Parks the top candidate for police chief
By Daily Bruin Staff
July 27, 1997 9:00 p.m.
Monday, July 28, 1997
Parks the top candidate for police chief
ENDORSEMENT:
His 32 years’ experience with L.A.’s problems justifies his
promotion to head of LAPDOf the six people running for chief of the
Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Bernard Parks is the
strongest and most qualified to lead the department. Mayor Richard
Riordan, who will select a finalist for city council approval,
should name Parks as the new LAPD chief for several reasons.
Parks, a current deputy chief, is aware of the problems we need
to address, and can bring about change frankly and effectively. He
knows his limitations when it comes to facing L.A.’s many
large-scale problems. He’s learned this in his 32 years with the
LAPD.
The LAPD is in dire need of a leader who can implement reforms
and not just talk. Supporters say Parks is a good manager and
effective disciplinarian, who pays attention to details. Parks can
react quickly to L.A.’s vast sea of concerns. Community policing is
one of these, and Parks shows the determination to bring this
program to fruition. Community policing emphasizes customer service
and seeks to build a true partnership between residents and
police.
Parks’ strong concern for the mental health of LAPD officers is
also impressive. He has sympathy for the officers because he knows
how stressful the job can be. Parks is likely to be a no-nonsense
chief who understands officers’ duties: arriving on time, solving
problems, and treating citizens with respect. This attitude alone
will be a breath of fresh air.
As far as UCLA is concerned, it’s imperative that the new chief
respond quickly to the university police’s efforts to hammer out a
Memorandum of Understanding. This document is a mutual aid
agreement between University Police and the LAPD. Right now there’s
no formal agreement, so the campus is vulnerable to some emergency
and criminal situations which the university police department
can’t handle on its own. University police chief Clarence Chapman
worked with the West Los Angeles division of LAPD and came up with
an informal policy, but we still need a formal agreement  and
the LAPD hasn’t really cooperated with our department to write this
agreement.
Despite the endorsement, we are not without reservations. We’re
worried that Parks may be a little too defensive of the LAPD.
Critics say he has downplayed some of the department’s problems,
which could stand in the way of much-needed sexual harassment and
discrimination reforms.
The absence of any women or Asian Americans in the semi-finalist
pool shows that the department needs to make many changes in its
ethnic and gender makeup.
There’s a lot of work that needs to be done within the
department as well as out in the communities, but we’re convinced
Parks has the perseverance and determination to work through the
problems and endure the heat he’ll incur as L.A.’s top cop.
