Binkley Was Removed to Avoid Revolt, Court Told

Long Beach Manager James Hankla said in court documents filed Tuesday that he was forced to temporarily remove Police Chief Lawrence Binkley from his post or risk a revolt among most of the chief’s command staff.

As many as eight commanders might have resigned if Binkley was not relieved of duty pending an internal investigation into his allegedly dictatorial management style, Hankla wrote in documents filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Hankla’s statement was in response to Binkley’s unsuccessful bid Tuesday for a court order that would have forced city officials to give him back his job.

Superior Court Judge Robert H. O’Brien denied Binkley a temporary restraining order, saying the chief had not suffered irreparable harm during the city investigation. The judge noted that Binkley has received full pay and benefits since he was reassigned on Dec. 23 to work on special projects for the city manager.

A hearing for a preliminary injunction was scheduled for Jan. 24.

Assistant City Atty. Robert Shannon said the city “has more than ample reason” to temporarily remove Binkley from his post. Binkley’s attorney, Jim Murphy, called the reassignment a punitive suspension that had violated the chief’s rights.

But Hankla wrote in his statement that he had no other choice but to remove Binkley from his post after commanders complained that “he was vindictive against any member of his command staff whom he did not perceive to be loyal to him.”

According to Hankla, he asked Binkley to retire early--a request the chief turned down--after Binkley had told him that he was a candidate for the job of police chief in Los Angeles and he wanted to leave Long Beach.

In his statement to the court, Binkley said he has repeatedly received good performance reviews. Hankla disagreed, saying in his court statement that he had “been forced to counsel Chief Binkley in the past concerning various indiscretions.”

The Friday before it was announced that Binkley would be reassigned, he and Assistant Police Chief Eugene Brizzolara “were seen removing numerous files from their offices,” according to Hankla.

Brizzolara went on vacation and filed a request for a stress-related disability leave, which became effective Monday, according to Murphy. Brizzolara is under investigation following complaints by two police commanders that he attempted to coach them on their testimony during a civil trial in which all three were defendants. In documents filed in court Tuesday, Brizzolara denied attempting to influence them.