Tim Rutten Gets One Right
[Guest post by Jack Dunphy]
You won’t find a headline like that here often, but L.A. Times columnist Tim Rutten makes some valid points in his latest column. Writing on William Bratton’s announced resignation from the LAPD, Rutten questions the propriety of Bratton’s relationship with Michael Cherkasky, for whom Bratton will work after leaving the LAPD in October. Bratton worked for Cherkasky prior to joining the department in 2002, and he in effect answered to him as Cherkasky served as the appointed monitor reporting to the judge overseeing the LAPD’s federal consent decree.
“Both Bratton and Cherkasky have records of unimpeachable integrity,” Rutten writes, “but a decent sense of responsibility toward the crucial public institutions with which they’re involved ought to preclude such conduct.”
My only quibble with Rutten’s column is his assertion that the city “surely would have lost” the federal lawsuit that engendered the consent decree. I am informed that there were veteran lawyers in the city attorney’s office who were confident in their ability to prevail in the trial, as did the city of Torrance when faced with a similar challenge from the Justice Department.
–Jack Dunphy
Still, smells a bit don’t you think? Cherkasky could have reduced his opposition to ending the consent decree to enable Bratton to retire and come to work for him.
Even if that is the case, it’s a great trade. Ending the consent decree will save the Dept $millions and, if they can shut off some of that pointless squint work, return lots of cops to the field.
But, you know, the organization gets to like their reports and counting. I wonder how much of it will stay.
ManlyDad (060305) — 8/8/2009 @ 6:00 pmThis is an example of the proverbial sun shining on a dog’s arse, kind of like the Cubs winning the World Series in 1908.
JD (0fd3fc) — 8/8/2009 @ 6:34 pmIf Bratton’s corrupt then he really wasn’t giving it his all I don’t think and the end result is that he’s really lowered the bar for what constitutes LAPD corruption I think. We’ve come to expect much much more and this mere appearance of impropriety stuff just doesn’t cut it.
happyfeet (42470c) — 8/8/2009 @ 7:26 pm