The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 180

log angelea Zimtt 9 OUSTED CHIEF ASKS HEARING BY TOM GORMAN Times Stall Writer COMPTON Backed by a vote of moral support by 36 police officers, Thomas W. Cochee will protest his dismissal as police chief to the city's Personnel Board, probably sometime in September. The board is expected to set a date for a public hearing on uxmees tiring wnen it meets for an adjourned meeting, Wednesday, bept. 3. Its next regularly scheduled meeting set for 5 p.m.

Sept 18. According to the city's charter, the five-man Personnel Board may override the decision last week by acting City Manager Daniel Lim to fire Cochee, who was charged with insubordination, making false statements to the press and failure to follow city personnel rules. Should that occur, city officials have indicated they will protest the board's decision to the Superior Court. In addition to protesting to the Personnel Board his dismissal as chief, Cochee, 43, met last week with acting Dist Atty. John Howard.

Neither Cochee nor Howard, however, will discuss the topic of their meeting. Both Cochee and the City Council have asked county and state agencies, including the Attorney General's Office, to investigate the circumstances surrounding Cochee: dismissal. The vote of moral support for Cochee came last Friday at a meeting of the Compton Police Officers which attracted 67 of the groups estimated 135 members, representing nearly all of the department's sworn personnel. By secret ballot, the officers present voted 36-31 to offer their support for Cochee. Although Cochee is now entitled to the association's legal counsel, he has already privately hired his own attorney and said he will not seek the group's legal aid.

"But sure it (the vote) pleases me," said Cochee. I SUNLINE OLD TOWNE Detective John Soisson, president of the officers' associa tion, said he assumed the other sworn officers who didn't attend the meeting "probably were not interested in the issue. "My personal view was that this was a political issue and we should stay out of it," he said. "I don't like getting in there wnen tne administration makes a decision. Though the support vote was done in private, some citv officials say they believe the voting was divided along racial lines black officers supporting Cochee, and white officers opposed to tne support.

They said they based their opinion on a statement made last week by Cochee who, in protesting his reassignment ISOFA LOVE SEAT III i 3rVtf 7L irom cniet to tne uty Manager's Office, said there was lack of support for him "from white racist police officers." "There are some white officers on our Police Department s-sxss in taw s.vmm rv. Jiii Pe 0 SS Z. llVIf7fe HERCULON CHAIR BOTH ZJL I FOR JL I HERCULON CHAIR who don't give a damn about black people in general, nor do they care one minute for the residents of Compton in particular," he told councilmen the night before he was fired Plaid herculon fabric with dark CHAIR $139 DOOLEVS i iKikuiuu laLui. wiui uaift piiiv pine 49 Ami CORNER TABLE $64 COFFEE TABLE $72 END TABLE $64 OTTOMAN $52 LOW PRICE oy urn. Cochee did not indicate who or how many members of the force were "racist," which prompted Councilman Russell Woolfolk to protest Cochee's "blatant statement." "There well might be a white racist on the force, but talk like that only goes to destroy any semblance of law and wood pillow backs.

Here's a fabulous way to coordinate your home with real comfort and still stay within your budget. FREE DELIVERY! Here's A Beautiful Care order in this city. It looks like somebody is trying to inflame free Bucket Chair In Choice Of Various Colors one group against another," Woolfolk said at this week's council meeting. Councilman Hillard Hamm said Cochee should have brought charges against such an officer through the Civil Service procedure, and "not in public." "I don't think the chiefs statements will get any kind of support trom wnite officers in other cities who we may have wiSTimusE automatic DRYER WITH ROLL OUT DRAWER to can on in a time of emergency," Hamm said. Origin of Book Ires i nfft eve Officials in Compton LOW PRICE Continued from First Page blanche" in interviewing city employes for the purpose of Balanced Air Flow Drying System Copper Only Handy In Door Lint Filter Higher Dryer For More Convenient Loading With Storage Door writing a dook.

not quite professional," he said. Mayor Doris Davis noted that the city was also angered over the book "111 at Ease in Compton," published in 1967, "but we've continually sat here and let these kinds of things happen. We should establish some rules and regulations in which we and members of the staff are involved." (In an earlier interview Cochee said he had notified the City Manager's Office that the book was being written, and that there was no protest. (James Wilson, then the city manager, denied that Cochee 21 00. FT.

IERITIR-FREEZER HniBILNOL IUILT-iTJ OR FREE STUNS TRASIISTER DOOLEY'S "iJSS PRICE v2 Removable On Off Starter Key Knob Reduces Trash to 14 Of Its Original Size Automatically Releases Spray Deodorizing Each Time You Close Drawer EKCEIMER nad informed him of the book, and said he learned of it through a different source when the book was nearly completed.) Discussion of the book was sparked by Willie May Kinsey, who late in Tuesday's meeting walked to the podium and asked the council members if they had read the book. "Anybody who read the book and doesn't live in Compton won't want to live in Compton," she said, holding a copy of the book in her hand. "If the Police Department is like it is here (in the book), I'm going to move," she said. Said Tucker: "I wish you were here a week or two ago to DOOLEY'S LOW PRICE Whirlpool 7 Day Meat Basket Completely Frost Free say that." refenns to earlier council meetines when more RCA SGLID STATE CQLOSI TV 12-IM EfiTIOil SOLID STATE TV In 5al DOOLEY'S LOW PRICE DOOLEY'S LOW PRICE than 100 Cochee supporters protested Cochee's transfer from the chiefs office to "special assignment" in the City Manager's Office. Cochee was fired last week by acting City Manager Daniel Lim, who accused Cochee of insubordination, making false statements to the press and failure to follow personnel rules.

Though some council members have indicated the city might take some action against Cochee for his involvement in the book, none has yet been taken. One person in the audience said the book "hasn't discovered half of what happens" in the Police Department. Said local businessman Jesse Nichols: "What the book says is not a lie. I'd hate to see the council say the book has put a bad name on Compton. The people on the council should find out what's going on instead of blaming someone," he told councilmen.

Councilman Hillard Hamm said he was particularly disturbed by a photograph in the book which shows a Compton officer sitting in his patrol car, holding his revolver in his lap. The caption reads: "S.O.P. (standard operating procedure) in Compton: When someone approaches his car, a Compton cop will draw his gun and hold it ready." "What if a visitor to our city should walk up to a patrol car to ask directions of the officer and see a gun in his lap?" Hamm said. "What kind of impression would that give the visitor?" mm 0)0 1 12-Inch Diagonal Measure Solid State Transistorized Chassis Set Forget Memory Fine Tuning 70 Position UHF Detent Tuner 19-Inch Diagonal Measure All Solid State Chassis Black Matrix Picture Tube i I i GENERAL ELECTRIC 19-IM SOLID STATE TV DOOLEY'S LOW PRICE eBfa ilili liilll MITT! I1UKT Cuisine JEWELS 1 FREE DELIVERY! featuring Eastern Steamed Clams a la Neapolitan Jhutida'thru Sunday We serve ipeclalillei uiually not 'available Gnocchl, Cannelloni, DESIGNERS IN OUR MAJOR APPLIANCE BUILDING 19-Inch Diagonal Measure Daylight Bright Picture Tube "Energy Saver" Chassis Pre-Set VHF Fine Tuning DIAMONDS -WATCHES! retluccine and more. Open 4 P.M.

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