2 Deputy Chief Jobs Restored in OK of $2.36-Billion L.A. Budget

The Los Angeles City Council Monday tentatively approved a $2.36-billion 1986-87 budget that includes restoring the positions of two deputy police chiefs that the council eliminated in a reduction of police brass five years ago.

The budget, approved after a daylong session in which council members added a shopping list of pet projects as well as funds for a sophisticated airborne emergency command center, could present Mayor Tom Bradley with some hard choices on spending.

Bradley, who is struggling in a campaign against Gov. George Deukmejian, had submitted to the council an election-year budget that steered around controversy. But after a heated debate and sharply divided council vote on the deputy chief issue, Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, who chairs the Finance and Revenue Committee, said he would “lobby strongly” for the mayor to break with the narrow council majority and stand firm in his previous support for cutbacks in top police management.

Bradley: ‘No Comment’

A Bradley spokesman said the mayor would have no immediate comment on the council’s budget action.

The restoration of two deputy chiefs, a compromise reached with Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, followed a session in which Gates called Yaroslavsky’s criticism “baloney” and stalked out of the council chambers.

The 8-5 vote means the LAPD will be able to place deputy chiefs in charge at all four of its regional bureaus in the Central, South, West and San Fernando Valley areas, according to Assistant Police Chief David Dotson.

Gates had argued that the department needs those four deputy chiefs and four more based at headquarters to adequately manage the 7,000-officer police force. Without additional chiefs, he had proposed a major consolidation of the top command of the city’s four regional bureaus into two--a plan that had drawn criticism from the city Police Commission and some council members.

The compromise, drafted by Councilman Hal Bernson, partially funds the restoration of the two deputy chief posts by eliminating two other high-ranking positions, a civilian administrator and a commander. The net increase in spending for the deputy chiefs would be $67,820.

Appearing before the council, Gates said two more deputy chiefs “isn’t what we need” but he called it a “great compromise.”

That drew a quick response from Yaroslavsky,who poked fun at the idea that Gates had given ground. He said the council, with its vote Monday, was “going to cave in” by reversing its 1981 decision to eliminate five deputy chief positions. Opposing the compromise, he said the council could afford to put six more police officers on the street for the $290,000-per-year cost of maintaining two more deputy chiefs. “I support more cops on the street,” Yaroslavsky said.

‘Baloney,’ Gates Says

Gates called those comments “baloney” and said the cost increase under the compromise was far less than the figures cited by Yaroslavsky. Deputy chiefs are needed because each bureau handles about $80 million in public funds, he said. “The leadership they provide will be worth five or six or 10 officers.”

“I don’t want to listen to this nonsense. . . . If you don’t want to vote it, fine,” he said, before rising and walking briskly out of the council chambers.

Councilman Robert Farrell said he was “offended” by Gates’ abrupt departure. Bernson said he was “disappointed.” Nonetheless, Bernson said, the compromise will “keep a proven system that has worked” and permit the police chief to “run his organization as he sees fit.”

Afterward, a spokesman for Gates said the chief was pleased by the council vote. Voting against the additional deputy chiefs were Yaroslavsky, Council President Pat Russell and council members Joy Picus, Ernani Bernardi and Michael Woo. Voting in favor were Bernson, Farrell, Richard Alatorre, John Ferraro, Howard Finn, Joan Milke Flores, Gilbert Lindsay and Joel Wachs.

In other additions to the budget, which were offset by trimming other spending, the council approved purchase of a new helicopter loaded with high-tech communications gear. Police and fire officials said the $7-million unit, which will be paid for in installments over five years, would speed emergency response during disasters and provide needed backup in case land-based communications systems are knocked out.

The council also approved $500,000 to replace an aging police helicopter. However, most of the day was consumed with a stream of 70 special motions for projects, including festivals, murals, concerts, art shows and two St. Patrick’s Day parades, one in downtown and the other in Hollywood. Downtown Councilman Lindsay became upset at competition for his parade and huffed, “When did Hollywood get to be such an Irish place.”