2 TOP OFFICERS REASSIGNED, 1 RETIRES.Byline: James Nash Staff WriterIn Chief William Bratton's latest shake-up of the Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Police Department's top ranks, two deputy chiefs are being reassigned and a third opted to retire rather than take a new assignment, police said Wednesday. Bratton and Assistant Chief George Gascon Gascon inhabitant of Gascony, France; people noted for their bragging. [Fr. Hist.: NCE, 1049] See : Boastfulness characterized char·ac·ter·ize tr.v. character·ized, character·iz·ing, character·iz·es 1. To describe the qualities or peculiarities of: characterized the warden as ruthless. 2. the changes as part of an effort to reduce crime citywide and to expose top brass to different assignments. Deputy Chief James McMurray, who has headed LAPD's detective operations since his promotion in April 2003, will retire rather than accept a transfer to the West Bureau. Deputy Chief Gary Brennan will move from heading the LAPD's Central Bureau to replace McMurray. Deputy Chief Cayler ``Lee'' Carter is transferring from the West Bureau, which he headed, to the Central Bureau. LAPD 1. LAPD - Link Access Procedure on the D channel. 2. LAPD - Los Angeles Police Department. brass said they haven't found a permanent replacement for Carter at West Bureau after McMurray backed out of accepting the job. McMurray, a 34-year LAPD veteran, has been tasked with Bratton's goal to have detectives working around the clock citywide. Currently, detectives work 20 hours a day, except 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. Reached at his Burbank home Wednesday afternoon, McMurray said he was surprised when Bratton told him Tuesday of his transfer to the West Bureau but harbored no ill will toward Bratton or the LAPD. The Police Department issued a statement to the press Tuesday announcing McMurray's transfer to West Bureau but retracted re·tract v. re·tract·ed, re·tract·ing, re·tracts v.tr. 1. To take back; disavow: refused to retract the statement. 2. the announcement Wednesday after McMurray decided to retire. ``Chief Bratton has been very good to me and I have zero complaints about the Police Department,'' McMurray said. ``I fully understand the rationale rationale (rash´  nal´),n the fundamental reasons used as the basis for a decision or action. behind the move - it just didn't fit into my life.'' Bratton was traveling in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of on Wednesday and not available to comment. Gascon - who was quoted in the Tuesday statement as saying both McMurray and the West Bureau would benefit from the change - did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Carter, who presided over one of the largest reductions in crime citywide in the West Bureau, will move to the Central Bureau, where Brennan has had less success in curtailing crime. The Central Bureau, which encompasses downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles is the central business district of Los Angeles, California, located close to the geographic center of the metropolitan area. The sprawling, multi-centered megacity is such that its downtown core is often considered just another district like Hollywood or and nearby neighborhoods, has significantly higher population densities, gang activity and homicides than the West Bureau. Carter said he'll have responsibility for more officers at Central Bureau and will attempt to carry out his part of Bratton's goal of reducing violent crime by 20 percent this year citywide. As of June 5, violent crime in Los Angeles Crime in Los Angeles has been a major problem in Southern California and concern for Angeleno residents since the early 20th Century. Crime has steadily decreased since the 1990's but since 2006, crime has increased. was down 14 percent from last year's levels. ``I like the challenges (in the Central Bureau),'' Carter said. ``The West Bureau has challenges too, it's just a different challenge.'' Brennan did not return a call for comment Wednesday. Gascon, in the LAPD's prepared statement Wednesday, said Brennan has overseen patrol operations for years but has not had a supervisory role in investigations. ``We want to give him that opportunity,'' Gascon said. Bratton has reshuffled the upper ranks of the LAPD since taking office in October 2002. James Nash, (213) 978-0390 james.nash(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1) McMURRAY (2) CARTER (3) BRENNAN |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion