11/12/02

LC021112

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> SECURITY IS TIGHTER THAN EVER AT AMERICA’S AIRPORTS, SO WHY IS LAX STILL A HOTSPOT FOR WEAPONS AND WOULD-BE WEAPONS?

DAVID STONE>> WE HAVE HERE A KNIFE THAT WAS BROUGHT THROUGH OUR CHECKPOINT IN CARRYON BAGGAGE AND THE GENTLEMAN SAID, YES, I’M BRINGING THIS WITH ME. I DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE I’M A GOOD PERSON AND I DON’T HAVE ANY BAD INTENT, SO I JUST PACKED THIS AND I’M BRINGING IT ON MY TRIP.

VAL>> L.A.’S NEW POLICE CHIEF HAS HIS WORK CUT OUT FOR HIM AND HE’S HERE TO TELL US HOW HE PLANS TO TAKE A BITE OUT OF CRIME. GANGS AND GRAFFITI ARE TWO OF BILL BRATTON’S TOP PRIORITIES. TONIGHT THE CHIEF EXPLAINS HOW CRACKING DOWN ON BOTH CAN MAKE LOS ANGELES A SAFER PLACE.

JESS>> PATT MORRISON IS CALLING FOR A CRACKDOWN OF A DIFFERENT KIND. HER TARGET? DIRTY POLITICS.

PATT MORRISON>> TAKE A FLYER, PLEASE. A TASTELESS POLITICAL ATTACK FLYER SHOULD TAKE A FLYER -- ON TONIGHT’S INFINITELY MORRISON.

VAL>> AND THEN SOME TIPS ON HOW TO SURVIVE A BAD TRIP TO COURT. JUDGES HAVE THE POWER. WHAT IF THEY ABUSE IT? TONIGHT OUR LEGAL EXPERT TELLS US WHERE TO TURN IF AND WHEN A JUDGE OVERSTEPS THE LAW.

JESS>> IT’S ALL COMING UP ON TONIGHT’S 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. EACH OF US CAN TAKE SOME COMFORT FROM THE ADDED SECURITY AT THE NATIONS’ AIRPORTS, BUT SOME MEMBERS OF THE FLYING PUBLIC CLEARLY ARE NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE. THAT INCLUDES THE PERSON THAT RECENTLY TRIED TO TAKE A SWORD ONTO AN AIRPLANE AT LAX.

VAL>> THE GOOD NEWS IS, LAX NOW HAS THE LARGEST SCREENING FORCE IN THE COUNTRY. 1,600 FEDERALLY EMPLOYED SCREENERS WILL BE ON THE JOB TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE NATIONAL DEADLINE. BUT AS GAY YEE TELLS US, THEIR JOB WOULD BE A WHOLE LOT EASIER IF TRAVELERS WERE BETTER INFORMED.

GAY YEE>> YOU MIGHT IMAGINE EVERY AIRLINE TRAVELER WOULD KNOW ABOUT HEIGHTENED SECURITY PRECAUTIONS IN THE WAKE OF SEPTEMBER 11 AND BEHAVE ACCORDINGLY, BUT THAT’S APPARENTLY NOT THE CASE. ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HERE AT LAX, THOUSANDS OF POTENTIAL WEAPONS HAVE BEEN CONFISCATED FROM PASSENGERS AT SCREENING CHECKPOINTS, MOSTLY INSIDE CARRYON LUGGAGE.

DAVID STONE>> WE HAVE HERE A KNIFE THAT WAS BROUGHT THROUGH OUR CHECKPOINT IN CARRYON BAGGAGE AND THE GENTLEMAN SAID, YES, I’M BRINGING THIS WITH ME. I DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE I’M A GOOD PERSON AND I DON’T HAVE ANY BAD INTENT, SO I JUST PACKED THIS AND I’M BRINGING IT ON MY TRIP.

GAY YEE>> DAVID STONE IS FEDERAL SECURITY DIRECTOR AT LAX. THE FORMER NAVY ADMIRAL HAS BEEN ON THE JOB SINCE SUMMER AND HE’S SEEN SCORES OF FORBIDDEN ITEMS THAT PEOPLE WERE READY TO CARRY ONTO THEIR FLIGHTS. STONE SAYS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS OBJECTS SOMETIMES ARE DISGUISED TO LOOK LIKE SOMETHING ELSE.

DAVID STONE>> WHEN A PERSON CAME TO THE AIRPORT WITH THIS, THEY TOOK THIS OUT OF THEIR SUIT COAT AND WE PUT IT THROUGH THE X-RAY MACHINE. YOU WOULD THINK IT’S JUST ANOTHER PEN, A WRITING DEVICE, BUT WHEN YOU OPEN IT UP, YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU COULD REALLY HURT SOMEBODY WITH THIS. IT’S, IN FACT, A KNIFE DISGUISED AS A PEN.

