crime reduction and accountability?” he said. “I don’t think there is a consensus on the outsider versus insider question yet.”

Today is the deadline for candidates to apply for the job. The city has received inquiries from law enforcement officials across the country.

Some of those pursuing the position include: Portland, Ore., Police Chief Mark Kroeker, a former LAPD deputy chief who was a finalist for the job five years ago; Oxnard Police Chief Art Lopez; LAPD Deputy Chief David Kalish; and LAPD Cmdr. George Gascon. LAPD Asst. Chief David Gascon, who was also a contender for the job five years ago, also is expected to apply.

The Police Commission is set to form a citizens group next week to help narrow the list of candidates. From there, the Police Commission will pick three finalists. Mayor James K. Hahn will then name the new chief, subject to confirmation by the City Council.

On Thursday, Hahn said he was glad that Bratton had applied for the job, but the mayor said, as he has before, that he was not favoring the former NYPD commissioner over any other candidate at the moment.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, who heads the council’s Public Safety Committee, said she too was pleased the former NYPD chief is interested in the job, but she would not “handicap the race.”

Bratton said he is interested in the job because be wants the challenge of fixing the Police Department, which has been tarnished by allegations of brutality and corruption in recent years and is under a federal court order to revamp many of its practices. While Bratton was head of the NYPD from 1994 to 1996, serious felonies in New York fell by 33% and the murder rate was cut in half.

Bratton--who also has led Boston’s police department--emphasized the importance of deploying officers closer to the community in small precincts and using modern technology to help identify high-crime hot spots throughout New York. The use of crime statistics and computer mapping by the NYPD under Bratton was widely emulated nationally by other police departments, including the LAPD.

As crime dropped in New York, the Police Department there attracted attention and brought Bratton and Mayor Rudy Giuliani into conflict as the two each claimed credit.

After two years, Bratton resigned and went to work as a consultant, advising police departments around the world on how to fight crime.

It was through his work with Kroll Associates--assigned to monitor the LAPD’s progress in complying with federally mandated reforms--that Bratton became interested in the Los Angeles chief’s position.