Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A retired deputy chief has been picked to serve as interim police chief during the estimated six months it will take to find a successor to Bernard C. Parks.
Martin Pomeroy, a 31-year veteran who oversaw police operations at the 2000 Democratic National Convention and who helped draft Police Department reforms, will serve as the city’s 53rd police chief until the Police Commission completes its search.
The Police Commission, meeting in closed session, unanimously chose Pomeroy on Tuesday from a list of current and former police officials who agreed not to seek the regular position, which has a five-year term that may be renewed once.
“Martin Pomeroy’s extensive experience in successfully working with the community, elected officials and employees made him stand out in a field of excellent candidates,” said commission President Rick Caruso.
Pomeroy, 56, said he was happy to be back at Parker Center, the department’s headquarters.
“I hope when I leave in six months people will say the LAPD has gotten better,” he said.
Before retiring in 2000, Pomeroy helped draft police reforms as part of a consent decree mandated by the federal court and headed the disaster response operations in the San Fernando Valley following the 1994 Northridge earthquake. He was a department commander for the Democratic National Convention at the Staples Center during the summer of 2000.
Pomeroy will receive the same benefits as a chief. His salary was not disclosed but the salary range is $168,105 to $252,147.
The Police Commission decided last month not to reappoint Parks to a second five-year term. The commission cited poor officer morale, a rise in crime and a lack of support for community policing in making the decision to remove Parks.
The Police Commission also voted Tuesday to completely reinstate a popular community policing program that Parks had cut back. The commission approved a plan to put 169 officers on Senior Lead Officer duty and appoint a commander for the program. The officers deal specifically with neighborhood watch and quality of life issues.
Commissioners also voted to scale down the DARE drug-abuse prevention program, which police officials feared would be gutted.
In a compromise, the commission allowed the department to keep 44 DARE officers, which is enough to continue elementary school programs. Junior high and high school programs will be eliminated, except at a few magnet schools.