GAY YEE>> VERY OFTEN, POSSESSIONS THAT TRULY AREN’T DANGEROUS LOOK AS THOUGH THEY ARE. FOR EXAMPLE, CHECK OUT THE PERFUME BOTTLE AND THE BELT BUCKLE THAT LOOK LIKE GRENADES. AND THERE ARE THE TOYS THAT PEOPLE COULD EASILY MISTAKE FOR REAL WEAPONS.

DAVID STONE>> A GUN SUCH AS THIS ONE HERE, WHEN IT CAME THROUGH THE CHECKPOINT, THE INDIVIDUAL SAID, OH, I’M JUST BRINGING THIS AS A GIFT. IT’S A TOY. THE INDIVIDUAL DID NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT BRINGING THIS TYPE OF A TOY THROUGH OUR CHECKPOINT IN A STERILE AREA OF THE AIRPORT AND ONTO AN AIRPLANE IN THE WAKE OF SEPTEMBER 11 THAT IT WOULD CAUSE GREAT ALARM.

GAY YEE>> IN CASES WHERE AUTHORITIES THINK THERE’S BEEN A DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO BRING A CONCEALED WEAPON ONTO THE PLANE, THE PASSENGER WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY FIND HIMSELF TALKING TO THE FBI. BUT WHEN A PASSENGER SIMPLY FORGETS HE’S CARRYING A PENKNIFE, IT WILL BE CONFISCATED AND THAT’S THE END OF IT. DAVID STONE SAYS IT’S MOSTLY A MATTER OF EDUCATION.

DAVID STONE>> PEOPLE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THEY’RE PACKING AND BE FOCUSED ON THE SERIOUSNESS OF ENSURING THAT THEY COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS WHICH PROHIBIT THOSE TYPES OF ITEMS.

GAY YEE>> THIS WEEK MARKS THE BEGINNING OF A MAJOR EFFORT BY THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION. THE AGENCY WANTS TO GET THE WORD OUT TO PASSENGERS ABOUT THE THINGS THEY SHOULD LEAVE BEHIND WHEN THEY BOARD A PLANE. SOME TRAVELERS ARE AMAZED THAT EVERYONE DOESN’T ALREADY KNOW THIS.

>> I WOULD FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE BRING THOSE KINDS OF ITEMS AND THEY’RE UNAWARE.

>> I TRAVEL A LOT AND I’M VERY AWARE OF WHAT I CAN AND CAN’T TAKE IN MY HAND LUGGAGE.

>> THEY’VE BEEN ALL OVER THE TV EVERY DAY AND ON, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PLENTY OF SIGNS OUT HERE THAT SAY, YOU KNOW, NOT TO DO IT, SO I DON’T KNOW WHY THEY WOULD. I GUESS THERE’S A BUNCH OF IGNORANT PEOPLE OUT THERE, THAT’S ALL.

GAY YEE>> BUT OTHER TRAVELERS SAY THE NEW RULES ARE NEWS TO THEM AND SAY THERE’S NO WONDER THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE RUNNING INTO PROBLEMS DURING CHECK-IN.

>> I’M NOT REALLY SURPRISED BECAUSE I PERSONALLY HAVE NEVER REALLY HEARD THE RULES OR SEEN RULES. I JUST THINK THAT I USE COMMON SENSE. BUT I’VE HEARD THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOU CAN’T TAKE THAT I WOULDN’T HAVE THOUGHT OF. SOMEBODY TOLD ME FINGERNAIL CLIPPERS, ONE TIME, YOU CAN’T TAKE.

GAY YEE>> ACTUALLY, FINGERNAIL CLIPPERS WERE ONCE FORBIDDEN, BUT NOW THE RULES HAVE CHANGED AND THEY ARE GENERALLY ALLOWED.

DAVID STONE>> AFTER WE’VE LOOKED AT THAT PARTICULAR ITEM, WE’VE REALIZED THAT, FOR THE MOST PART, THE NAIL CLIPPER PIECE IS ONE THAT WE REALLY DON’T NEED TO BE COLLECTING AT OUR CHECKPOINTS.

GAY YEE>> ONE BIG CHANGE AT LAX? AS OF TODAY, EVERY SECURITY SCREENER IS NOW A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE. THE AIRPORT, IN FACT, BEAT THE DEADLINE BY TWO WEEKS BY HAVING 1,600 PASSENGER SCREENERS IN PLACE. BUT RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE ALSO 300 FEDERAL BAGGAGE SCREENERS AND, BY THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN FEDERAL RULES REQUIRE EVERY BAG TO BE INDIVIDUALLY CHECKED, STONE EXPECTS TO HAVE AT LEAST 1600 OF THEM ON THE JOB.

DAVID STONE>> SO BY THE END OF THE YEAR, I’LL HAVE A COMBINED TOTAL OF OVER 3,200 FEDERALIZED SCREENERS AT THE AIRPORT.

