LOS ANGELES : Police Union Pledges Commitment to Reform

The Los Angeles Police Protective League, whose president was chosen this week to be Mayor Riordan’s deputy mayor for public safety, reacted to critics of that appointment Thursday by releasing a statement pledging the union’s commitment to LAPD reform.

Some department critics--including the local American Civil Liberties Union’s legal director, Paul Hoffman--expressed concern over Riordan’s appointing union President William C. Violante to the post. Several questioned Violante’s commitment to reforming the Police Department under a plan created by the Christopher Commission.

“Bill’s commitment to true implementation of the reforms, detailed in the Christopher Commission recommendations, is unequivocal,” the union responded. Although the league opposed Charter Amendment F, the reform measure approved by voters last year, the union said that was because of problems with the specifics of the measure.