2/26/02

LC020226

VAL>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS>> L.A.'S POLICE CHIEF MAY HAVE PLENTY OF SUPPORTERS, BUT THE POLICE UNION SEEMS WILLING TO SPEND WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET RID OF HIM.

MITZI GRASSO>> THE DAY THAT MAYOR HAHN CAME OUT AND STATED THE FACT THAT HE'S NOT SUPPORTIVE OF PARKS FOR ANOTHER TERM, OUR MORALE IMPROVED ABOUT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.

VAL>> TONIGHT THE CHIEF GETS A CHANCE TO ANSWER THE CRITICS. HE'S WITH US LIVE AND, LATER, HE'LL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE LIFE AND TIMES CALL-IN LINE.

JESS>> THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION WOULD LIKE TO KEEP CIGARETTES AWAY FROM TEENAGERS, BUT PATT MORRISON WONDERS WHETHER THAT CRUSADE WILL GO UP IN FLAMES.

PATT>> IF THE CMA HAS ITS WAY, THE ONLY SMOKE CALIFORNIANS WOULD BE BREATHING BEFORE THEY'RE 21 IS FROM THE CANDLES ON THEIR BIRTHDAY CAKES. THE DEMON WEED AND TEENS, ON TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> SHE WALKED AWAY FROM FILMS AT THE TOP OF HER GAME. WHAT DID IT TAKE TO LURE DEBRA WINGER BACK?

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> WE'LL TALK WITH THE THREE-TIME OSCAR NOMINEE ABOUT HER NEW MOVIE, "BIG BAD LOVE", AND HOW THE DIRECTOR, WHO JUST HAPPENS TO BE HER HUSBAND, TALKED HER INTO TAKING THE ROLE.

JESS>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

THE LOS ANGELES POLICE COMMISSION HAS UNTIL MAY TO DECIDE THE FATE OF CHIEF BERNARD PARKS, BUT TODAY THERE WAS A DEFINITE SENSE OF URGENCY FROM A LARGE GROUP OF PARKS' SUPPORTERS. THEY CONVERGED ON THE COMMISSION'S REGULAR MEETING DOWNTOWN AND THEY ALL MADE THE SAME REQUEST: GIVE PARKS ANOTHER FIVE YEARS AS CHIEF.

VAL>> MAYOR JAMES HAHN WAS ALSO AT THE MEETING TO LOBBY FOR A PROGRAM THAT PARKS HAS OPPOSED. BUT AS LEAH SANDERS REPORTS, THE DAY WAS MOSTLY A REFERENDUM ON THE CHIEF'S POPULARITY AND IT BEGAN ON THE STEPS OF PARKER CENTER, LAPD'S MAIN HEADQUARTERS.

>> THIS ISSUE IS AN ISSUE OF JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS. IT HAS NOT A BLACK FACE, BUT IT HAS A MULTICOLOR FACE. IT IS THE FACE OF ALL OF LOS ANGELES.

LEAH>> THEY CAME NOT JUST FROM AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, BUT FROM ALL PARTS OF THE CITY, INCLUDING THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY AND FROM THE MAYOR'S NEIGHBORHOOD, SAN PEDRO. ALL OF THEM HERE FOR THE SAME REASON, TO SUPPORT A SECOND TERM FOR L.A. POLICE CHIEF, BERNARD PARKS, AND THEIR MESSAGE? PARKS DESERVES THE JOB BECAUSE OF HIS RECORD, NOT BECAUSE OF HIS SKIN COLOR.

RABBI STEVEN JACOB>> THIS MAN HAS INTEGRITY AND LET US NOT BE DIVIDED ONE FROM THE OTHER.

LEAH>> THE DIVISION STARTED WHEN MAYOR JAMES HAHN SAID HE WOULD NOT SUPPORT PARKS' BID FOR A SECOND FIVE-YEAR TERM. IN SOUTH CENTRAL L.A., THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE HAHN GREW UP, THE MAYOR'S REJECTION IS WIDELY VIEWED AS A BETRAYAL TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO HELPED PUT HIM IN OFFICE.

SOLOMON RIVIERA>> MYSELF, LIKE THOUSANDS OF OTHER BLACK AND LATINO MEN, WE DON'T HAVE THE LEVEL OF MISTRUST AND FEAR THAT WE WOULD HAVE HAD FIVE OR TEN YEARS AGO, BUT SOME PEOPLE WANT TO GO BACK TO THE GATES ERA, APPARENTLY.

