7/12/02

LC020712

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> SHOCKWAVES FROM A VIDEOTAPE, BUT DOES THE VIDEO OF THE POLICE OFFICER AND THE TEENAGER TELL THE WHOLE STORY?

ROOSEVELT DORN>> WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE VIDEOTAPE BEING TURNED ON. IT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED AND NOTHING THAT OCCURRED BEFORE THAT TAPE WAS TURNED ON IS GOING TO JUSTIFY THE CONDUCT THAT I OBSERVED AND THE WORLD HAS OBSERVED.

VAL>> AND TONIGHT WE'LL HEAR FROM ONE OF THE MEN WHO WANTS TO BE L.A.'S TOP COP. MARK KROEKER IS A RESPECTED VETERAN OF THE LAPD, BUT WILL HIS COMMENTS ABOUT GAYS AND LESBIANS COME BACK TO HAUNT HIM?

JESS>> PLUS, WE'LL MEET A MAN REGARDED AS ONE OF THE NICEST STARS IN HOLLYWOOD AND WE GOT THAT STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> YOU'LL REMEMBER HIM AS THE MAN WHO TALKED TO "MR. ED", VETERAN ACTOR ALAN YOUNG. HE'S HERE TO TALK ABOUT HIS LONG CAREER AND HIS LATEST PROJECTS.

VAL>> 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.

AND 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.

IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ANOTHER RODNEY KING EPISODE, BUT THE HOME VIDEO OF A WHITE POLICE OFFICER USING BRUTE FORCE ON A BLACK TEENAGER CLEARLY HAS GOTTEN THE COUNTRY'S ATTENTION. THE U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION AND THE MAYOR OF INGLEWOOD WHERE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED SAYS THE OFFICER SHOULD BE PROSECUTED.

VAL>> BUT DO THOSE POWERFUL PICTURES WE'VE ALL SEEN TELL THE WHOLE STORY? TONIGHT GAY YEE INTRODUCES US TO THE MAN WHO CAUGHT THE INCIDENT ON TAPE.

GAY YEE>> HE'S A NIGHTCLUB DJ AND AN OCCASIONAL ACTOR, BUT MITCH CROOKS IS NOW FAMOUS AS THE MAN WITH THE VIDEO CAMERA. CROOKS GRABBED IT WHEN HE HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A FIGHT ERUPTING OUTSIDE HIS MOTEL ROOM.

MITCH CROOKS>> I WAS STARTING TO WAKE UP AND I HEARD A LADY SCREAMING, YOU KNOW, "PLEASE DON'T. PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM. PLEASE DON'T RESIST!"

GAY YEE>> AN ARREST WAS TAKING PLACE AT THE GAS STATION ACROSS THE STREET.

MITCH CROOKS>> I KNEW I HAD MY CAMERA WITH ME. I OPENED UP MY BACKPACK, GRABBED IT OUT, RAN DOWN, FLIPPED OPEN THE LID, TURNED ON THE CAMERA, TOOK THE LENS CAP OFF AND JUST HIT THE RECORD BUTTON.

GAY YEE>> CROOKS SHOT ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MINUTES OF VIDEO, PICTURES THAT HAVE BEEN SEEN AROUND THE WORLD, AND THE IMAGES OF A BLACK TEENAGER BEING SLAMMED BY A WHITE POLICEMAN ARE POWERFUL.

MITCH CROOKS>> AND HE SLAMS HIM LIKE THAT.

GAY YEE>> CROOKS CONTINUED TO ROLL.

MITCH CROOKS>> I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ALL OVER WITH, BUT THEN WHEN THAT HAPPENED, I WAS LIKE, OH, MY GOD. THE SPITTING IS A NICE TOUCH.

GAY YEE>> IT'S ALL CAUGHT ON TAPE, WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ANGRY COP OUT OF CONTROL.

MITCH CROOKS>> YOU JUST LOST YOUR JOB, BUDDY.

GAY YEE>> BUT DID CROOKS AND HIS CAMERA GET THE WHOLE STORY? OFFICER JEREMY MORSE HAS BEEN RELIEVED OF DUTY AND PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE FROM THE INGLEWOOD POLICE FORCE. IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT, MORSE ADMITS PUNCHING SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD DONOVAN JACKSON, BUT THE OFFICER SAYS HE DID IT AFTER THE TEENAGER GRABBED HIM BY THE CROTCH AND REFUSED TO LET GO.

JOHN SWEENEY>> WE CALLED THIS PRESS CONFERENCE THIS MORNING TO ANNOUNCE THE FILING OF A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS CAUSE OF ACTION PURSUANT ...

