Police Captain Is Crowd Pleaser in 1st Public Test : Foothill Division: Paul Jefferson gets a standing ovation from homeowners, ministers and others eager to put the Rodney G. King beating behind them.

The new captain in charge of patrol officers at the Los Angeles Police Department’s embattled Foothill Division met for the first time Saturday with about 50 community leaders, fielding questions on concerns ranging from use of excessive force to graffiti control.

And the crowd of homeowners, ministers and others meeting at the First United Methodist Church in Pacoima apparently liked the answers they received.

At the end of the hourlong meeting, they gave Capt. Paul Jefferson a standing ovation, lingering to chat with him and shake his hand.

“He is a product of the kind of leadership we asked for,” said Fred Taylor, president of Focus ‘90s, a homeowners and business coalition.

Taylor’s group and the Ministers’ Fellowship of the Greater San Fernando Valley called for a change in leadership at the Foothill Division shortly after the highly publicized police beating of motorist Rodney G. King on March 3 in Lake View Terrace.

The two organizations specifically asked that a black or Latino commander be transferred to the Foothill Division, which serves predominately minority neighborhoods.

On April 15, Chief Daryl F. Gates assigned Jefferson, 45, who is black, to replace a white captain who had been in charge of the division’s more than 200 patrol officers.

Assistant Chief Robert Vernon said at the time that Jefferson’s appointment was made in response to the community’s request as well as an effort by the department “to win back the confidence of the people” especially in the Foothill area.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said the Rev. James Lyles, president of the ministers group. “But all personnel should have been transferred.”

Others at Saturday’s meeting were more optimistic.

“Something good comes out of every bad thing,” said Arnease Finley of the Lake View Terrace Improvement Assn. “I think the system will straighten itself out. We have to get people involved in working to change the community.”

Ray Jackson of the Northeast Pacoima Improvement Assn. complained that the Police Department’s treatment of young black males makes them “feel less than human.”

But he also asked for more frequent patrols by police cars to deter neighborhood drug dealing.

Jefferson told the community leaders that he finds widespread reports of excessive force used by Foothill Division officers “very, very disturbing,” and he pledged to act on all complaints brought to him by citizens, whatever their nature.

“I need you to tell me when we’re doing something right and, certainly, when we’re doing something wrong,” he said.

In questioning Jefferson, most community members appeared eager to put the King incident behind them. Some asked Jefferson about illegal parking that blocks driveways and how they could keep graffiti off neighborhood buildings.

Others asked for quicker police response to their calls.

“I was very pleased with his answers,” said the Rev. Curry McKinney, a member of the ministers group.

The meeting ended with Jefferson joining the crowd in singing “We Shall Overcome.”

“We have a good man here,” said James E. Robinson, a 30-year Pacoima resident.