JANET GUNTER>> WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT THE MAYOR NEEDS TO LIVE UP TO HIS PROMISES. THIS COMMUNITY, THE BLACK COMMUNITY, FEELS THAT HE RENEGED ON A PROMISE TO THEIR COMMUNITY BY KEEPING CHIEF PARKS IN, AND WE IN THE HARBOR FEEL THAT HE'S BROKEN PROMISES TO US RELATED TO THE DRAMATIC NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES.

LEAH>> PARKS' SUPPORTERS TOOK THEIR MESSAGE FROM PARKER CENTER TO CITY HALL WHERE THE L.A. POLICE COMMISSION WAS HOLDING ITS REGULAR MEETING. THERE THE MAYOR WAS SCHEDULED TO MAKE HIS CASE FOR HIS SENIOR LEAD OFFICER PROGRAM TO HELP CUT CRIME. BUT HAHN RAN INTO CRITICS SUCH AS CONGRESSWOMAN, MAXINE WATERS, AND L.A. CITY COUNCILMAN, NATE HOLDEN, WHO CHALLENGED HIM AT EVERY TURN. FINALLY, THE FOCUS TURNED TO THE ISSUE PARKS' SUPPORTERS REALLY CARED ABOUT: THEIR EFFORT TO PERSUADE THE COMMISSION TO GIVE THE CHIEF ANOTHER TERM.

DANNY BAKEWELL>> WE BELIEVE HE HAS MADE THOSE SENTIMENTS KNOWN SO THAT HE COULD INFLUENCE THE DECISION THAT HE MADE. THE QUESTION IS, DO YOU HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] BACK AND A WEAK KNEE THAT YOU WILL BOW DOWN AND BEND OVER FOR ONLY WHAT THE MAYOR WANTS FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY?

LEAH>> BUT JUST AS THE VERBAL SPARRING INTENSIFIES BY THOSE DETERMINED TO KEEP BERNARD PARKS AS POLICE CHIEF, THERE'S BEEN AN APPARENT SHIFT IN TACTICS BY THE LOS ANGELES POLICE PROTECTIVE LEAGUE, WHICH IS DEAD SET AGAINST HIS REAPPOINTMENT. THE UNION IS RUNNING A TELEVISION AD NOT ON PARKS, BUT ON THE FUTURE OF LOS ANGELES.

ANNOUNCER>> "WHO SUPPORTS INCREASING POLICE STRENGTH, CONTINUING REFORM? WHO FOUGHT FOR WORK SCHEDULES THAT PUT MORE POLICE ON LOS ANGELES STREETS?...."

LEAH>> ALTHOUGH CHIEF PARKS IS NEVER MENTIONED IN THE COMMERCIAL, THERE'S LITTLE QUESTION THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM AND HIS RECORD.

ANNOUNCER>> "....POLICE PROTECTIVE LEAGUE, SEVEN FOUGHT FOR IT FOR THE CITIZENS WE SERVE, FOR THE POLICE OFFICERS WE PROTECT."

MITZI GRASSO>> PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DRAW THEIR OWN INFERENCES. IN TERMS OF CHIEF PARKS AND HIS PERFORMANCE, WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR. WE DON'T THINK HE'S A BAD MAN. WE DON'T THINK HE'S AN EFFECTIVE MANAGER.

LEAH>> GRASSO SAYS, SINCE HAHN'S ANNOUNCEMENT, SHE'S SEEN A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE AMONG OFFICERS.

MITZI GRASSO>> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S REALLY BEEN A BOOST FOR THEM. THE DAY THAT MAYOR HAHN CAME OUT AND STATED THE FACT THAT HE'S NOT SUPPORTIVE OF PARKS FOR ANOTHER TERM, OUR MORALE IMPROVED ABOUT ONE HUNDRED PERCENT.

LEAH>> THE PROTECTIVE LEAGUE HAS TONED DOWN ITS RHETORIC, BUT STILL HAS MORE THAN A MILLION DOLLARS TO SPEND ON ITS INFORMATION CAMPAIGN. BUT WITH HAHN'S STRONG OPPOSITION NOW ON THE RECORD, PARKS' SUPPORTERS SAY THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE.

MITZI GRASSO>> I WOULD URGE THE PEOPLE WHO INSIST ON PERSONALIZING THE ISSUES AND INSIST ON TRYING TO CHANGE THE FOCUS, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM REALLY TO FOCUS ON WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON. THIS ISN'T ABOUT RACE. IT'S ABOUT LEADERSHIP. IT ISN'T ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POLITICS. IT'S ABOUT THE FACT THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT BEING PROTECTED THE WAY THAT THEY DESERVE TO BE PROTECTED.

