One by one and in no uncertain terms, Los Angeles City Council members made it clear during a Police Department briefing Wednesday that they are disappointed with Chief Bernard C. Parks' obdurate resistance to civilian oversight of the department.
Specifically, council members said the chief's constant expression of concerns about the role of the department's watchdog, the inspector general, should be put to rest.
Parks has raised numerous questions about the inspector general's role in investigations and in gaining access to confidential documents. The Police Commission this week formed a subcommittee to further clarify the role of their inspector general, a move strongly supported by Parks.
"It is the unanimous view of all of us here that the arguments cease, the cooperation begin and the inspector general be granted the authority it needs," said Councilman Mike Feuer, who requested the briefing last week after concerns once again were raised by the department over the kinds of investigations that could be conducted by the inspector general.
Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, head of the council's public safety committee, said after the meeting that Parks is acting "singularly and independently" to find potential disagreements.
"It's not good for the council to, in effect, rebuke the chief [which is] what this is," Miscikowski said. "There is a level of clear frustration on the part of the council. It's so unnecessary. It's not as if there's a major, major policy dispute. For all intents and purposes, everyone's on the same page. . . . It just has to be collaborative."
Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg said the public needs assurances that the LAPD, a paramilitary organization, is overseen by civilians, particularly as the department conducts its investigation into the unfolding corruption probe of officers assigned to the Rampart station.
"We are in one voice on these issues because we are reflecting the amount and the intensity with which the public believes we need an able . . . inspector general," Goldberg said. "I think the most important thing is to see some action, some visible action" demonstrating the department's cooperation with the inspector general.
The numerous legal clarifications by the city attorney's office on the inspector general's role and responsibilities are anything but ambiguous at this point, council members said.