GAY YEE>> THE FAMILY'S ATTORNEY HAS FILED A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT ON BEHALF OF JACKSON AND HIS FATHER. ACCORDING TO THE SHERIFF'S REPORT, DEPUTIES WERE QUESTIONING THE FATHER ABOUT HIS EXPIRED LICENSE PLATE WHEN THEY SAY THE TEENAGER BECAME UNRULY.

>> SUPPOSEDLY HE HAD NO TAGS, SO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THEY'RE GOING TO BEAT YOU UP FOR NO TAGS? WHAT THEY DID TO THAT CHILD?

>> MY POINT OF VIEW IS THAT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE CAMERA STARTED ROLLING.

GAY YEE>> AUTHORITIES SAY THE MOMENTS NOT CAUGHT ON TAPE ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY SET THE STAGE FOR WHAT HAPPENS LATER. UNSEEN ARE THE EVENTS THAT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE THE TEENAGER WAS SLAMMED ONTO THE PATROL CAR. THE POLICE REPORT INDICATES DONOVAN JACKSON BECAME COMBATIVE WITH THE OFFICERS AND THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO SUBDUE HIM. A LOOK AT THE TAPE SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE BLOOD NEXT TO OFFICER MORSE'S EAR, BUT THE TEENAGER'S FAMILY SAYS THE ATTACK WAS UNPROVOKED AND THAT HE SUFFERS FROM A LEARNING DISABILITY WHICH MADE HIM AN EASY TARGET.

TALIBA SHAKIER>> IT'S BAD ENOUGH THAT WE GET BEATEN SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF OUR SKIN OR OUR ZIP CODE, BUT IT'S EVEN WORSE WHEN YOU DO IT TO A SPECIAL ED STUDENT.

GAY YEE>> INGLEWOOD MAYOR, ROOSEVELT DORN, IS A FORMER PROSECUTOR AND SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE. THE MAYOR SAYS THE OFFICER SHOULD FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES.

ROOSEVELT DORN>> IF THIS CASE CAME BEFORE ME AND A CITIZEN HAD COMMITTED THIS SAME ACT, AFTER I FOUND THAT INDIVIDUAL GUILTY, THAT INDIVIDUAL WOULD GO TO JAIL. I HOLD OFFICERS TO A HIGHER STANDARD THAN A REGULAR CITIZEN.

GAY YEE>> OFFICER MORSE'S ATTORNEY CALLS SUCH STATEMENTS A RUSH TO JUDGMENT BASED ON A VIDEO THAT GIVES, AT BEST, AN INCOMPLETE ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED. BUT THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THE OFFICER HAS COME UNDER FIRE. IT'S BEEN LESS THAN A WEEK SINCE MITCH CROOKS SHOT THAT VIDEOTAPE FROM ACROSS THE STREET. SINCE THEN, OTHERS HAVE COME FORWARD WITH SIMILAR ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE SAME OFFICER.

JORGE GONZALEZ>> IF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD TAKEN ANY ACTION WHATSOEVER TO DISCIPLINE OFFICER MORSE BACK WHEN THEY MADE THEIR COMPLAINTS IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, PERHAPS THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED TO DONOVAN JACKSON.

GAY YEE>> ROBERTO WILLIS HAS FILED A LAWSUIT CHARGING THAT MORSE AND ANOTHER OFFICER KNOCKED OUT HIS FRONT TEETH, AND THE L.A. TIMES REPORTS MORSE HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF MISCONDUCT AT LEAST A HALF DOZEN TIMES, NOT COUNTING THE VIDEOTAPED INCIDENT.

MITCH CROOKS>> YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH TELL THAT HE'S NOT RESISTING THERE.

GAY YEE>> MITCH CROOKS, THE MAN WITH THE CAMERA, ISN'T SORRY HE CAPTURED THOSE MOMENTS ON TAPE AND, IN HIS MIND, THE PICTURES DON'T LIE.

MITCH CROOKS>> THIS WILL ALSO SEND A MESSAGE TO ALL THE REST OF THE POLICE OFFICERS WHO TRY TO DO THINGS LIKE THIS THAT PEOPLE HAVE CAMERAS AND, IF YOU DO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THIS IS A CLEAR EXAMPLE OF HOW THAT YOU WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.