GAY YEE>> BY THE END OF DECEMBER, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER BIG ADDITION TO LAX SECURITY. FORTY-EIGHT ENORMOUS EXPLOSIVE DETECTION X-RAY SYSTEMS SHOULD BE IN PLACE, AS WELL AS 250 DEVICES TO CHECK FOR TRACE AMOUNTS OF EXPLOSIVES. BUT STONE ADMITS THAT NO ONE SECURITY MEASURE CAN BE ONE HUNDRED PERCENT EFFECTIVE. SAFETY, HE SAYS, COMES IN LAYERS.

DAVID STONE>> TODAY AS I LOOK AT THE AIRPORT AND HOW WE’RE DOING BUSINESS AND OUR ATTENTION TO DETAIL, I FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT OUR OVERALL SECURITY LAYERS. IN FACT, THAT’S WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS LAYERS OF DEFENSE.

JESS>> YOU MIGHT WONDER WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE ITEMS THAT GET TAKEN FROM PASSENGERS. MANY ARE TURNED OVER TO A LITTLE-KNOWN OPERATION RUN BY THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. SOMETIMES THE ITEMS ARE DESTROYED. OTHER TIMES, THEY’RE GIVEN TO CHARITY. BUT IN MOST CASES, WHEN SOMETHING GETS TAKEN FROM YOU AT THE AIRPORT, SAY GOODBYE, IT’S GONE FOREVER.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, THEY COME FROM A SECRET TRAINING CAMP SOMEWHERE IN LOS ANGELES AND THESE SPECIAL DOGS HAVE JUST ONE MISSION: STOPPING SUICIDE BOMBERS IN ISRAEL.

>> THEY HAVEN’T EVER COME UP WITH ANYTHING BETTER. THEY HAVE ALL KINDS OF MACHINERY OUT THERE, BUT NOTHING IS ABLE TO DETECT EXPLOSIVES WITH THE SENSITIVITY OF A DOG’S NOSE.

JESS>> WILLIAM BRATTON KNEW THE JOB WOULDN’T BE EASY WHEN HE TOOK IT. THAT’S WHY L.A.’S NEW POLICE CHIEF HAS SPENT SOME TIME EVALUATING THE CITY’S MOST TROUBLED NEIGHBORHOODS. ONE OF THOSE SPOTS LIES WITHIN LAPD’S 77TH PRECINCT IN SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES. THIS YEAR, IT IS THE CITY’S MURDER CAPITAL AND POLICE SAY STREET GANGS ARE TO BLAME FOR THAT.

VAL>> SO HOW DOES WILLIAM BRATTON PLAN TO ACHIEVE HIS GOAL OF MAKING LOS ANGELES ONE OF AMERICA’S SAFEST CITIES? HE JOINS US HERE TO TELL US. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES AND TO LOS ANGELES.

WILLIAM BRATTON>> NICE TO BE WITH YOU.

JESS>> CHIEF, GANGS WILL BE A MAJOR FOCUS?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> GANGS WILL BE THE UNDERLYING FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING WE DO, UNDERLYING FOUNDATION IN THE SENSE OF ALL THAT WE’RE GOING TO SEEK TO ATTACK. GANGS, GANG VIOLENCE, NARCOTICS, PROSTITUTION IN THIS CITY, SO MUCH OF THAT CRIME IS CONTROLLED BY THE GANGS.

VAL>> I UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS IN NEW YORK AND YOU ARE IMPORTING HERE IS A COMPUTER SYSTEM CALLED COMSTAT --

WILLIAM BRATTON>> -- THAT’S RIGHT.

VAL>> AND YOU’VE TOSSED OUT THE OLD LAPD COMPUTER SYSTEM. WHY DID YOU TOSS OUT THE OLD ONE AND WHAT IS THIS NEW ONE GOING TO DO?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> CHIEF PARKS WAS A GREAT ADMIRER OF THE COMSTAT SYSTEM AND, WHEN HE BECAME CHIEF HERE, HE PUT IN PLACE A SYSTEM CALLED FASTRACK MODELED AFTER THE NEW YORK SYSTEM. BUT OVER THE YEARS, IT WAS NEVER USED IN THE SAME WAY WE USED IT IN NEW YORK TO MEASURE ALMOST INSTANTLY WHERE WAS CRIME OCCURRING, GROWING, PATTERNS, TRENDS, AND TO HOLD OUR PRECINCT COMMANDERS, YOUR DIVISION COMMANDERS, ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE INCREASES. ARE YOU AWARE OF IT? IF YOU ARE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT IT? DID IT WORK? DID IT NOT WORK? WHY NOT? SHARE THAT INFORMATION.