JESS>> WE'VE INVITED CHIEF PARKS TO JOIN US, AND A REMINDER THAT WE'LL BE TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS TONIGHT ON THE CALL-IN LINE.

CHIEF PARKS, THE POLICE COMMISSION HAS UNTIL MAY TO MAKE A DECISION ON YOUR FUTURE?

BERNARD PARKS>> YES.

JESS>> IF YOU HAD TO GUESS, WILL YOU BE WEARING THAT UNIFORM FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS?

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO GUESS. I'M GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO MAKE THE DECISION BASED ON WHAT THEY SET THE RECORD AND ON A FACTUAL BASIS AND ON MERIT. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF SPECULATION AND I DON'T THINK IT ADDS TO THE EQUATION TO SPECULATE. I THINK WE SHOULD JUST LET THEM DO THEIR JOB.

VAL>> CHIEF PARKS, I'M REAL CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR REACTION TO THE AD THAT IS RUNNING THAT IS SO FAVORABLE AND COMPLIMENTARY TO THE POLICE UNION.

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE UNION HAS DONE. THEY'VE PUT A CAMPAIGN TOGETHER. YOU CAN GO BACK IN HISTORY AND, JESS, YOU'VE BEEN AROUND A WHILE, CAN YOU EVER REMEMBER THE UNION TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY? WHENEVER YOU PUT A CAMPAIGN TOGETHER, YOU CAN SAY ANYTHING YOU WANT AND YOU CAN REMAKE YOURSELF ON EACH AD.

VAL>> ARE YOU SAYING THE AD IS INACCURATE?

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I THINK WHAT'S INACCURATE IS THAT THE CITY IS SAFER TODAY, NO MATTER HOW YOU COUNT THE STATISTICS, SAFER TODAY THAN IT WAS IN THE 1970'S, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S A MILLION MORE PEOPLE IN THE CITY. SO THE FACT THAT THE UNION TRIES TO CREATE A PERCEPTION THAT IT'S NOT AS SAFE IS IN ERROR. THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOW INTERESTED IN THE COMMUNITY IS A VERY NEW PHENOMENON FOR THEM. AND THEN FOR THEM TO THROW AROUND THE MORALE ISSUE, ONE DAY IT'S UP AND ONE DAY IT'S DOWN, JUST BY THEIR STATEMENTS WITH NO VALIDATION, NO WAY TO VERIFY IT, IS ANOTHER INDICATION THAT THEY USE THAT AS A PLOY TO WHEREVER THEIR INTERESTS ARE.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, WHEN YOU HEAR THE COMMUNITY THAT ACTUALLY RECEIVES OUR SERVICE, PEOPLE OVER AT THE COMMISSION TODAY, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR SAFETY. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CREDIBILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THEY NEVER HAD A SENSE OF THE FACT THAT OFFICERS ARE BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THOSE ARE THE TRUE EYES AND EARS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SHOULD BE LISTENING TO.

JESS>> DOES IT BOTHER YOU THAT YOUR CRITICS INVARIABLY PREFACE THEIR CRITICISM BY SAYING, AS MITZI GRASSO JUST DID, YOU'RE NOT A BAD MAN? EARLIER ON A BROADCAST WITH US SOME WEEKS AGO, SHE INDICATED THAT SHE HAD GREAT RESPECT FOR YOU. RABBI JACOB SAID YOU'RE A MAN OF INTEGRITY. YOU'RE REGARDED AS A STERN DISCIPLINARIAN, ALSO HIGHLY DISCIPLINED YOURSELF. DOES IT BOTHER YOU THEN THAT THEY TURN AROUND AND SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE REAPPOINTED FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS?

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I THINK YOU HAVE TO REALIZE WHAT THEIR AGENDA IS. I MEAN, THE ISSUES -- SOMEONE HAS CANNED SOME PHRASES AND WRITTEN SOME NEWS RELEASES AND THEY'RE FOLLOWING THEIR SCRIPT. THE ISSUE IS THAT YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF L.A. CRIME IS DOWN, NO MATTER HOW YOU EVALUATE IT. IT'S DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM WHERE IT WAS IN THE 70'S, THE 80'S AND THE EARLY 90'S. YOU LOOK AT THE REFORMS. THEY'RE IN PLACE. THE ONLY ENTITY IN THE CITY OF L.A. THAT'S BEEN OPPOSED TO THE REFORMS IS THE UNION.