JESS>> LAURIE LEVENSON JOINS US NOW. SHE IS A PROFESSOR AT LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL AND A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR. BEFORE WE GO INTO THE NATURE OF THIS ISSUE, WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT YESTERDAY MITCH CROOKS, THE CAMERAMAN, WAS ARRESTED ON OUTSTANDING WARRANTS FOR DUI, HIT AND RUN AND PETTY THEFT. WHAT SORT OF FACTOR -- YEAH, DOES THAT HAVE SOME IMPACT?

LAURIE LEVENSON>> WELL, NOT NECESSARILY. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S GOING TO MAKE A SPLASH AND MAKE THE CASE MORE MESSY, BUT THE TAPE IS THE TAPE AND HE'S JUST THE ONE WHO SHOT THE TAPE.

JESS>> NOW CLEARLY -- YOU'RE A FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR. THIS IS CLEARLY A FEDERAL CASE NOW?

LAURIE LEVENSON>> WELL, IT'S BOTH A LOCAL CASE AND A FEDERAL CASE. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON ALREADY, WE HAVE SORT OF PARALLEL INVESTIGATIONS. YOU HAVE THE D.A.'S OFFICE AND THE LOCAL GRAND JURY ALREADY GETTING STARTED AND YOU HAVE ASHCROFT SENDING OUT HIS CHIEF DEPUTY TO GET THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE FBI INVOLVED. SO YOU HAVE MANY INVESTIGATIONS GOING ON.

JESS>> AND THE SUIT TO BE FILED AGAINST THE OFFICERS IS A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS SUIT TOO?

LAURIE LEVENSON>> THAT'S RIGHT. YOU HAVE A FEDERAL CIVIL RIGHTS SUIT AND THEN YOU HAVE INVESTIGATIONS BEING DONE BY EACH DEPARTMENT. THE INGLEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

VAL>> LAURIE, PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE. I MEAN, IT WAS NOT -- I DON'T WANT TO BE MISINTERPRETED. I DON'T WANT TO BELITTLE THE BRUTALITY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THIS WAS NOT AN EXTREME CASE. WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT IS THE FACT IT WAS CAUGHT ON VIDEOTAPE. I'M QUITE CONVINCED OF THAT.

LAURIE LEVENSON>> THAT'S RIGHT. CATCHING IT ON VIDEOTAPE PUSHES THE RODNEY KING BUTTON AND MAKES US REMEMBER THAT POLICE BRUTALITY CASE AND THE EXCESSIVE FORCE. YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT, ALBEIT VERY DISTURBING, INCIDENT HERE, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME TYPE OF THING. I THINK THE ONE THING WE HAVE LEARNED, HOWEVER, IS JUST SEEING THE VIDEOTAPE DOESN'T TELL ALL THE STORY. IT MAKES YOU ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, BUT THERE'S A LOT MORE TO LEARN ABOUT THIS INVESTIGATION.

JESS>> AND THE CYNICS WILL SUGGEST THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME, BUT ONLY WHEN IT'S CAUGHT ON VIDEOTAPE DOES ANYTHING OCCUR.

VAL>> RIGHT.

LAURIE LEVENSON>> WELL, THERE IS CERTAINLY THE SUGGESTION AND WE HEAR IT FROM PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT IT DOES HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, YET IT'S ONLY WHEN WE HAVE A VIDEOTAPE THAT IT CAPTURES OUR ATTENTION AND MAKES US PAY ATTENTION.

VAL>> EXACTLY. I MEAN, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S NOT GOING TO GET INVOLVED JUST BECAUSE SOMEBODY MAKES A COMPLAINT THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED. THE FACT THAT IT'S ON VIDEOTAPE SUDDENLY ASHCROFT AND OTHERS ARE INVOLVED.

JESS>> THAT, AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS SEEN ALL OVER THE NATION TOO. THAT WAS --

LAURIE LEVENSON>> -- RIGHT. OFTEN IT'S VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE CIVILIAN TO BE BELIEVED WHEN YOU HAVE THE POLICE OFFICER, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A VIDEOTAPE, THEN THEY REALLY HAVE A STARTING POINT FOR THE PERSON BRINGING THE COMPLAINT. ONCE AGAIN, IT DOESN'T MEAN IN THE END RUN THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OFFICER BEING PROSECUTED OR EVEN A SUCCESSFUL RESULT TO A LAWSUIT, BUT IT DOES MEAN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE MORE CREDIBILITY IN THIS CASE THAN THE ORDINARY CASE.

JESS>> MUCH IS BEING SAID ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE VIDEOTAPE BEGAN, BUT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT COULD THIS YOUNG MAN HAVE DONE THAT WOULD LEGITIMIZE THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE OFFICER?

