The soon-to-retire Mr. Vera long has seen himself as a favored patron, a patron saint, in fact a downright champion, of the Police Dept.
He would tackle one of the three large problems currently confronting the cauldron that is the ship-rocking department.
He was confident that an explosive, highly uncharacteristic breach from eighteen months ago — when he publicly charged police had set up his son — had been healed. (Weeks later, a mysteriously crafted letter, under Mr. Vera’s signature, secretly turned up at the Police Station. It was circulated among officers with no noticeable improvement in their view of him.)
The latest master plan called for Mr. Vera, the beloved mayor, to make a peace call on the widening, growling corps of angry officers.
His assignment: To make nice.
Quell a potential uprising before it could gain traction.
He would address the stirring-around, belligerent-sounding members of the Police Union, formally known as the Police Officers Assn.
He would explain, quietly, why Don Pedersen, Police Chief of Signal Hill, had been chosen over the popular Culver City Asst. Chief Hank Davies.
Relying on his own deeply sculpted image — popular, pro-police politician — Mr. Vera was confident he could calm the turbulent waters and quiet the boys.
Fat chance.
As it turned out, Mr. Vera’s instincts failed him. He badly underestimated the complex social and professional landscape of the Police Dept. and the tide of anger that has engulfed a substantial number of officers.
Mr.Vera had planned to tool over to the Station yesterday afternoon when he still was riding high from the adoring roses that had been strewn in his path at the Mayor’s Luncheon at the Vets.
The call from the Police Station pierced the air with unmistakable grizzliness.
Do not come.
You are not welcome.
Nothing to talk about.
An interpretation of the message’s true meaning was not needed.
Rip went the heavily woven fabric that Mr. Vera, and many others, long believed had bound him to the Police Dept.
“There was no reason for Vera to come,” an insider told thefrontpageonline.com. “It would have been ugly. They were going to tell him off. I mean they are angry at the City Council because they didn’t vote for Davies. People blame Vera.”
That may be because Mr Vera, Vice Mayor Gary Silbiger and Councilwoman Carol Gross cast just enough votes for Mr. Pedersen — many peoples’ idea of a solid, desirable police chief — to nose out the hometown favorite.
Mr. Vera will not have a second chance to speak to the Police Union, police sources say.
Since he is retiring from office and stepping down as mayor as of the City Council meeting of April 25, “it won’t matter if we change our mind.”
The Guys Are Making Jokes
Meanwhile, Mr. Pedersen’s name is coming up frequently these early days in the run-up before he is scheduled to take over the Police Chief’s chair on May 8.
That isn’t pretty, either.
Even though virtually no one in the department has met face to face with Mr. Pedersen — who has not yet visited the Station — they already are aiming initiation-type jokes at him.
Whether it is just a boys-will-be-boys moment or top-blowing anger is not yet clear.
Cooler heads are saying that it isn’t personal.
“Fear of the unknown is what it is,” one officer said. “They are very unhappy that Davies did not get the job. But it should not reflect on Pedersen. Nobody knows him. Some of us have heard good things. But who knows? He certainly deserves a chance.”
With the reins of the Police Dept. at least strained, leadership and the rank-and-file have the sticky matter of Lt. Harvey Bailey on their minds.
Even though Mr. Bailey is not around these days — out for knee surgery — word is that LAPD detectives will return to the Police Station this morning. They want to talk to some people about the apparently re-opened case of the murder of Jan Bailey, Mr. Bailey’s wife, over Christmas a little more than thirteen years ago.
Since the LAPD’s first appearance at the Station last Friday morning, scouring Mr. Bailey’s locker, a number of fellow officers have openly expressed discomfort at being around him. Some say they want Mr. Bailey gone, at least until the murder case is settled.
Two Solutions Suggested
Ironically, Mr. Bailey himself may offer a clue as to the temporary outcome.
Out on what is known in police parlance as IOD, Injured on Duty, he is scheduled to return to the Station next week.
“Watch for this to happen,” warned an insider.
Mr. Bailey is eligible to remain on IOD, at full pay, for up to one year. He only went on the disabled list last month.
Management, if it is perplexed for a solution, may have had one dropped — with a thud — into their curious laps.
“This would be one unsuspicious way to keep Harvey out of sight and keep him happy at the same time,” a source said.
“Another possibility exists, but it’s a little more extreme. He’s not that far from the age of fifty. If they want to get rid of Harvey, they could give him Disability Retirement. That was how they got rid of (retired Chief Ted) Cooke.
“Here is how it would work. Harvey has enough time in to collect around eighty percent of his pay at retirement. Fifty percent would be tax-free. Not bad, eh? Seems to me that could make everybody happy. We shall see.”
