COMMUNITY LEADERS NOT SURPRISED.

Byline: Rick Orlov Daily News Staff Writer

Community leaders from across the city reacted to the decision Monday against hiring Police Chief Willie L. Williams for a second term with a sense of resignation and inevitability.

Many from South Central Los Angeles wondered whether the gains made during Williams' years will be lost and whether there will be a return to the days of when the Los Angeles Police Department was considered above questioning.

Some leaders from the San Fernando Valley wondered whether the chief's position had indeed become politicized as opponents of reform had warned in 1992.

``I think the public was duped into thinking this was the politically correct thing to do,'' Don Schultz, president of the Van Nuys Homeowners Association, said of the powers the Police Commission now holds.

``What it did was politicize the police chief's job,'' Schultz said. ``Politicians are never going to be happy until they can control the chief. This shows this is not a town being run by (the) people. It's being run by politicians downtown.''

``Sweet'' Alice Harris, head of Parents of Watts and a longtime community activist, said she is urging her neighbors to accept the Police Commission decision against Williams.

``They made their decision and we just have to learn to go with it,'' Harris said, adding that Mayor Richard Riordan's announcement to name Deputy Chief Bernard Parks as interim chief will help in the African-American community.

``A lot of people had hoped Chief Williams would stay in, even though a lot of people didn't know him. He didn't come to the Watts community that often. But people will be happy with Bernie Parks. He's very qualified.''

John Mack, president of the Los Angeles Urban League and an opponent of the commission's decision, said the city has to look forward and maintain the credibility that Williams had restored in the department.

``That's one of the tragedies of the decision not to renew his contract,'' Mack said. ``We do not need to return to the battle days of the LAPD. We need a continued development of a new LAPD in which there will be respect for individuals without regard to race, culture, ethnic backgrounds.''

Roy Evans, chairman of the Community Safety Council in the 8th Council District, also voiced concern about any effort to scale back community-based policing.

``If you tear the foundation down at this point, I think it will be devastating for Los Angeles,'' he said.

In the San Fernando Valley, Harry Coleman of the Devonshire Division Community Police Advisory Board, said the departure of Williams gives the city a chance to look at new ways of managing the LAPD.

``What I think is the LAPD needs a chief executive officer to manage $1.1 billion, which is the entire budget for the LAPD,'' Coleman said, adding that he supported the naming of Parks as interim chief.

``Parks . . . he has been in operations at every level at the LAPD and can manage the department. Willie Williams . . . has been at a disadvantage, he has fought with the City Council and fought with the mayor. It's left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.''

Richard Close of the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association and a Williams supporter, said he felt that reports Williams was considering a lawsuit and a $3 million settlement hurt the chief.

``I don't think there's going to be an outcry for the City Council to reverse the decision,'' Close said. ``I support him and I wish he would have been given another five years. But I think he hurt himself in the public eye.''

Williams' lawyers had threatened a suit prior to the decision, although the chief would not talk about that option Monday. Also, Williams said that he had never solicited, or been solicited for a $3 million settlement.

And, despite any internal problems Williams might have had in coming in from outside the LAPD, the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California urged that a nationwide search be conducted for a new chief.

``In our opinion, candidates from outside the LAPD are most likely to have the right mix of skills and other attributes to make their administrations committed to the cause of reform,'' said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the organization. Ripston did not take a position on the Police Commission's decision on Williams.