LAURIE LEVENSON>> WELL, IT'S HARD TO KNOW. I MEAN, THE OFFICER HAS SAID THAT THE YOUNG MAN HAD GRABBED HIS GENITALIA AND THAT GOT THE OFFICER -- HE HAD BEEN RESISTING. THE OFFICER APPEARS TO HAVE BLOOD, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK ACTUALLY AT THE POLICE POLICY. YOU KNOW, POLICE ARE ALLOWED TO USE FORCE. WHEN IT'S EXCESSIVE FORCE, IT'S SORT OF A FLEXIBLE LINE DEPENDING ON WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE SCENE AND WE CAN'T SEE EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON AT THE SCENE. BUT CERTAINLY, ONCE THE GUY IS IN HANDCUFFS, HITTING HIM, THE FIRST APPEARANCE IS VERY SHOCKING.

VAL>> BOY, WE'RE GOING TO SEEING A LOT MORE OF THIS. THE INVESTIGATIONS ARE BOTH CIVIL AND CRIMINAL AGAINST THE OFFICER WHO'S NOW ON PAID ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, YES?

LAURIE LEVENSON>> THAT'S RIGHT.

VAL>> WHICH IS MOST LIKELY TO BE FAST-TRACKED?

LAURIE LEVENSON>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IS BEING FAST-TRACKED. FIRST OF ALL, THE FBI HAS BEEN TOLD THAT, IN THE NEXT THIRTY DAYS, THEY SHOULD DO THEIR INVESTIGATION. THAT'S A VERY QUICK START HERE. AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR LOCAL GRAND JURY ORDINARILY SITS FOR A PERIOD OF THIRTY DAYS AND THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED BRINGING WITNESSES INTO THE GRAND JURY. SO THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM RODNEY KING BECAUSE THE AUTHORITIES KNOW THAT THEY HAVE TO MOVE QUICKLY. THE COMMUNITY WANTS A RESPONSE.

VAL>> AND THEY ARE MOVING QUICKLY. LAURIE LEVENSON FROM LOYOLA LAW SCHOOL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN.

LAURIE LEVENSON>> MY PLEASURE.

VAL>> MONDAY ON LIFE AND TIMES, CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST IS NOW BEING CALLED THE NEW NAPA, AND WINEMAKERS THERE SAY EVERYBODY WANTS A PIECE OF THE ACTION.

>> RIGHT NOW, EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE IN THE WINE BUSINESS. EVERYBODY AND THEIR BROTHER WANTS TO BE IN THE WINE BUSINESS BECAUSE IT'S COOL. YOU GET PEOPLE THAT WILL CALL YOU, PEOPLE THAT KNOW YOU WILL CALL YOU, OR THEY'VE MET YOU THROUGH YOUR WINES, AND THEY JUST WANT TO THROW MONEY AT YOU.

JESS>> MARK KROEKER THOUGHT HE MIGHT SPEND HIS ENTIRE CAREER WITH THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT. HE HAD DREAMS OF ONE DAY BECOMING THE CHIEF. HE GOT CLOSE JUST ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO. KROEKER WAS EDGED OUT BY BERNARD PARKS.

VAL>> NOW PARKS IS OUT AND KROEKER WANTS ANOTHER SHOT AT THE CHIEF'S JOB. HE'S FLOWN IN TONIGHT FROM PORTLAND, OREGON WHERE HE'S CURRENTLY IN CHARGE OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT THERE. CHIEF KROEKER, WELCOME HOME.

MARK KROEKER>> THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.

JESS>> CHIEF KROEKER, THERE ARE SOME OF US WHO SUGGEST THAT THIS IS NOT A GOOD TIME TO BE A CHIEF OF POLICE ANYWHERE, ESPECIALLY IN INGLEWOOD. YOU SAW THE SITUATION THERE.

MARK KROEKER>> YES.

JESS>> CAN YOU THINK OF ANY ACTION THAT WOULD HAVE JUSTIFIED THAT OFFICER'S RESPONSE?

MARK KROEKER>> WELL, YOU KNOW, WE ALL LOOK AT A TAPE AND WE HAVE INITIAL REACTIONS, SOME OF IT VISCERAL. MY REACTION IS TO THINK AS A CHIEF OF POLICE. THERE'S A CHIEF THERE, RON BANKS, AND HIS PROFESSIONAL AND LONG-TERM CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL AND A DECENT PERSON. THE TASK THAT HE NOW HAS TO SORT THAT ALL OUT, TO DO THE ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATION, PRESIDE AND WATCH OVER THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AND ALSO THE CIVIL WHICH COMES UP, SO HE HAS A LOT ON HIS PLATE TO DEAL WITH.

