CHIEF PUSHES LAPD UNITY AS HIGH-LEVEL OFFICERS BICKER.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Newly appointed LAPD Chief Bernard C. Parks called on his command staff to demonstrate strong teamwork Friday, even as there was evidence of a growing rift between some of the command officers.

Addressing about 150 officers from the rank of lieutenant and above, Parks outlined a vision for the LAPD that emphasizes quality of service, integrity, reverence for department rules, leadership and accountability, according to officers at the closed meeting.

``He really emphasized the need for teamwork,'' said one command officer, who attended the hourlong closed session at the Police Academy.

The speech generally drew praise from those present for giving officers a clear picture of what the new chief expects from them.

``The expectation for performance is there,'' said Deputy Chief David Gascon, who is expected to play a key role in Parks' administration.

Cmdr. Bruce Hagerty, the chief's lead spokesman, said Parks said he will insist on teamwork.

``He wants us to work together in the same direction,'' Hagerty said. ``He is saying we are the leaders and we need to be united.''

But even as Parks was rallying the brass around his vision for the department, an exchange of letters between some high-ranking officers is raising questions about unity in the command staff.

Capt. Richard Bonneau, vice president of the Command Officers Association, sent letters Thursday to Deputy Chiefs Ronald Banks and Frank Piersol saying the association will no longer pick up their fees for parking at Parker Center, because both officers quit the association.

Banks and Piersol resigned from the association more than a year ago when they were appointed to high-level, assistant chief positions by then-Chief Willie L. Williams.

Banks said that because he was in a position of having to discipline command officers, he felt it created a conflict to stay in the association.

The deputy chief sent a sharply critical letter back to Bonneau on Thursday, accusing the Command Officers Association of failing to come to his and Piersol's defense when they recently were demoted to deputy chiefs by former Interim Chief Bayan Lewis and were accused by the inspector general of improperly seeking pay raises.

``The leadership of the COA has chosen to remain completely silent in regard to the issue of the downgrade, without cause, of two individuals holding the rank of those you purportedly represent,'' Banks wrote.

``Finally, the COA remained paralyzed when the inspector general, without clearly defined authority, opted to conduct a personnel complaint investigation of three ranking officers independently of Internal Affairs Division,'' Banks wrote.

Banks wrote that he was amused by an offer from Bonneau to join the COA again and said he does not mind picking up the $25 per month parking tab at Parker Center.

``In my estimation, the $25 per month will be well-spent and certainly preferable to the alternative of affiliating with an organization which addresses issues based upon political `correctness' or patronage,'' Banks said, concluding his letter.

In an interview, Banks defended the tone of the letter, saying the COA's decision to stop paying his parking fees after he has paid thousands of dollars in dues is ``the latest in a series of events by some people in the department meant to disturb me and harass me.''

Bonneau and COA President Maurice Moore did not return calls for comment. But one member of the COA, who did not want to be identified, said that there is lingering resentment among some command officers that Banks quit the association but still expected it to defend him when he was faced with demotion.

``If you are not a member of the association, how can you go to them and ask them to represent you?'' the high-ranking officer said.

Some command officers predicted Friday that tension in the command staff may increase in the next week or two, when Parks announces new assignments as part of a large reorganization of the department's management.

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Photo: Bernard C. Parks

Stresses teamwork