Repovich Had a 2nd LAPD Suspension

GLENDALE —  In his second admission of disciplinary problems, Republican Assembly candidate Peter Repovich said Thursday that he was suspended by the Los Angeles Police Department for 10 days in 1985 for picking up a handcuffed shoplifting suspect by the hair.

Repovich, an LAPD officer, is a candidate for the 43rd Assembly District--which is considered “in the top seven” state contests by Republicans hoping to recapture the Assembly, according to GOP campaign officials.

He is challenging Democrat Scott Wildman to represent the district, which covers Glendale, Burbank, Los Feliz, Hollywood and other parts of northeastern Los Angeles County.

Repovich’s admission, in response to a reporter’s questions, of the 10-day suspension follows his revelation earlier this month that he was suspended for 44 days last year for sexually harassing a female officer.

He acknowledged Thursday that an LAPD disciplinary board found he had not abided by the department’s pain compliance standards when he picked up the handcuffed man by his hair in an effort to control him.

Repovich said that at the time of the incident he had been a police officer only two years--”you might say I was a rookie”--and was faced with the problem of controlling a prisoner with a “very extensive record of violent felonies and narcotics abuse.”

Repovich said he and other officers were called to a shopping center after a report of shoplifting and found a suspect in handcuffs that had been placed on him by security guards. They ordered him to get up so the officers could change handcuffs, he said.

“This guy was resisting us. He didn’t want to get up,” Repovich said. “I had a hold of his right arm with my left arm. I had a hold of his hair with my right arm. We needed to get control of him and that’s why we did it.”

He said he is confident voters will understand the pressures police officers face.

“I think the voters out there realize that we are the ones that have to put ourselves in the position to deal with these elements.”

The latest revelations come as Repovich was attempting to repair political damage caused over the last few weeks by the sexual harassment case. He lost two key endorsements, from Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which represents 9,000 rank-and-file LAPD officers--and to which he belongs.

“What has hurt him the most,” said Republican political consultant Allan Hoffenblum, “is that he was not forthright to Republican leaders, who were actively trying to recruit a strong candidate.

“He didn’t bring up the issue. He should have told them about this situation. If it had been brought out in the beginning, it certainly could have been handled better.”

Repovich said that while it might have been better to acknowledge his 1985 disciplinary action early in the race, it didn’t seem relevant. “This was so long ago, I don’t know how it applies,” he said.

But his opponent had a different take on the issue.

“Mr. Repovich is quoted in the newspaper as saying that except for the sexual harassment, he had an unblemished record of public service,” Wildman said. “Obviously he needs to come clean about this and any other disciplinary actions that may exist. This is another troubling issue.”

Last year, Repovich was found guilty of making sexist comments and inappropriately touching a female officer during a 1996 training session. The accusations against him included telling her “I bet you get all your boyfriends this way,” and “I cannot believe I’m getting paid to do this,” as they practiced wrestling a suspect into submission with a scissors leg hold, police documents show.

The board said an aggravating factor in the case was that Repovich should have been aware of the department’s sexual harassment policy because he had taken classes only months previously aimed at preventing just such conduct, records show.

The panel added that while his comments were inappropriate and he offended the female officer, “it was not his intention to do so.” He was “behaving as a class clown, joking with others.”