NOW WHEN YOU HEAR THE UNION TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE IS TOO HARSH, YET THE CITY HAS GROWN THROUGH TEN YEARS OF ISSUES THAT DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT I THINK THE PUBLIC SEES THROUGH AND THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR DISCIPLINE, THERE'S A NEED FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. WE'VE BEEN CRITICIZED FOR TEN YEARS FOR NOT IMPLEMENTING THE CHRISTOPHER REPORT. WE'VE IMPLEMENTED EVERYTHING BUT TWO ISSUES. WE'RE WELL AHEAD ON THE CONSENT DECREE. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS.

VAL>> CHIEF PARKS, WE HAVE A QUESTION NOW COMING FROM ONE OF OUR VIEWERS. HE'S ERIC IN LOS ANGELES. ERIC, YOU'RE ON LIFE AND TIMES.

ERIC>> HI, CHIEF PARKS. AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE, I FEEL THAT YOU HAVE SHUNNED THE ISSUE OF RACIAL PROFILING. YOU HAVE NOT, AS A CHIEF, AS A PERSON WHO IS IN CHARGE HERE, HAVE NOT ADDED THE SIMPLE BOX ON TICKETS THAT, WHEN WE ARE RACIALLY PROFILED DRIVING CARS DOWN THE STREETS OF LOS ANGELES -- WHY HAVE YOU NOT SIMPLY INSTRUCTED BY AN ADMINISTRATIVE MEMO OR SOMETHING TO ADD ON THE TICKETS THE RACE OF THE PERSON WHO THEY'RE GIVING THE TICKET TO? I FEEL THAT THIS IS A HUGE INJUSTICE AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE THAT YOU HAVE NOT IMPLEMENTED THIS CHRISTOPHER COMMISSION REFORM.

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S NOT A CHRISTOPHER COMMISSION REFORM, AND SECONDLY, ON TICKETS, THERE'S A BOX FOR RACE AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THERE. WHAT HE'S CONFUSING IS THAT I'VE SAID ALL ALONG THAT RACIAL PROFILING IS ILLEGAL. IT IS SOMETHING THAT VIOLATES PEOPLES' CIVIL RIGHTS. BUT YOU CAN'T GET TO IT BY MERELY COLLECTING ANONYMOUS DATA. YOU GET TO IT BY INVESTIGATING PEOPLES' CLAIMS AND COMPLAINTS AND YOU FIND OUT WHAT THE PERCEPTION OF THE PERSON THAT WAS STOPPED BY THE OFFICER'S MISSION OF WHY THEY STOPPED THEM.

COLLECTING ANONYMOUS DATA DOES NOT GET TO THE HEART OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT DOESN'T DEAL WITH SAME-RACE BIAS. YOU CANNOT -- WITH THE NUMBER OF ISSUES GOING ON IN OUR CITY AND THE DIVERSITY, YOU CANNOT SEPARATE THE HUGE AMOUNT OF DIVERSITY IN OUR CITY. SO THAT'S BEEN MY CONCERN. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE DATA ONCE YOU COLLECT IT? WE ARE COLLECTING IT BASED ON THE CONSENT DECREE, BUT AS OF TODAY, EVEN THE MOST AVID ADVOCATES OF COLLECTING DATA CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT TO DO WITH IT.

JESS>> CHIEF, WE HAVE AN OTHER QUESTION COMING IN FROM TONY FROM LOS ANGELES. TONY, YOU'RE ON LIFE AND TIMES.

TONY>> CHIEF, IF YOU ARE REAPPOINTED, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BRADLEY-GATES SITUATION WHERE YOU TWO GUYS, YOU KNOW, WON'T EVER TALK TO EACH OTHER TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE CITY?

BERNARD PARKS>> I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND REALIZE, AS A POLICE CHIEF, I'M A PROFESSIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATOR AND A LEADER OF THIS DEPARTMENT. THE REASON THAT THE POLICE CHIEF DOES NOT ENDORSE CANDIDATES IS BECAUSE HE WORKS WITH EVERYONE THAT'S ELECTED OR APPOINTED. THE MAYOR SAID IF THE POLICE COMMISSION REAPPOINTS ME, HE'S WILLING TO WORK WITH ME. I HAVE NEVER HAD A SITUATION WHERE MY JOB SUFFERED BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL FEELINGS TOWARD SOMEONE.

SO I THINK THE ISSUE OF GETTING THE JOB DONE IS MOST IMPORTANT. IT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO ME, IT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT'S BEEN MY 37 YEARS ON THE JOB AS DEALING WITH WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I'M NOT ABOUT TO STEP BACK FROM THAT AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF THE MAYOR'S COMMENTS.