VAL>> SO SOMEBODY HAS TO BE CONSTANTLY ENTERING CRIME DATA INTO THIS COMPUTER SYSTEM FOR IT TO BE EFFECTIVE, RIGHT?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> AND POLICE EXIST TO NOT ONLY CONTROL CRIME, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO PREVENT IT. COMSTAT IS ALL ABOUT THE FOCUS ON PREVENTING CRIME RATHER THAN JUST MEASURING OUR SUCCESS IN HOW QUICKLY WE RESPOND, HOW MANY ARRESTS WE MAKE, WHAT’S OUR CLEARANCE RATE. THE OLD JACK WEBB BADGE 714 DRAGNET MOTTO WAS ALL ABOUT ARRESTING THE SUSPECT AFTER THE CRIME OCCURRED. WE’RE ALL ABOUT PREVENTING THE CRIME FROM OCCURRING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

JESS>> THERE WERE THOSE WHO SAY THAT PART OF THIS SUCCESS IN NEW YORK WAS BECAUSE YOU NOT ONLY HAD THE COMSTAT SYSTEM WORKING, BUT YOU ALSO HAD A WEEKLY MEETING WITH BATTALION CHIEFS AND THAT SORT OF THING. YOU’LL DO THAT IN LOS ANGELES?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> COMSTAT IS A WEEKLY MEETING AT WHICH I AND SENIOR COMMANDERS WERE ALWAYS PRESENT. HERE, THE CHIEF AND MANY OF THE SENIOR PEOPLE IN THE DEPARTMENT DID NOT ROUTINELY ATTEND, SO THERE’S AN OLD ADAGE THAT YOU CAN EXPECT WHAT YOU INSPECT. SO IF YOU’RE NOT THERE, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET THE DESIRED RESULTS. I’LL BE THERE, I’LL BE RUNNING IT, I’LL BE CONTROLLING IT. IN NEW YORK CITY, I ALSO HAD 40,000 COPS.

VAL>> AND YOU’VE GOT HOW MANY HERE?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> 9,000.

JESS>> WELL, YOU JUST HEARD THAT WE HAD THE LARGEST SCREENING FORCE IN THE COUNTRY AT LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, 1,600 NEW FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BRING US UP TO SPEED IN LOS ANGELES WITH THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> ACTUALLY, THE PIECE ACTUALLY SHOWED EVENTUALLY TO BE 3,600 SCREENERS AT THAT ONE AIRPORT. I HAVE 9,000 COPS TO COVER 450 SQUARE MILES AND WE’RE GOING TO PUT 3,600 PEOPLE FOCUSED ON ONE PROBLEM IN ONE AREA (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) YOU’RE JEALOUS. GIVE ME SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE (LAUGHTER).

WILLIAM BRATTON>> WELL, I’M SPOILED BY WHAT I HAD TO WORK WITH NEW YORK.

JESS>> BUT IT’S A BIT HARDER TO RECRUIT SOMEONE FOR A POLICE OFFICER’S JOB THAN IT IS FOR A FEDERAL SCREENERE.

WILLIAM BRATTON>> NO, ACTUALLY THE ISSUE HERE, THIS CITY HAS NEVER BEEN WILLING TO PAY FOR ADEQUATE POLICE PROTECTION. IT’S --

VAL>> -- REALLY? WE DON’T PAY COMPETITIVE SALARIES?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> YOU PAY SALARIES THAT PUT OUR POLICE OFFICERS IN THE UPPER MIDDLE-CLASS LEVEL. IN NEW YORK CITY, WE PAY SALARIES THAT PUT OFFICERS IN THE LOWER MIDDLE-CLASS LEVEL. NO, IT’S NOT A MATTER OF ATTRACTING GOOD QUALIFIED CANDIDATES. IT’S THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS HAVE NEVER GIVEN BUDGET AUTHORIZATION TO HAVE AS MANY COPS AS YOU NEED.

JESS>> THERE WAS A GOOD BIT OF POLITICAL SUPPORT BEHIND YOUR APPOINTMENT. CAN YOU ALSO TRANSLATE YOUR POWER INTO PERSUADING CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR, WHO’S VERY MUCH BEHIND YOU, TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO BRING THOSE PEOPLE IN?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> THAT’S ACTUALLY THE GOAL. I’M HOPING WITH THE LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE THAT WORKING WITH A MAYOR WHO UNDERSTANDS COMMUNITY POLICING, UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES AND A SUPPORTIVE POLICE COMMISSION AND A COUNCIL, IF WE CAN DELIVER WITH THE EXISTING WORKFORCE, I THINK THEN WE HAVE A MUCH STRONGER CASE TO SAY THAT IF YOU GIVE US MORE, WE WILL GIVE YOU MORE.

CLEARLY IN THE PAST, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL WHEN THE CITY’S BEEN FALLING APART AFTER THE RIOTS, AFTER RAMPART. THIS CITY HAS NEVER DECIDED TO INCREASE ITS POLICE FORCE AFTER THOSE CRISES. MAYBE WE’LL TRY A DIFFERENT APPROACH. LET’S HAVE SOME SUCCESS, BUILD UP SOME TRUST -- AND TRUST IS GOING TO BE THE KEY WORD WE’RE TALKING ABOUT HERE -- TRUST WITHIN THE CITY GOVERNMENT, TRUST WITH THE COMMUNITY. MAYBE THEN WE CAN CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT YOU NEED MORE POLICE.

