11 LAPD officers accuse Berkow ( IA Cheif) of sex, racial bias

L A Daily News ^ | 30 DEC 2006 | KERRY CAVANAUGH

[radar101]

Already under fire for allegations that he promoted his paramours, former LAPD Deputy Chief Michael Berkow was accused Friday of discriminating against 11 other officers when he reorganized a key Internal Affairs division.

The officers have filed suit against the Los Angeles Police Department, and accuse Berkow - who is now chief in Savannah, Ga. - of harassment and discrimination.

In one lawsuit, a female officer alleges Berkow ignored her complaints that she was being harassed by co-workers because of her sexual orientation.

In a separate lawsuit, six African-American and Latino officers allege Berkow removed them from a prestigious assignment without explanation or proper procedure.

With attention focused on Berkow, four of the officers spoke about their lawsuit Friday during a press conference at the Woodland Hills office of their attorney, Bradley Gage.

Gage is also representing Ya-May Christle, who is suing the LAPD for sexual harassment, sex discrimination and retaliation after she said Berkow helped promote women in her division with whom he allegedly had sexual relationships.

"What has (Police Chief William) Bratton done to eliminate discrimination and harassment?"

Gage said. "As far as we know, not one of these complaints was fully investigated. Not one of these complaints resulted in corrective action." Bratton fired back, issuing a statement in which he notes that numerous women, including African-Americans and Latinos have been promoted to the department's highest ranks.

"The allegations being made by the plaintiffs are so outrageous and without foundation, they do not merit a response other than that we will be happy to see them in court, where I expect the department will prevail," he said.

The lawsuit filed earlier this year stems from a 2004 reorganization, ordered by Bratton, of the Critical Incident Investigation Division, which looks into citizen complaints and use-of-force incidents.

Bratton said the federal monitor overseeing the division raised concerns about the quality of its inquiries and asked Berkow to overhaul the program.

Berkow brought the newly named Force Investigation Unit under the command of his Professional Standards Bureau. He brought some of the CIID officers into the new unit, but 13 others were told to find other jobs within the LAPD.

Gage on Friday provided a copy of a memo written in May 2004 by Deputy Chief James McMurray that warned of a "disturbing trend" in employees left out of the new unit.

Many were injured on duty, had cancer or significant family illnesses, he wrote.

"Unfortunately, I do not believe that excluding detectives with medical/disability issues will be looked on favorably by any outside party," McMurray wrote in the memo.

While the issue of racial bias is not clear cut, he wrote, "decisions like these must be considered very carefully."

Among those left out of the new unit was Lt. Otis Dobine, who had been picked to create the CIID in 2001 and was the first black lieutenant to oversee officer-involved-shooting investigations.

Dobine said he was devastated when he was removed from the job he loved.

"There's no other reason why I wouldn't have gone to the division other than my race."

kerry.cavanaugh@dailynews.com

[ASOC]

"There's no other reason why I wouldn't have gone to the division other than my race."

Gee, all reports were on time and well written? Never talked to the press? Never pi$$ed off the boss?

Used to be, when some one got promoted, all the loser bitched because - they were "lucky" or "were a brown nosier". Nowadays it is "they sleep with the boss (odious, but does happen)" etc, etc, etc.

Why is it nobody will say - gee, I didn't work hard enough, or didn't study for the test or acknowledge the promotee has a Master degree or the like?

Govt employees, ya gotta love 'em, The job they do, in this instance, is the pits.