VAL>> AND YET THE L.A. --

JESS>> -- YET THE MAYOR'S PROMISED TO WORK WITH YOU. DO YOU BELIEVE HE WILL?

BERNARD PARKS>> THE ISSUE IS THAT, IF I'M THE CHIEF OF POLICE, IT'S MANDATORY THAT THERE'S A WORKING RELATIONSHIP BECAUSE IT'S FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITY, SO --

VAL>> -- IT MAY BE MANDATORY, BUT I THINK THE L.A. TIMES COMES OUT VERY INTERESTINGLY SAYING "NO ONE CAN RUN THE LOS ANGELES POLICE FORCE EFFECTIVELY IF THE TOP MAN IN CITY HALL DOESN'T SUPPORT HIM" AND THEY URGED YOU TO "WALK AWAY PROUD".

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, I THINK IF WE GO BACK, WE'D HAVE TO ASSUME THAT EVERY CHIEF OF POLICE -- WE HAD 52 OF THEM -- EVERY CHIEF OF POLICE AND THE MAYOR WERE IDENTICAL IN THOUGHT AND IDENTICAL IN VIEWS AND VISION. I DON'T THINK THAT'S BEEN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY.

THE ISSUE HAS BEEN, OR SHOULD BE, CAN YOU EFFECTIVELY MANAGE A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COMMUNITY AND CAN YOU PUT ASIDE YOUR PERSONAL VIEWS TOWARDS AN INDIVIDUAL? CERTAINLY, AGAIN, I HAVE 37 YEARS OF HISTORY WORKING WITH A VARIETY OF PERSONALITIES FROM THE COUNCIL, APPOINTED POSITIONS, AND, AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED YOU TAKE THEM HOME WITH YOU. IT'S REQUIRED YOU WORK WITH THEM IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER.

JESS>> THIS ISSUE RESONATES BEYOND THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND WE HAVE A CALL FROM JIM FROM SANTA CLARITA. JIM?

JIM>> CHIEF, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR EFFORTS. LET ME ASK YOU, WHAT IS YOUR DIRECT OPPOSITION TO ALLOWING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COME IN AND HAVE A REALLY GOOD LOOK AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE RAMPART? THANK YOU.

BERNARD PARKS>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THAT WHAT I BELIEVE IS THAT WE HAVE SUFFICIENT MANAGERS AND LEADERS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO RUN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE SECOND ISSUE IS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THIS DEPARTMENT SINCE THE RODNEY KING INCIDENT, SO THEY'VE HAD ACCESS TO ALL THE MATERIALS, ALL THE ISSUES. THEY DID NOT FIND ONE THING WRONG WITH THIS DEPARTMENT UNTIL THE LAPD DISCOVERED RAMPART, COMPLETED A 400-PAGE DOCUMENT CALLED THE BOARD OF INQUIRY AND MADE IT PUBLIC. THEY RETURNED WITH THAT DOCUMENT AND THEN SAID WE HAVE PROVEN THEIR CASE ABOUT MISTREATMENT OF COMMUNITY PEOPLE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE CONSENT DECREE, IT PRETTY WELL MIRRORS THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE BOARD OF INQUIRY. SO THE ISSUE IS, I THINK THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT LEADERSHIP HERE. WE NOW HAVE A MONITOR. THE MONITOR IS LOOKING AT WHAT WE DO. THEY THINK WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. SO, AGAIN, I THOUGHT EARLY ON, UNTIL THE CITY DECIDED TO GO IN ANOTHER DIRECTION, THAT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT LEADERSHIP AT THE COUNCIL, AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO HAVE BROUGHT US BEYOND THE RAMPART INCIDENT.

JESS>> WE'RE VIRTUALLY OUT OF TIME, BUT I HAVE TO ASK, GIVEN THE OPPOSITION, GIVEN THE MAYOR AND THE TIMES EDITORIAL, IS RACE AN ISSUE?

BERNARD PARKS>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T DEAL WITH THAT. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOK AT THINGS THROUGH RACIAL GLASSES. ANOTHER THING, I DON'T THINK WE CAN MANAGE AND LEAD BY COMING UP WITH THE TIMES EDITORIAL. JUST SHORTLY WHEN MAYOR GIULIANA LEFT OFFICE, HE SAID THE CITY OF NEW YORK WOULD BE A MESS IF HE LISTENED TO EDITORIAL PAGES. (LAUGHTER) I THINK YOU LEAD AND YOU MOLD IN THE SENSE OF PEOPLES' PERCEPTIONS AS OPPOSED TO SURVEYING THEM AND THEN LEAD BY LISTENING TO THOSE SURVEYS.

