Officers Confused, Angered by Reports of Gates’ Retirement : Reaction: At Parker Center, some say they won’t believe it until they hear it from the chief himself.

It was a day of confusion and doubt Friday at Parker Center, the Police Department’s administrative headquarters and command center in downtown Los Angeles. Solid, reliable information was scarce and the man who could best put the confusion to rest--Chief Daryl F. Gates--was far away in North Carolina, giving a speech.

In the first-floor lobby, Detective Carl Olson walked in to chat with friends just minutes after he had watched a morning City Hall news conference on his office television. He said he had carefully scrutinized the council members’ words and found cause for optimism.

“They said they would let the chief make the announcement,” said Olson, a 25-year veteran. “And he hasn’t said anything yet.

“We’ll see.”

On the sixth floor, Lt. Fred Nixon, the chief’s spokesman, stood in his office with a copy of a City Council press release on his desk that announced Gates’ departure. Arms folded, Nixon watched Mayor Tom Bradley’s flickering image on a television set, the mayor’s words echoing earlier statements by the council members.

The question of Gates’ eventual departure had seemed, initially at least, clear enough. But Nixon said: “We will react, openly or otherwise, once we hear from Chief Gates. I don’t know (if he is leaving) yet, I have not heard that from him (Gates). . . . I’d rather not respond to a hypothetical question.”

Those who accepted the fact that Gates had agreed to begin the transition period recommended by the Christopher Commission reacted with anger and bitterness, lashing out at the politicians they blamed for the chief’s situation.

Ernest Allen, a 29-year-old patrol officer with the 77th Street Division, was one of several officers from outlying police stations visiting Parker Center offices during the hectic morning.

“Personally, I think Mayor Bradley should be the one to resign,” Allen said. “The politicians are going to follow the bandwagon whichever way it goes.”

Detective Gary Quarton said he supported the chief, but could understand why he might retire. “He has been a hard-working chief, an honest man,” he said.

The controversy over the beating of Rodney G. King made Gates a less effective leader, Quarton said. “Some people have been taking shots at us. We need time to recover.”

Some of Gates’ 8,300 officers expressed sadness at the prospect of his departure.

Officer Don Lawrence of the press relations office paused frequently and seemed to struggle for words as he explained his feelings.

“I’ve worked with him for 10 years,” he said. “It goes without saying . . . I hate to see him go. . . . I am a supporter of the chief. I’ll miss him.

“It’s a sad day.”

A sergeant from an adjacent office wandered into the office, watched Bradley’s news conference for a few minutes, then muttered a profanity at the screen and left.

Down the hall, a large blue ribbon remained on the door leading to Gates’ office, a symbol of rank-and-file officers’ support for the embattled chief.

It took longer for word of Gates’ impending departure to reach the Police Department’s 18 stations. At the Central Division station near Skid Row, only a few officers had heard that Gates may be retiring.

“The king is dead,” one detective said with a touch of sarcasm. “Long live the king.”