Bernard C. Parks

Bernard C. Parks
Parks in 2010
Member of the Los Angeles City Council from the 8th district
In office July 1, 2003 – July 1, 2015
Preceded by	Mark Ridley-Thomas
Succeeded by	Marqueece Harris-Dawson
Personal details
Born	December 7, 1943 Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Bobbie Parks
Residence	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Pepperdine University University of Southern California
Occupation	Police officer (LAPD)
Website	www.bernardparks.com

Bernard C. Parks
Born	December 7, 1943 Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
Police career
Department	Los Angeles Police Department
Country	United States
Years of service	1964 – 2002
Rank	Sworn in as an Officer – 1965 Sergeant – 1969 Lieutenant – 1973 Captain – 1977 Commander – 1980 Deputy Chief – 1988 Asst. Chief – 1992 Deputy Chief – 1994 Chief of Police – 1997
Other work	Los Angeles City Council

Bernard C. Parks (born December 7, 1943) is an American politician. He was a member of the Los Angeles City Council, representing the 8th District in South Los Angeles. He served as chief of the Los Angeles Police Department from August 1997 to May 2002. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Personal life and education

Parks attended Los Angeles City College, received a bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University, and earned a master's degree in public administration from the University of Southern California.

Tenure as LAPD Chief & Rampart Division scandal

Appointed chief of police on August 12, 1997, Parks oversaw a significant drop in violent crime throughout the city, and especially in South Central. However, during his tenure, the LAPD was rocked by a corruption and police brutality scandal involving the elite C.R.A.S.H. anti-gang unit of the Rampart Division in the overwhelmingly Latino Pico-Union and Westlake districts. The department was placed under a federal consent decree and there was concern that morale was low in the department. The Police Commission, under Commission President Rick J. Caruso did not recommend Parks for reappointment as police chief. Parks was succeeded as chief by William Bratton.

Los Angeles City Council

Parks capitalized on his popularity among South Los Angeles' black population to win the vacant seat on the Los Angeles City Council for Council District 8 representing South Los Angeles. Parks' most frequent media quarrels have been with his successor as police chief, William Bratton, due to their differing stances on LAPD policies.

Parks unsuccessfully ran for mayor in the 2005 elections, placing fourth in the primary. In 2008, Parks unsuccessfully sought to succeed Yvonne Brathwaite Burke on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, losing to Mark Ridley-Thomas in a runoff election.

Councilmember Parks sponsored a successful 2011 City Charter Amendment, Measure L. The Measure passed by 63 percent of the Los Angeles voters. This guarantees a minimum level of funding for Library services. By fiscal year, 2014-2015, the guaranteed percentage will be 0.0300% of "assessed value of all property in the City as assessed for City taxes." ^[1]

Term limits forced Parks out of the city council office in 2015. Marqueece Harris-Dawson won the District 8 election for the vacant seat, and replaced Parks on 1 July 2015. ^[2]

References

1. Los Angeles City Council File No. 10-1057: City Charter Amendment, Measure L
2. LA Times: "Marqueece Harris-Dawson takes office as councilman of L.A.'s 8th District", 1 July 2015.

External links

• Official city website
• Alex Alonzo, "It's Not About Crime and Never Was: Bernard Parks' ouster as LAPD Chief, Streetgangs.com, April 12, 2002
• "Bernard Parks' record as LAPD chief and city councilman is a mixed blessing in his race for L.A. County supervisor"--LA Times
• Gillian Wolf, "Bernard C. Parks," Gale Contemporary Black Biography