VAL>> CHIEF PARKS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN AND BEING WILLING TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM OUR VIEWERS.

BERNARD PARKS>> THANK YOU.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, L.A.'S NEW CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL. CRITICS HAVE CALLED IT A COLOSSAL WASTE OF MONEY, BUT THE CHURCH CALLS IT A MONUMENT TO GOD.

GAY YEE>> AT A COST OF NEARLY $200 MILLION DOLLARS, L.A.'S NEW CATHEDRAL IS NOT ONLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE IN AMERICA, IT'S ALSO THE BIGGEST, AND CRITICS WONDER WHY THE CHURCH DIDN'T SPEND SOME OF THE MONEY ON THE POOR.

CARDINAL ROGER MAHONY>> YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT THEY GAVE ME THE MONEY TO SAY, "OH, GO DO WHAT YOU WANT, BUILD A CATHEDRAL OR DO THIS FOR THE POOR." THEY DIDN'T GIVE THAT OPTION.

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
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4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> THERE'S A NEW PLAN AFOOT TO BAN THE SALE OF CIGARETTES TO CALIFORNIA'S TEENAGERS. DOCTORS ARE SOLIDLY BEHIND IT, BUT CAN THEY LIGHT A FIRE UNDER STATE LAWMAKERS? THAT'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT>> THE CALIFORNIA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HAS AN IDEA. IT WANTS THE STATE TO RAISE SOMETHING AND IT ISN'T TAXES. THE CMA WANTS CALIFORNIA TO UP THE LEGAL SMOKING AGE TO MATCH THE DRINKING AGE, FROM 18 TO 21. ONLY IF YOU'RE OLD ENOUGH TO GET LIT WITH ALCOHOL WOULD YOU BE OLD ENOUGH TO LIGHT UP SOMETHING FROM THE TOBACCO FAMILY. THIS WOULD MAKE CALIFORNIA THE ONLY STATE IN THE UNION WITH A SMOKING AGE OF 21, BUT WE'RE USED TO GOING OUR OWN WAY. THERE'S A SIGN AT BURBANK AIRPORT READING "WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA, AMERICA'S NO-SMOKING SECTION."

NINE OUT OF TEN SMOKERS BEGIN SMOKING BEFORE THEY'RE 21, DURING THOSE YEARS WHEN THE PRESSURE TO BE COOL DRIVES THEM INTO THE EMBRACE OF KOOL MENTHOL LIGHTS AND THEN TO THE HARD STUFF: CAMELS, MARLBOROS, GAULOISES. DELAYING THE ONSET OF SMOKING, TO USE A MEDICAL PHRASE, WOULD ALSO DELAY THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE MEDICAL PROBLEMS THAT, NEVER MIND WHETHER IT KILLS THE SMOKER, END UP KILLING THE TAXPAYERS IN THE HEALTHCARE COST POCKET.

WILL IT FLY? DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH. YOU ALREADY HEAR THE COMPLAINTS: "I'M OLD ENOUGH TO VOTE, OLD ENOUGH TO BE DRAFTED, BUT NOT OLD ENOUGH TO SMOKE? LIKE, YOU KNOW, AS IF." AND NOW THAT 18-YEAR-OLDS CAN VOTE, I DOUBT THAT LAWMAKERS WOULD WANT TO ALIENATE THESE POTENTIAL SUPPORTERS. ALTHOUGH THE 18 TO 21-YEAR-OLD COHORT, AS THE STATISTICIANS SAY, ISN'T EXACTLY LINING UP AT THE POLLING PLACES EVERY ELECTION DAY TO MAKE ITS FEELINGS KNOWN, THIS MIGHT JUST SEND THEM INTO A STAMPEDE TO THE BALLOT BOX.

IF IT DOES PASS, I WON'T WANT TO BE ANYWHERE NEAR CALIFORNIA'S COLLEGES CAMPUSES. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS HAVE TO GO THROUGH NICOTINE WITHDRAWAL? IF THERE'S ANYTHING WORSE THAN "SMOKER'S RAGE", IT'S "TRYING TO STOP SMOKING RAGE".

VAL>> WHEN DEBRA WINGER RETIRED FROM FILMS IN 1996, SHE WAS A THREE-TIME OSCAR NOMINEE. WELL, AFTER TWO DECADES IN THE MOVIE BUSINESS, SHE WAS FINISHED WITH "THE BUSINESS", BUT AS IT TURNED OUT, SHE WASN'T FINISHED WITH ACTING.

