Here Comes Trouble
Seven quiet months into a planned several-year tenure as the worthy successor of the legendary, much brassier Ted Cooke, Mr. Pedersen is being confronted by the most odious challenge of his professional life. A burgeoning scandal looms involving numerous members of the Culver City Police Dept. An explosion of corruption allegations by and against veteran officers claiming a colorful array of crimes, were forwarded to the County Grand Jury on Nov. 13 in a formal complaint by two longtime officers. The linchpin for the most recent round of misconduct charges may be the unfolding case involving a clearly marked man, Lt. Harvey Bailey. He is facing a felony assault weapons charge, which some law enforcement sources regard as a mere appetizer in the iceberg-style case. Major media interest in Mr. Bailey intensified across Los Angeles this week because the unsolved murder of Mr. Bailey’s first wife, Christmas Eve, 1992, dangles, enticingly, in the background. Police sources see the relatively peripheral weapons charge as a clever blueprint for the LAPD to employ in its desire to re-examine earlier suspicions about Mr. Bailey, who never was charged with the homicide. The last time there was unusual media interest in the curious lives of Culver City cops, 8 years ago, the media savvy Mr. Cooke, an all-powerful chief, managed to tamp it down with the flick of his thumb. Coverage dried up, and whatever alleged secrets existed recoiled back into the ground. Colleagues say this is the opposite of the way the intensely private Mr. Pedersen will respond to the gathering storm. One high-profile embarrassment would be bad enough. But the lengthy complaint to the County Grand Jury, currently making its way through the system, conceivably could bring down some veteran officers.
City Hall — a Yawn?
By all signs, City Hall. Intriguingly, remains disinterested in exploring the charges. The accusing officers claim the city has maintained this incurious stance for years. They turned to the Grand Jury, the officers say, “because the city won’t listen to us. They don’t believe us. Or they are covering up for people.”
Trying to Gain Traction
Within days, we are told, media interest will widen. If so, then we shall see how Mr. Pedersen reacts to the hot-lights glare. “With the Los Angeles Times and networks already talking about Bailey,” said a Culver City source, “the LAPD’s strategy about Harvey is being vindicated. They chose this obscure gun charge to bring the murder case out in the open. I can’t tell you the last time we made an arrest on that charge. Long time ago. But the LAPD figured it would start people talking. Once people are talking, anything can happen. It might lead to the one break the detectives need, one person who may have been holding back for the last 14 years.”
