Commission Tells Why Outsiders Were Hired to Investigate Chief

Los Angeles Police Commission President Enrique Hernandez Jr. said Tuesday that outsiders have been brought in to investigate a complaint about Police Chief Willie L. Williams for two reasons: objectivity and speed.

Referring to the commission’s decision to hire a firm headed by Lawrence G. Lawler, a former special agent in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, Hernandez said: “We have an objective, outside, non-LAPD-related person looking into this who has a reputation for total integrity and has the competency to conduct the investigation.

“Secondarily, we have a person who can allow us to expedite the investigation. Our staffs have been sufficiently burdened with many of the (other) things we are trying to do.”

The commission formally announced Tuesday that it had retained Lawler’s firm and the services of John. H. Brinsley, a former president of the Los Angeles County Bar Assn., for the Williams investigation. The commission said it will also rely on Los Angeles Police Lt. Charles Beck, who heads the Commission Investigation Division, and the law firm of Saltzburg, Ray & Bergman, where commission Vice President Deirdre Hill is a senior associate, for pro bono legal services.

Hill is overseeing the investigation into rumors that Williams or his family used police vehicles and a police cellular phone for private purposes, that Williams solicited free tickets from an amusement park, and that he accepted free rooms from Las Vegas casino-hotels.

Hernandez characterized the rumors, called to the commission’s attention by a retired Los Angeles Police Department deputy chief, as “so far unsubstantiated.”

Williams, who has denied all allegations, said he wanted to make “one comment for the record” at a Police Commission meeting Tuesday. “I certainly thank and appreciate the diligence that Commissioner Hill and all the members of the board have (shown in) undertaking this very difficult review. And I am aware that the board is moving as quickly as possible, making sure they are very thorough.”

The Police Commission also went about its routine business Tuesday, approving Police Department participation in a City Council plan to put anti-domestic violence bumper stickers on police cars and other city vehicles, and complaining about the $136,000 price tag for providing security for the field trip jurors took recently to Brentwood in the O.J. Simpson case.