Veto Is Sustained, but Council Acts to Extend Police Foot Patrol Plan

The Los Angeles City Council failed Tuesday to override Mayor Tom Bradley’s veto of a $2.5-million police foot patrol program, but promised to keep the program alive until June 30.

The council voted 8 to 4 to sustain Bradley’s veto, then voted unanimously to operate the foot patrols until the end of the fiscal year. The action, which left no new funds for the patrols, drew a skeptical response from Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, who appeared before the council to plead for additional funds.

“What they did today was a lot of hocus pocus,” Gates said. “There’s a real smoke screen there and it’s unfortunate.”

Gates said the patrols may end in December, when a three-month pilot project funded by the Police Department’s existing budget is completed.

Under the compromise measure, the council will have to come up with money for the patrols when the pilot project ends. The compromise was sponsored by Councilman Joel Wachs, who said the council still backs the concept of foot patrols and will find a way to come up with the funds.

The foot patrols, which began in September, appear to be highly popular among residents of crime-ridden areas of the city. Supporters of the patrols filled the council chamber Tuesday to push for a continuation of the program.

Under the program, the Police Department has sent patrols of 10 to 20 officers to walk beats in 18 crime “hot spots” citywide.

Bradley vetoed the $2.5-million program last month, calling it a “premature raid on the city’s reserve fund.” Instead, he said, he favored a $750,000 version that would support only the three-month pilot project.

Gates had agreed to take $750,000 from his budget to fund the patrols for the first three months, but vowed Tuesday to defy council members if they ask him to find additional money in his budget to pay for the rest of the year.

“I’ve got other things I need to spend it (money) on in my priority list. . . . I will not compromise in the next period,” he said.

Gates added that the Police Department is two or three years away from having sufficient manpower to staff permanent foot patrol programs. To start a program now, Gates said, “takes instant cops and instant cops take money.”

Foot patrols cost the department about $250,000 a month, paid to police officers working overtime, he said.

Councilman Nate Holden, who sponsored the original measure calling for $2.5 million, said Tuesday he is pleased with the compromise. He said the council is now bound by its vote to find funds for foot patrols.