Lawyer Assails Arrest of Ex-LAX Official

The attorney for Frank Costigan, former chief of the Security Bureau at Los Angeles International Airport, said Wednesday that his client “expressed . . . outrage” at being arrested and handcuffed by detectives with drawn guns when they had been aware for months that Costigan would have surrendered voluntarily.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Lawrence W. Mason filed two felony charges of embezzlement of public funds and one charge of alteration of a public record against Costigan on Tuesday after Los Angeles Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division officers arrested Costigan at his Inglewood security consultant office.

“There was no reason to believe Mr. Costigan would be violent . . . no reason to pull guns,” attorney David Rosner said.

He said his client had cooperated with police throughout the probe of the airport’s Security Bureau. Costigan had served as probationary chief of the agency from November, 1983, until October, 1984.

‘Absolute Confidence’

The attorney said he has “absolute confidence” that his client will be vindicated.

In an interview while still in office, Costigan said he had been appointed chief in response to complaints about poor police work and “favoritism” in the agency.

Airports Department General Manager Clifton Moore asked the LAPD to take on the investigation in October, 1984, after receiving anonymous letters alleging widespread wrongdoing in the bureau.

Rosner said he believes that “politics and envy” were behind Costigan’s arrest and added that “if he did anything, he did it under the authority of his superiors.”

Names Superiors

The attorney named Moore and Robert E. Quincy, airport manager, as Costigan’s superiors. Quincy retired in August. An airport spokesman said Moore, on instructions from the city attorney, had no comment.

Police spokesman Cmdr. William Booth said he had no comment on Rosner’s claim that the arresting officers’ behavior was uncalled for.

Mason said Costigan charged the airport for a rental car that he used for his own private purposes and also submitted false mileage claims for his private car. He said about $1,000 was involved.

Costigan, 44, free on $1,500 bail, faces arraignment in Los Angeles Municipal Court on March 4.