JESS>> IT TOOK HER HUSBAND, ACTOR-WRITER-DIRECTOR, ARLISS HOWARD, TO LURE HER BACK. WE'LL LET HER TELL US HOW HE DID THAT, BUT FIRST LET'S LOOK AT A CLIP FROM THEIR FILM, "BIG BAD LOVE". IT'S ABOUT A SOUTHERN WRITER AND HIS BATTLES WITH LITERARY REJECTION, THE BOTTLE AND HIS EX-WIFE.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> AND JOINING US NOW IS ACTRESS, DEBRA WINGER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

DEBRA WINGER>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

JESS>> HE'S NOT HERE TO DEFEND HIMSELF (LAUGHTER), SO WAS IT WORTH COMING BACK TO DO THIS MOVIE WITH YOUR HUSBAND?

DEBRA WINGER>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW. YOU SAID I WAS GOING TO EXPLAIN HOW HE DID IT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT KIND OF A SHOW, JESS. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) I THOUGHT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH A COW?

DEBRA WINGER>> WELL, THERE IS, VAL --

JESS>> -- THAT'S THE CLEAN VERSION.

DEBRA WINGER>> -- SORT OF AN URBAN LEGEND, YEAH. WELL, IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN A HIGHLAND COW, YOU'D KNOW. YOU KNOW, THE ONES WITH THE REALLY LARGE HORNS AND VERY LONG HAIR? THEY'RE VERY CUTE.

VAL>> AND YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH --

JESS>> -- AND HE ACTUALLY GAVE YOU ONE?

DEBRA WINGER>> WELL, THERE IS THE LURE OF A HERD, ACTUALLY. IT DOESN'T TAKE JUST ONE COW, JESS. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> WE'VE HEARD. (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> BUT ACCORDING TO THE ARTICLE, HE PROMISED YOU A HIGHLAND COW IF YOU WOULD ACT IN THE MOVIE. DID HE MAKE GOOD ON HIS PROMISE?

DEBRA WINGER>> YEAH, HE MAKES GOOD ON MOST OF HIS PROMISES.

VAL>> YOU KNOW, I WATCHED THAT SCENE. IT LOOKED SO NATURAL. WAS A LOT OF THIS ADLIBBED OR WAS IT HIGHLY SCRIPTED?

DEBRA WINGER>> NO, IT WAS VERY, VERY WELL SCRIPTED. IT WOULD HAVE TO BE. WE SHOT IT IN 32 DAYS. AND BEING THE PRODUCER, AS WELL AS ACTING IN IT, WE STUCK TO THE SCRIPT. BUT THAT, I THINK, IS THE GOAL OF DEPICTING LIFE AS IT REALLY HAPPENS. I MEAN, WE DON'T WALK AROUND SOUNDING SCRIPTED, AT LEAST SOME OF US DON'T, SO IT WAS ALL WELL BOARDED.

JESS>> WORTH COMING BACK FOR?

DEBRA WINGER>> YOU KNOW, COMING BACK IS ALWAYS SORT OF A CONUNDRUM TO ME BECAUSE I DON'T WHETHER I'M COMING BACK OR FORTH. I'M NOT QUITE A LINEAR THINKER. IT'S MORE SPATIAL. BUT I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT EX-WIVES, BEING ONE AS WELL AS A WIFE, AND THE FIGHT THAT WE HAVE AGAINST BITTERNESS WHEN LIFE IS A LITTLE TOUGH. RAISING KIDS IS NEVER EASY, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR SITUATION IS, AND ESPECIALLY IF IT FALLS IN YOUR HANDS AND YOU CAN'T QUITE GET YOUR EX TO STEP UP TO THE BAT, SO IT WAS MORE ABOUT THAT.

VAL>> YOU'VE MENTIONED THAT YOU DIDN'T LIKE THE BUSINESS PART OF HOLLYWOOD AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU DECIDED TO RETIRE. IS THERE LESS BUSINESS WHEN YOU WORK IN SMALLER, INDEPENDENT FILMS? IS IT A REFUGE FROM A LOT OF WHAT YOU DIDN'T LIKE ABOUT HOLLYWOOD?

