Police Chiefs

William J. Bratton stepped into a drab, cramped room at Los Angeles Police Department headquarters on a recent Tuesday morning. The 61-year-old chief took his seat, slipped on a pair of reading glasses and waited for his bosses -- the five civilian commissioners who oversee the LAPD -- to begin their weekly meeting. As they do each week, the commissioners soon turned their attention to Bratton, who ticked off the department's latest crime numbers. "Homicides down 8.9%, rapes down 14.

For Pomona Police Chief Joe Romero, 2011 was going to be a significant year. His department would celebrate its 100th anniversary, and he would announce his retirement. But Tuesday morning, all of that changed when he met with City Manager Linda Lowry, who told him that his services would no longer be needed. Lowry could not comment further on Romero's dismissal, because he was still an at-will employee, making it a "personnel matter," said Mark Gluba, assistant to the city manager.

By the summer of 2005, the murder rate in this rough refinery town across the bay from San Francisco had reached the point where the City Council debated declaring a state of emergency. Richmond's undermanned Police Department had trouble just getting witnesses to come forward, particularly in the tough Iron Triangle neighborhood, where many of the killings took place. In 2005, police made arrests in only 13% of the homicide cases they investigated.

Michael Berkow arrived here from the Los Angeles Police Department as a sort of first-round draft pick -- a potential superstar police chief for a mid-size city struggling with crime. He brought an impressive resume: deputy chief of the LAPD professional standards bureau; former chief in Irvine; degrees in law and management; experience in Somalia and Haiti; friend of LAPD Chief William J. Bratton.

Citing a dramatic reduction in crime in Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Tuesday that he supports giving Police Chief William J. Bratton a second five-year term.

She grew up in a single-parent home in the working-class suburb of Tuxedo, Md. She got pregnant at age 14, dropped out of high school, and at 15 married the father. By 18 she was divorced and working two jobs -- secretary by day, waitress at night. Now 39, Cathy L. Lanier began her new job last week as acting police chief of Washington, one of a handful of women to head large-city departments in the U.S. and one of only a few white officers to lead forces in largely black cities.

Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton plans to get tough on medical marijuana dispensaries. So perhaps it was a good thing that the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. changed his seating arrangements at Monday's 64th annual Golden Globe Awards. Bratton had been scheduled to sit with the cast of "Weeds," the Showtime comedy starring Mary-Louise Parker about a pot-selling suburban soccer mom.

Colton city officials this week placed the police chief on administrative leave, saying the action was the result of a five-month investigation into accusations that he created a hostile work environment and abused his position. The chief, Ken Rulon, was escorted out of police headquarters and ordered to turn in his badge and gun Tuesday afternoon. Rulon's lawyer, Bradley Gage, said his client was being punished for reporting a councilman's alleged wrongdoing to prosecutors in the summer.

Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton filed papers Monday to seek a second five-year term as chief, saying he looks forward to building on work that has seen a reduction in crime for every year he has held the post. "It's been an honor and a privilege to serve as Los Angeles' chief of police," Bratton said in a statement. "While we have accomplished a great deal, there is still more to do. I want to continue to lead that effort over the next five years."

Chicago's police superintendent said he was stepping down as head of the beleaguered department, but he would not say what role two videotaped beatings involving off-duty officers had in his decision. Last month, prosecutors filed felony charges against an officer accused of beating a female bartender. Six other officers were removed from street duty after being accused of assaulting four businessmen in a bar. Superintendent Philip J.