I WOULDN'T STAND ON THE SIDE AND BE THE EDGE-SIDE COACH, YOU KNOW, BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND EVERYONE OF US OF THE VALUES THAT SHOULD EXIST IN EVERY ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING MY OWN IN PORTLAND, OF RESPECT AND COMPASSION AND INTEGRITY AND THOSE THINGS THAT WE STAND FOR AND JUST TO TAKE THE STAND ON THAT.

VAL>> YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PROBLEM, SOME PEOPLE SAY, IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE INGLEWOOD COMMUNITY. INGLEWOOD IS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, ABOUT HALF AND HALF LATINO AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PREDOMINANTLY WHITE. IS THIS A DANGEROUS DYNAMIC?

MARK KROEKER>> IT'S A FACTOR THAT ENTERS INTO SO MANY THINGS IN LIFE, OBVIOUSLY, AND EVERY POLICE CHIEF IS INTERESTED IN MIRRORING THE COMMUNITY WITH THE WORKFORCE AND DEVELOPING A SENSITIVITY TO EVERY CORNER AND EVERY COMMUNITY THAT IS REPRESENTED OUT THERE. SO, YES, IT'S GOOD, BUT DOES THAT PLAY A FACTOR HERE? YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, NOT THE WHOLE FORCE, IN TERMS OF ITS COMPLEXION. BUT THERE'S A CULTURE AND I DON'T KNOW THE INTERNAL CULTURE OF AN ORGANIZATION. OTHERS CAN SPECULATE ON THAT.

JESS>> I SUSPECT THE KEY TO DIVERSITY IN A POLICE DEPARTMENT IS RECRUITMENT AND THAT'S BEEN ONE OF THE ISSUES WITH BERNARD PARKS AND WITH THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT. AS POLICE CHIEF, HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE ON BERNARD PARKS' RECRUITMENT?

MARK KROEKER>> WELL, I'D RATHER NOT SPEAK ABOUT THE PRIOR CHIEF, OF COURSE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPEAK ABOUT THE COMING YEARS THAT THE ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO FACE AND WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I THINK THE BEST THING TO DO IN TERMS OF RECRUITMENT IS TO BUILD AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS MAGNETIZED BY ITS MORALE. IN OTHER WORDS, A PLACE THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO WORK FOR, A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE OUT IN DES MOINES SAY, "HEY, I HEARD THAT THE LAPD IS HIRING AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK." THIS JUST AUTOMATICALLY BRINGS PEOPLE.

DURING THE "DRAGNET" YEARS AND DURING THE "ADAM-12" YEARS, THERE WAS SOMETHING GOING ON THERE. EVERYONE WANTED TO WORK HERE, INCLUDING ME, IN THOSE EARLY YEARS AND THERE'S A DRAW THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE. BUT THEN A RIGOROUS RECRUITMENT EFFORT THAT IS A FULL SWING AT THINGS, SO THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN BE DONE. OF COURSE, I AMONG OTHER CANDIDATES AM ONE WHO HAS SAID, "WHY, I CAN DO THAT." YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE A PLAN AND I HAVE A PLAN.

VAL>> CHIEF KROEKER, WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A JOB, THIS MEANS THAT YOUR PAST IS DUG UP AND LOOKED AT VERY CAREFULLY.

MARK KROEKER>> OF COURSE.

VAL>> WE'RE GOING TO CLIMB ABOARD THAT BANDWAGON AS WELL. MANY GAYS AND LESBIANS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE ABOUT A DECADE AGO REGARDING THE GAY LIFESTYLE, AND THEY COULD MAKE AN ISSUE OF IT AS YOU PURSUE THE CHIEF'S JOB IN L.A. LET'S LISTEN TO A PORTION OF WHAT YOU SAID THAT HAS SOME PEOPLE CONCERNED.

MARK KROEKER>> "ALTERNATIVE LIFESTYLE IS BEING USED IN CERTAIN FORMS OF PERVERSION."

>> I THINK THAT THE GAY COMMUNITY HERE WILL PROBABLY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND TO ASK NOT WHETHER THE MAN HAS A RIGHT TO HIS BELIEFS, CLEARLY HE DOES, BUT WHETHER OR NOT, AS HE CLAIMS, THOSE BELIEFS CAN BE HELD IN CHECK AND IN PRIVATE OR WHETHER THEY'LL HAVE AN IMPACT ON HIS JOB PERFORMANCE.