DEBRA WINGER>> I SURE HOPED THAT THERE WAS LESS BUSINESS. (LAUGHTER) FIRST OF ALL, THE ARTISTIC FREEDOM YOU HAVE IS GREATER BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT QUITE ON THE WHEEL FROM THE BEGINNING. BUT CERTAINLY, THE MARKETING OF A FILM IS PART OF, YOU KNOW, OUR SOCIETY AND HOW IT WORKS. BUT IT ISN'T SO MUCH THAT I QUIT. I CERTAINLY NEVER SAID, "I QUIT, THAT'S IT." IT'S JUST THAT THERE WERE NO STORIES THAT I WANTED TO TELL THAT WERE AGE-APPROPRIATE. YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT, YOU KIND OF REACH YOUR "SELL BY DATE ON PERKY" (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> BUT YOU NEVER DID QUIT ACTING?

DEBRA WINGER>> NO. WE'VE DONE THEATER TOGETHER UP AT THE AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER IN CAMBRIDGE AND I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN ACTING. I REALLY WAS JUST LOOKING FOR THE STORIES I WANTED TO TELL AND THEY WEREN'T HAPPENING IN THE FILM BUSINESS. OR THE FEW THAT WERE, I LOVED THE ACTRESSES THAT PORTRAYED THE PARTS, SO THERE WAS JUST NO CALL. I DIDN'T FIND THE PLACE I WANTED TO BE AND LIFE WAS MORE INTERESTING AT THAT POINT. BUT THEN THIS PROJECT CAME ALONG AND I REALLY WAS INTERESTED IN THE THEMES AND THE VISUAL INDEPENDENCE THAT IT HAS AND THE SORT OF DARING OF IT.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT A CLIP FROM "BIG BAD LOVE". THIS IS A FUNERAL SCENE. HERE IT IS.

[FILM CLIP]

VAL>> YOU KNOW, THIS MOVIE, AFTER HAVING WATCHED IT, DOES MAKE WOMEN LOOK A LOT MORE CIVILIZED THAN MEN. WAS THAT ONE OF THE INTENTIONAL MESSAGES? (LAUGHTER)

DEBRA WINGER>> HMMM, MORE CIVILIZED.

JESS>> WAIT A MINUTE, HE WROTE IT. (LAUGHTER)

DEBRA WINGER>> (LAUGHTER) YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND MY HUSBAND -- WELL, I THINK THAT WOMEN HAVE A WAY OF HOLDING FAMILIES TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT THE STRUCTURE, THE SOCIOLOGICAL STRUCTURE, OF A FAMILY AND, ALTHOUGH HE IS GOING AFTER A DREAM, HE'S THE FIRST ONE TO FORGET EXACTLY WHAT'S NEEDED TO HOLD THE FAMILY TOGETHER. I THINK WOMEN JUST NEVER FORGET THAT IN GENERAL. I MEAN, WE TRY TO PURSUE OUR DREAMS WITH THE SAME SOMETIMES VENGEANCE, BUT WE CAN'T FORGET THAT WE HAVE FAMILY AND WE'RE OFTEN THE CENTER OF THE FAMILY EVEN IF IT'S NOT A MATRIARCHY.

VAL>> THAT REALLY COMES THROUGH.

JESS>> AS A PRODUCER AND STAR, ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE MOVIE?

DEBRA WINGER>> VERY SATISFIED WITH THE MOVIE. IT'S DARING AND IT'S DIFFERENT AND VISUALLY IS VERY EXCITING TO ME.

JESS>> DOES THIS LEAVE YOU OPEN TO LOOKING AT OTHER SCRIPTS NOW?

DEBRA WINGER>> I THINK I'M OPEN. I THINK I'VE ALWAYS BEEN OPEN. IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW -- AND ALSO, PEOPLE LIKE TO SORT OF PUT -- I MEAN, JUST TO SAY THAT I'VE RETIRED, IT'S NEVER AS SIMPLE AS THAT. LOTS OF LIFE HAPPENED AND I JUST DIDN'T FIND THE STORIES I WANTED TO TELL. BUT HOPEFULLY, WE HAVE SOME REALLY INTERESTING STORIES TO TELL AS A COUNTRY AND AS A PEOPLE NOW THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE STORIES THAT HAVE COME FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

VAL>> DEBRA WINGER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME. WE KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE INTERVIEWS, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR --

DEBRA WINGER>> -- I WAS VERY COMFORTABLE, THANK YOU. IT'S VERY CIVILIZED. (LAUGHTER)

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) FOR SURE.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. ONCE AGAIN, THE MOVIE IS "BIG BAD LOVE". IT OPENS IN LOS ANGELES FRIDAY, MARCH 8, AT THE NUART THEATER.

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JESS>> NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

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