DID PARKS SHIELD TOP AIDE? FBI TOLD EX-CHIEF OF DRUG-RING SUSPICIONS.

Byline: Mariel Garza Staff Writer

City officials vowed Friday to press for answers on what former Police Chief Bernard C. Parks knew and what actions he should have taken in the case of retired LAPD Deputy Chief Maurice Moore, 67, who is being investigated for criminal misconduct.

In December 1999, the Federal Bureau of Investigation sent a letter to Parks - who is now running for a Los Angeles City Council seat - telling him about suspicions that Moore was involved in a major drug ring.

Even though Parks was known as a stern disciplinarian, he took no action against Moore, who retired from the Los Angeles Police Department in January after 40 years.

``If there was special treatment because he was a deputy chief, that was wrong,'' said City Councilman Dennis Zine, a former LAPD sergeant. ``The administration of the police department has to be held accountable and (must) explain why that was ignored.''

Moore, who was a special assistant to Parks, is suspected of laundering money from a cocaine ring operated by his son. He has denied the allegations. The statute of limitations has passed for many of the potential criminal allegations against him.

Parks refused to discuss the case Friday but issued a statement saying he had acted properly.

``I vigorously pursued all instances of alleged improper conduct by anyone associated with the LAPD,'' Parks said in the statement. ``Further, once I was informed by the FBI of their suspicions of former Deputy Chief Maurice Moore, I cooperated fully and completely with the investigating authorities within the guidelines imposed by the FBI.''

Parks did not comment on why he didn't place Moore on administrative leave, a practice common when allegations surface involving possible misconduct by members of the police department.

Rank-and-file officers were not surprised to hear Parks might have gone easy on a member of his command staff, said a union official.

``Under Parks, we always said there was a double standard,'' said Bob Baker, vice president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

``The rule of thumb on serious allegations, especially some form of criminal activity, is they (officers) would have been sent on leave,'' Baker said. ``I would think someone accused of felony misconduct, that would be grounds for sending people home. Look at the Rampart investigation - lots of people were sent home.''

Kerman Maddox, manager for Parks' campaign for the City Council's 8th district seat, said the surfacing of the details of the Moore investigation - which first came to public light in March - are politically motivated. But he said it won't affect Parks' campaign in the South Los Angeles council race because people in the district know he was tough on internal misconduct.

``He fired more cops, he disciplined more cops, he pursued corruption in LAPD more than anyone else,'' Maddox said. ``One of the biggest criticisms of the league was he was too tough.''

Police Commission President Rick Caruso called for a thorough review of the Moore case with an eye to whether it was mishandled.

``It makes it appear that there's some sort of beneficial treatment because someone was senior,'' Caruso said.

He is recommending that the Inspector General's Office review the case and report back to the commission.

The LAPD's internal investigation into the allegations against Moore is incomplete, according to LAPD Cmdr. Gary Brennan, who said acting Police Chief Martin Pomeroy was made aware of the investigation five or six weeks ago and presented with recommendations on how to proceed.

``He is intent on getting to the truth of the matter and wants to make a fully informed decision on the allegation,'' Brennan said. ``He won't do that until he has all the information.''

Brennan could not say whether the investigation would result in the LAPD handing over the case to prosecutors or handling it administratively. However, since Moore is a no longer on active duty, the most punishment he could receive from the department is a ``post-retirement reprimand.''

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office confirmed that it has not been asked to file criminal charges in the case.

``We've not been presented anything to look at by the LAPD,'' said District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons. ``Whether we will open something or not, that determination has not been made.''

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