JESS>> HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR VIEW AT ALL?

MARK KROEKER>> I HAVE MATURED, GROWN, CHANGED, SHIFTED. YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERYONE HAS IN A DECADE. THIRTEEN YEARS, TO BE PRECISE, SINCE THAT TIME. ALSO I HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERY WORD I'VE EVER SPOKEN. YOU KNOW, A VERY TINY WORD IN A RELIGIOUS SETTING THAT --

VAL>> -- WHAT WAS THE CONTEXT?

MARK KROEKER>> IT WAS IN A CHRISTIAN CAMP ON MY OWN TIME AND MY OWN FAITH IN A DISCUSSION, AMONG OTHER THINGS, ABOUT PROPHETIC THINGS OF BIBLICAL DISCUSSION. NOW THE QUESTION, I THINK, REMAINS WHAT AM I TODAY? HOW DO I OPERATE? I THINK THE BEST THING THAT I COULD OFFER IS TO SAY COME ON OVER TO MY HOUSE, MY HOUSE CURRENTLY IN PORTLAND, YOU KNOW, AND THE CONTEXT IN WHICH I LIVE AND WORK AND WITH A CITY THAT'S ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST GAY-FRIENDLY CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.

TALK TO THE PEOPLE OF PORTLAND AND ASK THE QUESTION. AND, OF COURSE, HERE IN LOS ANGELES TOO IN ALL THOSE YEARS, HAVE I EVER, EVER BROUGHT INTO THE WORKPLACE ANY IMPLICATION THAT I TREAT PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY OR THAT I HAVE A LACK OF RESPECT, AND I'D STAND ON THAT, BUT --

JESS>> -- SO GAYS AND LESBIANS IN THE COMMUNITY AND ON THE POLICE FORCE WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR FROM A CHIEF MARK KROEKER?

MARK KROEKER>> I THINK, IF PEOPLE HAVE CONCERNS, I NEED TO ADDRESS THEM, SO I DON'T WANT TO DISMISS IT AND SAY, OH, YOU KNOW, JUST RUFFLED FEATHERS. ON THE CONTRARY, I WANT TO BE EVERYONE'S CHIEF, INCLUDING THE GAY COMMUNITY HERE IN LOS ANGELES. I HAVE MET WITH THEM. I'VE TALKED TO A NUMBER OF THEM, ANSWERED THESE QUESTIONS FORTHRIGHTLY AND WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF BREAKTHROUGHS THAT ARE RATHER ENCOURAGING TO ME. I THINK IN THE END IT'S GOING TO BE JUST FINE, JUST THE WAY IT IS IN PORTLAND.

VAL>> CHIEF MARK KROEKER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME AND I'M SURE WE'LL BE SEEING MORE OF YOU AS YOU WALK THROUGH THE FORMAL APPLICATION PROCESS.

MARK KROEKER>> THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

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JESS>> WE'RE TOLD THAT, IN SHOW BUSINESS, WORKING WITH ANIMALS CAN BE A VERY TRICKY BUSINESS, BUT IT WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL FOR OUR NEXT GUEST. OF COURSE, NOT EVERYONE GETS TO SHARE THE SCREEN WITH A TALKING HORSE.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> HE WAS THE BEST FRIEND OF "MR. ED", BUT ALAN YOUNG WAS ALREADY A FAMILIAR FACE WHEN THE TELEVISION SHOW BECAME A HIT AND HE IS STILL GOING STRONG WITH A STARRING ROLE IN A BRAND NEW FILM.

VAL>> ALAN YOUNG IS HERE TONIGHT AND WE'RE SO VERY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU WITH US. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.

ALAN YOUNG>> THANK YOU, VAL, THANK YOU.

JESS>> DOES IT BOTHER YOU THAT WE ALWAYS REMEMBER YOU MOSTLY FROM "MR. ED"? (LAUGHTER)

ALAN YOUNG>> WELL, YOU'RE GRATEFUL TO BE REMEMBERED IN ANY WAY (LAUGHTER), SO I DON'T COMPLAIN AT ALL.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) I REMEMBER RUSHING HOME AT THREE OR FOUR O'CLOCK EVERY AFTERNOON WHEN I LIVED IN RIVERSIDE AND ALL FIVE OF US KIDS WOULD PLUNK OURSELVES DOWN AND WATCH THE TALKING HORSE. YOU'VE DONE SO MUCH SINCE THEN, OF COURSE.

JESS>> AND EVEN DURING THAT PERIOD, YOU HAD THE EMMY AWARD-WINNING "ALAN YOUNG SHOW".

