Editing Compton, California (section)

====Corruption====
Civic [[Political corruption|corruption]] has also been a widespread problem in Compton.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://articles.latimes.com/1990/oct/25 |work=The Los Angeles Times |title=Popular Articles & Stories for October 25, 1990 – Los Angeles Times |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=February 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216103949/http://articles.latimes.com/1990/oct/25 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 

In 2000, the [[Compton Police Department]] was disbanded amidst controversy and charges of corruption. The police department claims it was disbanded after investigations of gang activity led to then-Compton Mayor [[Omar Bradley (California politician)|Omar Bradley]]. Once this became public, the mayor charged it was the police who were themselves corrupt, and he disbanded the police department. Omar Bradley has since faced serious corruption charges.<ref>[http://www.blackpressusa.com/news/Article.asp?SID=3&Title=National+News&NewsID=2776 Former Compton Mayor among Five Officials Arrested after Probe] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081206051559/http://www.blackpressusa.com/news/Article.asp?SID=3&Title=National+News&NewsID=2776 |date=December 6, 2008 }}. ''BlackPressUSA''</ref> 

[[Eric J. Perrodin]], the city's former mayor, was investigated in 2007 by the California State Bar for threatening to violate a local newspaper's First Amendment rights after the paper printed an investigative report relative to a contract granted to one of Perrodin's associates. Following the report, Perrodin threatened to yank the city's advertising contract with the paper.<ref>[http://www.metnews.com/articles/2006/bull063006.htm District Attorney's Office Probing Prosecutor Over Alleged Threats] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091019111852/http://www.metnews.com/articles/2006/bull063006.htm |date=October 19, 2009 }}. "Metropolitan News-Enterprise".</ref> A Times review of city records shows Perrodin was absent from city board and commission meetings nearly two-thirds of the time between July 2009 and July 2010.<ref name=AP>{{cite news |title=Compton council fires city manager |quote=Charles Evans is the second top administrator to be fired in three years. Mayor Eric Perrodin says the top priority for a new city manager will be to reestablish a local police department in Compton. |date=September 9, 2010 |first=Abby |last=Sewell |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-sep-09-la-me-0909-compton-20100909-story.html |access-date=February 29, 2016 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306073801/http://articles.latimes.com/2010/sep/09/local/la-me-0909-compton-20100909 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Current recall efforts are a direct response from residents of the accusations of corruption of the city's mayor and council. Some of the accusations involve the issuing of city contracts to personal donors and friends. One particular accusation involved the trash and recycling contract of the city to [[Pacific Coast Waste and Recycling]] LLC in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thecomptonbulletin.com/series1/index.html |title=Archived copy |website=www.thecomptonbulletin.com |access-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113082845/http://www.thecomptonbulletin.com/series1/index.html |archive-date=January 13, 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Notices of intent to circulate recall petitions against four Compton city officials are expected to be filed in August 2010, by a group of citizens who claim corruption in Compton is being ignored by the same authorities who were shocked by the recent salary controversy in the city of [[Bell, California|Bell]].<ref>{{cite web |author=BETTY PLEASANT |url=http://www.wavenewspapers.com/opinion/Bottom-Line-In-Compton-recall-paperwork-soon-to-land-on-the-desks-of-top-city-officials-101040384.html |title=Bottom Line: In Compton, recall paperwork soon to land on the desks of top city officials |publisher=Wavenewspapers.com |date=August 18, 2010 |access-date=August 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823002147/http://www.wavenewspapers.com/opinion/Bottom-Line-In-Compton-recall-paperwork-soon-to-land-on-the-desks-of-top-city-officials-101040384.html |archive-date=August 23, 2010 }}</ref>

Compton had discharged its city manager, in 2010, the second time in three years. ''The Los Angeles Times'' says the City Council voted in a closed meeting, September 9, 2010, to fire Charles Evans. ''The Times'' says council members refused to discuss the reasons for their decision. Evans took office in 2007, after the dismissal of previous City Manager Barbara Kilroy. City Controller Willie Norfleet will take over until a permanent manager can be named.<ref name=AP/>

In July 2021, U.S. Representative [[Maxine Waters]] called for a [[United States Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] inquiry into whether a [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department#Deputy gangs|deputy gang]] called the [[Compton Executioners|Executioners]] was operating out of the Compton station of the [[Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department|LASD]].<ref name="LATimesWaters">{{cite web |last=Tchekmedyian |first=Alene |date=July 21, 2021 |title=Rep. Waters, who was accused of providing inside information and support for her husband, a powerful banker, during the economic recovery post the 2008 market crash. Waters seeks federal probe of L.A. County deputies' alleged Executioners gang |url=https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-07-21/maxine-waters-requests-sheriffs-department-compton-executioners-investigation |url-status=live |access-date=August 11, 2021 |website=[[Los Angeles Times]] |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721191202/https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-07-21/maxine-waters-requests-sheriffs-department-compton-executioners-investigation |archive-date=July 21, 2021}}</ref>