VAL>> ONE OF THE HALLMARKS OF YOUR APPROACH TO CRIME IS TO ATTACK THE LITTLE THINGS, THE GRAFFITI, THE COUCHES THAT ARE OUT ON THE SIDEWALKS, THE BROKEN WINDOWS, AND THAT IN TURN WILL LEAD TO OVERALL CRIME REDUCTION BECAUSE PEOPLE SENSE THAT THINGS ARE RESPECTED AND PROPERTY IS RESPECTED. SO THAT WORKED VERY WELL IN NEW YORK, BUT I UNDERSTAND ALSO THAT CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUPS ARE A LITTLE CONCERNED THAT THAT CRACKDOWN CAN SOMETIMES LEAD TO POLICE ABUSES. WE’VE HAD A LONG HISTORY OF POLICE ABUSE HERE. EXCUSE ME FOR BEING A LITTLE LONG HERE, BUT THEY SAID THAT WHEN IT RESULTED IN AN INCREASE IN CIVILIAN COMPLAINTS, YOU SAID, WELL, 5,000 COMPLAINTS WAS A REASONABLE TRADEOFF FOR PLUMMETING CRIME.

WILLIAM BRATTON>> WELL, IN NEW YORK CITY, THAT WE HAD 5,000 COMPLAINTS AGAINST 40,000 POLICE OFFICERS MAKING 300,000 ARRESTS AND AT THE SAME TIME REDUCING HOMICIDES BY ALMOST SIXTY PERCENT, REDUCING OVERALL CRIME BY ALMOST FIFTY PERCENT, IT WAS CLOSE TO ANYWHERE FROM FOUR MILLION TO FIVE MILLION POLICE ACTIONS, 5,000 COMPLAINTS, ALMOST EIGHTY PERCENT OF WHICH WERE PROVEN TO BE UNFOUNDED. I THINK MOST CITIZENS OF NEW YORK FELT THAT WAS A FAIRLY WELL-BALANCED TRADEOFF, PARTICULARLY THOSE 1,500 OR 1,600 PEOPLE WHO WERE ALIVE EVERY YEAR BECAUSE THEY WEREN’T MURDERED BY THEIR FELLOW CITIZENS.

JESS>> CHIEF, YOU’VE MADE A REAL EFFORT TO GET THE RANK AND FILE BEHIND YOU AND TO GET THEIR SUPPORT AND AT LEAST THEIR RESPECT. YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS DEPARTMENT AS BEING AMONG THE BEST, IF NOT THE BEST, AND THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE CONCERNED THAT, BY PRAISING THEM IN ADVANCE, YOU WERE ENDORSING THE STATUS QUO WHICH IS NOT GOOD.

WILLIAM BRATTON>> NO, NOT AT ALL. I THINK I’VE BEEN VERY OPEN IN MY CRITICISM OF THIS DEPARTMENT AND ITS PAST PRACTICES, PRACTICES THAT RESULTED IN THEIR BEING ONE OF THE FEW POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN AMERICA TO COME UNDER THE CONTROL OF A FEDERAL MONITOR. NO, I AM VERY AWARE, HAVING BEEN PART OF THAT MONITORING TEAM, OF THE DEFICIENCIES IN THIS ORGANIZATION.

JESS>> BUT COULD YOU STILL CALL IT AMONG THE BEST?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> I CAN CALL IT AMONG THE BEST BECAUSE IT HAS SOME OF THE BEST PEOPLE IN POLICING. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, THE TRUE ABILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT HAVE NOT BEEN EXHIBITED FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS AND IT IS A DEPARTMENT IN GREAT DIFFICULTY AT THIS TIME. BUT I’M VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT, BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION, THREE OF WHOM I’VE PROMOTED TODAY TO ASSISTANT AND DEPUTY CHIEF RANKS, THAT WE CAN MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE CITY. IT WON’T BE EASY. IT’S GOING TO BE HARD. IT’S GOING TO BE DAMNED HARD.

JESS>> THERE WERE SOME WHO WERE CONCERNED BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN AMONG THAT GROUP AND THERE WERE SOME AFRICAN-AMERICANS IN A SIMILAR POSITION.

WILLIAM BRATTON>> WELL, AT ONE TIME, YOU HAD THE CHIEF OF POLICE WHO WAS AFRICAN-AMERICAN. I BELIEVE TWO OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEFS WERE AFRICAN-AMERICAN. CLEARLY, CHIEF PARKS IS NOW GONE, DAVIS IS RETIRING, WILLY PINELLE IS RETIRING, AND I CAN'T CREATE BLACK LEADERS. WE HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN PROMOTABLE POSITIONS. I WILL BE VERY CONSCIOUS IN THIS MINORITY-MAJORITY CITY OF ATTEMPTING TO FIND VERY QUALIFIED MINORITIES TO MOVE UP TO THE COMMAND STAFF. WE'VE PROMOTED TO DEPUTY CHIEF TODAY AND SOON TO BE ASSISTANT CHIEF, GEORGE GASCON, WHO'S LATINO, AND I'M HOPING IN THE WEEKS AHEAD TO BE PROMOTING ADDITIONAL LATINOS AND BLACKS INTO THE COMMAND STAFF.

