Retirement Process Being Rushed, Gates Says : Police: He makes a surprise appearance before the Pension Commission and charges political meddling. But the chief repeats his vow to leave by June 28.

In yet another episode in a long-running political soap opera, Police Chief Daryl F. Gates accused the city Pension Commission on Thursday of bending to political pressure in rushing to approve his retirement papers.

Nevertheless, Gates said he will stick to his pledge and step down June 28. By law, he has until 12:01 a.m. on that day to change his mind and withdraw his application.

Gates said he made a surprise appearance before the commission--which approved his retirement before a packed room of reporters and TV cameras--to make a point.

“I thought quite frankly of pulling my application,” said the chief, who also raised that possibility earlier in the week. “But then I decided that I did not want to be as petty as I think some of you are for hearing this in this manner.”

“Let me understand,” Commissioner Paul C. Hudson responded. “You want to retire. We want to approve it. What’s the problem?”

“I’m objecting to the process you are engaging in because it is politically motivated,” Gates snapped. “This is something different from what you normally do and what I was told would be done.”

The commission originally scheduled a hearing July 9 to act on Gates’ retirement application, but Deputy Mayor Mark Fabiani called one of the five commissioners appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley and asked that the matter be taken up earlier.

Fabiani confirmed Thursday that he had called Hudson.

Hudson acknowledged that he had spoken to Fabiani, but said: “No one has to call me to ask me to accelerate Chief Gates’ retirement. I would do everything in my power to accelerate his retirement on my own initiative.”

About Gates’ comments to the commission, Fabiani said: “It’s another Chief Gates sideshow designed to sell books.” Gates has written a best-selling book about his career in the Los Angeles Police Department.

“The city’s residents have expressed their outrage at the chief continually playing games with his potential retirement date,” said Bill Chandler, Bradley’s press secretary. He said the mayor supported the earlier hearing to make sure that Chief-designate Willie L. Williams can take over the Police Department at the end of the month.

If Gates were to remain after Williams’ June 30 inauguration, the city could have two men claiming to be chief. The chief-designate was chosen under a system that will become invalid as soon as the Charter Amendment F police reforms, approved by voters June 2, are certified, probably by mid-July.

Gates threatened two weeks ago to postpone his retirement. And although he later said he only had been bluffing--trying to show that politicians are meddling in police operations--the Police Commission has hired an outside attorney to assist it in case the chief changes his mind again.

Despite his complaints before the commission, Gates said he will make good on a promise to Williams and retire in 10 days. “I would never go back on my word to a colleague,” he said.

The commission approved the June 28 retirement date on a 5-2 vote, with the two commissioners representing Police and Fire Department employees objecting to the unprecedented action of approving a retirement before a designated retirement date. In the past, the commission has delayed such action until after the departure date in case the employee has a change of mind.

Fred Tredy, a director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said the commission action demonstrates how politics is creeping into decisions affecting police officers.

“We went through a long, hard battle fighting political influence in the Police Department. It’s been 16 days (since the election), and now we see a direct impact of the passage of Proposition F.”

At the hearing, Commissioner T. S. Chung looked around at the mob of reporters and acknowledged that Gates was being accorded special treatment because “he is no ordinary police officer.”

“I don’t want to see two police chiefs in this city,” Chung said. “I like to avoid chaos.

Gates, 65, is eligible for a pension of $128,527 a year. The 43-year department veteran pointed out that he reached maximum retirement benefits in September, 1979.

“I saved this pension system probably over a million dollars,” he said.