VAL>> RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.

ALAN YOUNG>> WELL, YOU REMEMBER THAT?

JESS>> YES.

VAL>> YES.

ALAN YOUNG>> OH, BLESS YOUR HEART. THANK YOU. WELL, THAT'S WHAT I LOVE. PEOPLE FORGET THAT I WAS A STANDUP AT ONE TIME, BUT I WAS MORE GRATEFUL FOR WORKING WITH A HORSE. HE CARRIED ALL THE WEIGHT. IT'S A FUNNY THING. WHEN YOU SAY YOU GREW UP WITH ME, MORE OR LESS, I'LL MEET SOMEBODY WHO I'M SURE IS AS OLD AS I AM OR OLDER AND THEY SAY, "BOY, I GREW UP WITH YOU" AND YOU WANT TO PUNCH THEM, YOU KNOW? (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) WE'RE GOING TO TRAVEL DOWN MEMORY LANE A LITTLE BIT AND TAKE A LOOK AT A CLIP FROM "MR. ED" AND REMIND PEOPLE WHY WE LOVED IT SO MUCH. HERE'S A LOOK.

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> ALL OF THIS WAS BEFORE DIGITAL ANIMATION AND THINGS. HOW DID THEY MAKE THE HORSE TALK?

ALAN YOUNG>> WE USED WHIPS.

JESS>> (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) NO. UH-OH, HERE COME THE --

JESS>> -- A NEW USE FOR A RIDING CROP, HUH?

ALAN YOUNG>> (LAUGHTER) I STARTED THE LIE ABOUT PUTTING PEANUT BUTTER UNDER HIS LIP.

JESS>> THAT WAS A LIE, THOUGH, WASN'T IT?

ALAN YOUNG>> THAT WAS A LIE, YES. WE HAD A GREAT TRAINER, LESTER HILTON. HE WAS THE SHOW, LESTER, HE AND THE HORSE. HE USED SOME SOFT NYLON THREAD THAT HE PUT UNDER THE UPPER LIP AND THE HORSE TRIED TO GET RID OF IT. BUT ON CUE, THAT WAS THING. ON CUE, TO STOP AND TO START.

WE USED TO RIDE TOGETHER IN GRIFFITH PARK. LES WOULD RIDE HIS LITTLE HORSE AND I'D RIDE ED. I LIKED TO RIDE ED BECAUSE HE MADE ME LOOK LIKE A GOOD RIDER. I WOULD JUST SAY "STOP" AND HE STOPPED. "TURN RIGHT HERE", HE'D TURN RIGHT. SO WE'D GO ALONG RIDING AND LESTER BROKE OUT LAUGHING ONE DAY. HE SAID, "ALAN, TAKE A LOOK." EVERY TIME I STOPPED TALKING, ED WOULD MOVE HIS LIPS (LAUGHTER). SO ED WAS THE SHOW.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) WAS THERE EVER ANY REALLY HORRIBLY FRUSTRATING DAY WHEN IT JUST WENT ON AND ON AND ON BECAUSE ED WOULDN'T COOPERATE?

ALAN YOUNG>> ED DID NOTHING WRONG. EVERY TAKE WAS PERFECT. IF WE HAD TO DO IT AGAIN, IT WAS PROBABLY MY FAULT. LIKE IN THIS THING WE JUST SAW, ED TURNED AWAY AND I GRABBED HIM AND TURNED HIM BACK. IT WAS ALL -- YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE WORKED TOGETHER SO WELL THAT IT MADE IT LOOK LIKE A TEAM.

VAL>> SO YOU WERE IMPROVISING AT TIMES?

ALAN YOUNG>> WELL, IF HE TURNED AWAY FROM ME, I WOULD PULL HIS HEAD BACK AND SAY, "DON'T LOOK AWAY FROM ME" AND IT FIT IN NICELY.

JESS>> AFTER ALL YOUR SUCCESSES, YOU LEFT SHOW BUSINESS TO DEVOTE YOURSELF TO THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MOVEMENT. WAS THAT A DIFFICULT TRANSITION?