VAL>> YOU WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN NEW YORK IN BRINGING CRIME DOWN. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEW YORK AND L.A., I MEAN, THEY'RE HUGE. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CONCENTRATED URBAN DEVELOPMENT VERSUS URBAN SPRAWL. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEW YORK AND L.A., AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO APPROACH THIS?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS THE GANGS. YOUR GANGS HERE ARE EXTRAORDINARILY MORE SOPHISTICATED, THEY ARE MUCH LARGER, THEY ARE GENERATIONS OLD AND THEY ARE MUCH MORE PERVASIVE IN WHAT IS CAUSING CRIME AND FEAR IN THIS CITY. IT'S ALL ABOUT GANGS. GANGS, GANGS AND GANGS AGAIN.

JESS>> AS OPPOSED TO ORGANIZED CRIME?

WILLIAM BRATTON>> WELL, GANGS ARE ORGANIZED CRIME, EXTRAORDINARILY ORGANIZED.

JESS>> WE ASSOCIATE THAT WITH NEW YORK.

WILLIAM BRATTON>> WE ASSOCIATE IT WITH NEW YORK. WE'VE ALWAYS ASSOCIATED IT WITH THE MAFIA, THE ITALIAN GANGS. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STUDIES SHOW THAT YOU COULD TAKE ON THAT TYPE OF ORGANIZED GANG, BUT HERE THE WANTON VIOLENCE, THE RANDOM VIOLENCE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THE 77TH DIVISION, TWO HOMICIDES WITHIN THE LAST TWENTY-FOUR HOURS IN THAT DIVISION. JUST WANTON, RANDOM SHOOTINGS.

VAL>> CHIEF BILL BRATTON, THANK YOU FOR COMING. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU OFTEN.

WILLIAM BRATTON>> THANK YOU. GOOD TO BE HERE.

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JESS>> ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA IS BACK IN THE NEWS. THE ONE-TIME CANDIDATE FOR MAYOR NOW WANTS A SEAT ON THE LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL, BUT HIS DECISION TO CHALLENGE THE INCUMBENT IN THE FOURTEENTH DISTRICT HAS PROVOKED A POLITICAL WAR. TOMORROW VILLARAIGOSA IS HERE WITH HIS SIDE OF THINGS AND TONIGHT PATT MORRISON GETS A HEAD START WITH HER OWN ANATOMY OF A SMEAR. IT'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> IF YOU LIVE IN A CERTAIN CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT IN LOS ANGELES, SOMEONE MAY HAVE PUT FILTH IN YOUR MAILBOX. I DON'T MEAN LITERAL FILTH LIKE SOMETHING SCRAPED OUT OF THE KITTY LITTER BOX. THIS WAS WORSE. ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA, THE FORMER ASSEMBLY SPEAKER WHO LOST THE MAYOR'S RACE TO JIM HAHN, IS RUNNING IN THE FOURTEENTH COUNCIL DISTRICT AGAINST THE INCUMBENT, NICK PACHECO, AND A PACHECO SUPPORTER HAS PUT UP HIS OWN MONEY FOR AN ANONYMOUS MAILER ON PACHECO'S BEHALF. IN IT, RICARDO TORRES PLACED HIS OWN RACE CARD, TALKING ABOUT VILLARAIGOSA'S WHITE ADVISERS AND THE GRINGOS BACKING HIM.

THIS FLYER NOT ONLY EQUATES VILLARAIGOSA'S NON-LATINO WHITE SUPPORT AS A SELL-OUT OF LATINOS, BUT IT CONFLATES POLITICS WITH PERSONAL MATTERS, HIS SEX LIFE, SOME OF WHICH VILLARAIGOSA HAS ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED AND REGRETTED, AND EVEN HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER'S SEX LIFE. THEN IT CRITICIZED VILLARAIGOSA AS AN AMBITIOUS CARPETBAGGER FOR MOVING INTO THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS HIS OLD NEIGHBORHOOD, AND LINKING THAT TO THE SEXUAL ALLEGATIONS "WILL YOU ALLOW THE FOURTEENTH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO BECOME ONE OF ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA'S ONE NIGHT STANDS?"

VOTERS HAVE MADE THEIR FEELINGS PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT THIS. ATTACKING POLITICS IS ON THE SQUARE, BUT NOT PERSONAL CONDUCT UNLESS IT AFFECTS PUBLIC PERFORMANCE. THE NATION WAS DOUBLY DISGUSTED WITH THE IMPEACHMENT SPECTACLE, BILL CLINTON'S POOR JUDGMENT AND DEPLORABLE MISCONDUCT COMPOUNDED BY THE CONGRESS LITERALLY MAKING A FEDERAL CASE OUT OF IT AND TRYING TO ELEVATE IT TO THE LEVEL OF WATERGATE. THERE ARE QUESTIONS THIS BEGS, AND NOT ABOUT VILLARAIGOSA. WHAT KIND OF POLITICS IS THIS?

