EDITORIAL COPS GONE WILD BERKOW SEX CASE GIVES CITY WORK FORCE ANOTHER BLACK EYE.

TO think we were all atwitter over the Tennie Pierce saga over at the Los Angeles Fire Department. In retrospect, Tennie's few bites of puppy chow now seem like mere kibble compared with the very real, very serious allegation of sexual harassment in LAPD headquarters involving then-Deputy Chief Michael Berkow.

Berkow, who left the Los Angeles Police Department in October to become chief in Savannah, Ga., is accused of demanding sexual favors from female subordinates in exchange for promotions.

One former subordinate is suing Berkow and the department, claiming that her LAPD career suffered while the deputy chief's sex partners got promotions. While that allegation is yet unproven, a transcript of a Berkow deposition released Tuesday shows he admitted to a three-year affair with another subordinate who was promoted.

All of this apparently took place in an LAPD office that Berkow turned into a bedroom for himself.

Although he acknowledges the affair, Berkow denies anyone was harassed. Whatever the truth, the dalliance would be in violation of LAPD protocols unless specifically permitted by Chief William Bratton.

Bratton, for his part, recently defended Berkow, calling him an ``outstanding police officer.'' That was before the deposition transcripts went public.

That comment suggests Bratton probably did not know what Berkow was up to, and that's a problem. On the one hand, he wasn't deliberately turning a blind eye to the misconduct. On the other, he was still blind to it nonetheless.

Berkow wasn't just any cop. Bratton assigned him to rein in employee misconduct -- that is, the very sort of behavior he seems to have been quite actively engaged in.

And while it could be argued that massive organizations like the LAPD and their leaders shouldn't be held responsible for the bad behavior of all their members, the law sees things very differently.

Like the Tennie Pierce saga, this case will almost certainly end up costing the city -- which is to say it will cost taxpayers -- a fortune.

Once again, we have a story of an L.A. city work force that's out of control, with the people who should be stopping the problems leading the way. And the lack of accountability creates a hostile environment -- for workers and taxpayers alike.