ALAN YOUNG>> WELL, I'D WORKED AS AN ACTOR SINCE I WAS THIRTEEN AND I CAME TO AMERICA WHEN I WAS NINETEEN. AFTER THE "ED" SHOW, I THOUGHT I'D LIKE A REST. I'VE DONE ENOUGH FOR A WHILE. I WANTED TO SEE AMERICA, NUMBER ONE. SO I TRAVELED FOR TWO YEARS IN A CAR ALL OVER AMERICA, EVERY STATE IN THE UNION. THEN I GOT ITCHY, SO WHEN I CAME BACK, I WROTE "MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL" BECAUSE I LOVE CHARLES DICKENS. I WROTE THIS AS A CARTOON AND IT SOLD TO DISNEY, SO THEN IT BECAME "DUCK TALES" AND I'VE DONE "SCROOGE MCDUCK" EVER SINCE, SO I'VE KEPT BUSY.

VAL>> AND YOU'RE ESPECIALLY BUSY NOW. YOU HAVE A NEW FILM OUT CALLED "EM & ME" ABOUT A WIDOWER WHO LIVES WITH HIS FAMILY. HE OVERHEARS A CONVERSATION, KNOWS HE'S EITHER HEADED TO A NURSING HOME OR HE TAKES OFF ON HIS OWN. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT A CLIP NOW FROM THE NEW FILM STARRING YOU CALLED "EM & ME".

[FILM CLIP]

JESS>> VERY NICE.

ALAN YOUNG>> SWEET OLD GUY. WHO WAS IT? (LAUGHTER)

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) BUT IT IS A REALLY SWEET GENTLE MOVIE, SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF IN THIS LIVE ACTION, VIOLENT, COMPUTER-GENERATED WORLD.

ALAN YOUNG>> I THINK IT'LL APPEAL TO ALL AGES BECAUSE THERE ARE YOUNG KIDS IN THERE WHO ARE FED UP WITH ME BECAUSE THEY THINK I'M A DODDERING OLD FOOL, AND MY DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW WHO'D LIKE TO BE LEFT ALONE, AND ME WHO FEELS OUT OF PLACE. SO IT KIND OF FITS A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING TODAY WITH DIFFERENT FAMILIES, BUT THE ENDING IS WHAT DIFFERENT FAMILIES WOULD LIKE, I THINK.

JESS>> IT WAS SHOWN AT THE L.A. FILM FESTIVAL. HOW WAS IT RECEIVED THERE?

ALAN YOUNG>> VERY WELL. IT ALSO WON THE CHICAGO FILM FESTIVAL AND THE NEW YORK FILM FESTIVAL. SO UNLESS IT GETS DISTRIBUTED, YOU CAN COME TO MY PLACE AND SEE IT (LAUGHTER).

JESS>> (LAUGHTER) DISTRIBUTION IS THE KEY, THOUGH, ISN'T IT?

ALAN YOUNG>> THAT'S THE KEY TO THE WHOLE THING. IT'S NO GOOD JUST RUNNING IT YOURSELF AT HOME. I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME WE HAD SOMETHING GENTLE AND NICE. NOT A MESSAGEY THING, BUT JUST SOMETHING ENTERTAINMENT.

VAL>> DO YOU HOPE TO MAKE MORE FILMS OR WHAT'S YOUR NEXT PROJECT?

ALAN YOUNG>> I'M IN SHOW BUSINESS, VAL. I'LL GO ANYWHERE. WORK WITH A HORSE OR A CAT OR WHATEVER YOU WANT, YEAH.

JESS>> YOU'VE DONE ALMOST EVERYTHING IN SHOW BUSINESS TOO. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU REALLY WANTED TO DO THAT YOU WERE NEVER ABLE TO? YOU PLAYED A BAGPIPE AT ONE TIME?

ALAN YOUNG>> I PLAY BAGPIPES, YES, BUT --

JESS>> -- STILL DO?

ALAN YOUNG>> YES, I DO, BUT I GET VERY LITTLE CALL FOR THAT. IT'S AN EAR-BREAKING EXPERIENCE (LAUGHTER). I LOVE STAGE, LIVE STAGE. I DO A MUSICAL GENERALLY EVERY YEAR AND I LIKE THAT, BUT TELEVISION IS WHERE I GOT MY FIRST BIG BREAK, SO I LOVE TELEVISION, AS YOU KNOW. YOU LOVE IT TOO.

JESS>> IT'S WONDERFUL HAVING YOU WITH US.

ALAN YOUNG>> THANK YOU, JESS.

JESS>> ALAN YOUNG, A PLEASURE.

VAL>> WONDERFUL SEEING YOU AGAIN. REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

ALAN YOUNG>> THANK YOU, VAL.

VAL>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS EVENING. YOU CAN FIND TRANSCRIPTS OF LIFE AND TIMES AND A WEEK'S WORTH OF SHOWS ON STREAMING AUDIO IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG.

JESS>> THANKS FOR BEING WITH US. FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

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