LATINO POLITICS HAS MATURED REMARKABLY IN THE LAST DOZEN YEARS. MANY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR MANY POSTS AND THE SAME DIVISIONS AND RIVALRIES AND COMPETITIONS, ALWAYS BEING PART OF MAINSTREAM PARTY POLITICS, IS NOW AN OPEN PART OF ETHNIC POLITICS. BUT THIS IS HARDLY MATURING. NEGATIVE ADS DON'T MOVE PEOPLE TO VOTE AGAINST THE CANDIDATE BEING CRITICIZED. THEY JUST KEEP VOTERS HOME ON ELECTION DAY. IT HAPPENED LAST WEEK IN THE GUBERNATORIAL RACE AND ALREADY WE HAVE MORE OF IT. YOU MIGHT WANT TO WEAR GLOVES WHEN YOU OPEN YOUR MAILBOX. THE MAN WHO PRODUCED THE FLYER SAYS THERE ARE A LOT MORE TO COME, INTENDED TO FORCE VILLARAIGOSA OUT OF THE RACE. SILLY ME. SOMEHOW, I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE VOTERS' JOB.

VAL>> YOU'RE STANDING BEFORE A JUDGE. THEY'RE WEARING THOSE BLACK ROBES AND WIELDING THE GAVEL AND THEY ALSO WIELD A LOT OF POWER. SO WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU BELIEVE A JUDGE HAS ABUSED HIS OR HER AUTHORITY?

JESS>> WHETHER IT'S FIXING A TRAFFIC TICKET FOR FRIENDS, DRINKING ON THE JOB OR EVEN HAVING SEX WITH A DEFENDANT, JUDGES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO GO WRONG AND TONIGHT OUR LEGAL EXPERT, JUDGE KEVIN ROSS, IS HERE WITH TALES FROM BEHIND THE BENCH (LAUGHTER).

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) ARE THERE A LOT OF JUDGES THAT GO WRONG?

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT, IN CALIFORNIA, WE HAVE MORE JUDGES THAN ANY PLACE IN THE WORLD. I MEAN, JUST ON THE L.A. COUNTY BENCH, THERE ARE 500 JUDGES. THERE ARE ABOUT 1,500 JUDGES STATEWIDE. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN RELATION TO THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS, IT'S RELATIVELY SMALL. KIND OF ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THE CHIEF WAS SAYING IN TERMS OF YOU CAN ALWAYS GET COMPLAINTS. WE HAVE HAD SITUATIONS WHERE JUDGES HAVE CROSSED THE LINE AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS ENTITY CALLED THE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE TO DEAL WITH THEM.

JESS>> SHOULDN'T WE HOLD JUDGES TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF ETHICS?

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> OH, ABSOLUTELY. IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE, WHEN I WAS INITIALLY ELECTED TO THE BENCH, AND PEOPLE WHO KNEW ME WERE LIKE, OH, GREAT, IF I EVER GET A TICKET, I KNOW WHO TO GO TO AND TAKE CARE OF IT. I SAY TO THEM, DON'T EVEN JOKE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE JUDGES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM FIXING TICKETS. I SAID, FOR ME, I WOULD JUST RATHER PAY FOR YOUR TICKET THAN TO PUT ME IN A SITUATION WHERE, YOU KNOW, THAT THEN COMES BACK TO HAUNT ME.

VAL>> HAVE YOU BEEN APPROACHED TO DO THINGS LIKE THAT?

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> JUST JOKINGLY, BUT I NEVER LET THAT GO WITHOUT BEING CHECKED. ANY TIME THERE IS A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE SOMEONE THAT YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S SOMEONE WHO MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR CAMPAIGN IF YOU RAN FOR JUDGESHIP -- YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAD A NUMBER OF ELECTIONS -- OR IF THERE IS SOME SORT OF RELATIONSHIP AND YOU DON'T DISCLOSE THAT, YOU ARE SETTING YOURSELF UP AS A BENCH OFFICER FOR POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS FROM SOMEONE FROM THE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE, WHICH IS THE STATE ENTITY THAT MAKES SURE THAT JUDGES KEEP IN CHECK.

JESS>> IN SPITE OF THE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME VERY EGREGIOUS SITUATIONS INVOLVING JUDGES, SOME OF WHICH, IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE JUDGE'S DECISION, CAN'T BE OVERTURNED BY THAT COMMISSION, CAN IT?

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> RIGHT. THE WAY THE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE WORKS -- IT ACTUALLY CAME INTO EFFECT IN 1960. THERE WAS A VOTER REFERENDUM AND THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOMETHING TO KEEP TRACK OF JUDGES WHO -- LET'S JUST SAY, THEY'RE ON THE BENCH AND THEY'RE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS. THAT HAS HAPPENED. SOMEONE WHO'S VERY ABUSE AND SAYS SHUT UP OR SIT DOWN, WHETHER IT BE TO DEFENDANTS OR LITIGANTS OR EVEN STAFF OR OTHER ATTORNEYS.

SO THIS COMMISSION WENT INTO EFFECT AND IT'S BEEN IN EFFECT NOW FOR ABOUT FORTY YEARS. THEY REALLY ARE SERVING A USEFUL PURPOSE BECAUSE, IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO'S A DEFENDANT AND YOU FEEL LIKE A JUDGE TOTALLY DISRESPECTED YOU OR DEMEANED YOU OR EMBARRASSED YOU IN ANY WAY OR JUST DID SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST SO OFFENSIVE, THAT'S YOUR REMEDY. MOST PEOPLE THINK, WELL, THIS PERSON'S A JUDGE. WHAT CAN I DO? WELL, YOU CAN DO PLENTY.

VAL>> SO HOW DO YOU APPROACH THE COMMISSION? DO YOU WRITE A LETTER OR CALL THEM UP? WHAT DO YOU DO?

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, THE COMMISSION IS BASED OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO. BASICALLY, YOU HAVE TO PUT THE COMPLAINT IN WRITING AND THERE'S A WEBSITE HERE IN CALIFORNIA IF YOU WANT TO REACH THAT OR YOU CAN CALL BY PHONE. BASICALLY, THERE ARE ELEVEN MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP AND SIX OF THEM ARE CITIZENS. THEY'RE REGULAR CITIZENS. THEY'RE NOT LAWYERS, THEY'RE NOT JUDGES, AND THEY ACTUALLY SIT IN JUDGMENT OF THESE JUDGES WHEN THEY ARE --

VAL>> -- SO WILL THEY INVESTIGATE? LIKE IF I WERE TO WRITE A LETTER, DO THEY INVESTIGATE EVERYTHING OR DO YOU JUST GET THIS FORM LETTER OF THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMPLAINT, WE'LL LOOK INTO IT TWO YEARS FROM NOW?

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT DEPENDS ON EXACTLY WHAT THE SITUATION IS. LET'S JUST SAY, SOMEONE CAME TO ME AND SAID I HAD A SITUATION WHERE A JUDGE WOULD NOT ALLOW MY SON TO GO TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION BECAUSE HE WAS A WITNESS IN A CASE. WE EXPLAINED TO THE JUDGE THAT WE CAN BE HERE, BUT MY SON IS GRADUATING. THE JUDGE'S RESPONSE WAS TOO BAD, SIT DOWN, SHUT UP. THE PERSON WAS REALLY UPSET ABOUT IT. FOR THEM, THEY WERE LIKE WHAT DO YOU IN THAT SITUATION? THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONTACT THE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL PERFORMANCE AND SAY I HAVE A COMPLAINT. MOST COMPLAINTS COME FROM LITIGANTS, WHICH IS ABOUT --

JESS>> -- AND YET WE HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE THE BEHAVIOR OF A JUDGE IS PRETTY EGREGIOUS. THE SITUATION IN PASADENA SOME YEARS AGO WHERE A JUDGE DISMISSED RAPE CHARGES BECAUSE THE VICTIM WAS A PROSTITUTE AND THE JUDGE SAID FROM THE BENCH YOU CANNOT RAPE A PROSTITUTE.

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> RIGHT.

JESS>> HE REMAINED ON THE BENCH FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTER THAT.

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> WELL, SEE, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NOT NECESSARILY REFLECTS THE JUDGE'S TEMPERAMENT OR DECORUM, BUT MAYBE HIS IDEOLOGY --

JESS>> -- BAD JUDGMENT.

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> -- WHICH IS WHERE YOU HAVE THE COURTS OF APPEAL, COURTS OF APPEAL AND THE SUPREME COURT, BECAUSE THIS COMMISSION CAN'T OVERRULE A JUDGE'S RULINGS.

VAL>> IT'S NOT A LEGAL COMMISSION. IT'S NOT ABOUT JUDICIAL LAW.

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> NO, BUT IF SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING RACIST OR THEY SAY SOMETHING SEXIST OR THEY JUST ENGAGE IN BEHAVIOR THAT'S JUST OVER THE LINE, THAT'S WHAT THIS COMMISSION IS DESIGNED FOR.

VAL>> GREAT.

JESS>> OUR THANKS TO JUDGE KEVIN ROSS. THANKS A MILLION.

JUDGE KEVIN ROSS>> ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

VAL>> FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND CURRENT EVENTS, WE INVITE YOU TO LOG ONTO "NEWSROOM". GO TO KCET.ORG, LOOK FOR THE NEWSROOM AND ALSO, WHILE YOU'RE THERE, CLICK ON LIFE AND TIMES. THERE YOU WILL FIND PAST TRANSCRIPTS, AUDIO STREAMING OF CURRENT SHOWS AND UPCOMING STORIES AND INTERVIEWS.

JESS>> THAT'S TONIGHT'S PROGRAM. THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND GOODNIGHT FROM ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES.

VAL>> TAKE CARE.

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