AFTER THE RIOTS : Slain Officers Memorialized : Law enforcement: The annual county ceremony is tinged with references to recent unrest and the political travails of LAPD Chief Gates.

Far from the politics of Los Angeles City Hall and the riots that erupted nearby, the county’s yearly memorial service for slain law enforcement officers took place as usual Tuesday in the relative quiet of the Sheriff’s Training and Regional Services Center in Whittier.

But even in that institutional refuge--with its freshly mowed lawns and billowing flags--the riots were held up as a stark reminder of how indiscriminately cruel violence can be.

“Here in this city, and in others across the country, we have watched the forces of hate and anarchy try to overcome the forces of reason, love and brotherhood,” U.S. Secret Service Director John W. Magaw told about 750 mourners including relatives, friends and colleagues of officers killed during the last year.

“As a result,” Magaw continued, “many other families, some far removed from us in our daily lives, are also grieving today. And they, too, will continue to grieve for the rest of their lives, for nothing can ever fill the void when violence strikes so swiftly and blindly.”

Though only briefly mentioned during Magaw’s remarks, the riots served as an unavoidable backdrop to Tuesday’s ceremony. The specter of the recent violence bound those gathered even closer together, not only because of the risk their loved ones faced but because of the controversy the riots engendered.

After the service, outgoing Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates drew dozens of loyal admirers who lined up for his autograph and to offer him advice: Keep up the good work and ignore the judgments of outsiders.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block also drew autograph seekers, but not as many as flocked to the chief. Nor did they display the fervency reserved for Gates, who has become a magnet for criticism, especially after the beating of Rodney King and the LAPD’s initial response to the riots.

“Chief, I don’t usually ask for anybody’s autograph but you’re special,” retired Sheriff’s Deputy Bob Stotelmeyer of La Puente told Gates. “I retired 18 years ago and would be proud to work again, for you.”

Asked whether Gates deserved criticism for the LAPD’s response to the riots, Stotelmeyer replied, “Aw, that’s ridiculous! His hands were tied by all those City Council people and that dumb Police Commission.”

“Don’t let those creeps run you off,” Lomita Traffic Commissioner Joe Smith whispered into Gates’ ear as the smiling chief inscribed one memorial program after another.

“Sir, I’m very proud to meet you. You’re probably the reason I became a police officer,” said Cerritos Officer Stephen Bedford.

“My dad said if you ever left, he would too,” said 15-year-old Stefani Howe of Claremont, whose father, Los Angeles Police Officer Gary Howe, was among the slain officers honored Tuesday.

Howe, 40, and his partner, Charles R. (Randy) Champe, 47, died last June after their LAPD helicopter encountered engine trouble and crashed in southwest Los Angeles. The two veteran pilots plunged into a vacant lot after steering clear of a crowded schoolyard and a busy intersection to avoid hurting anyone on the ground.

“Even in the face of a life-threatening moment, they gave their lives so that others may survive,” Block said.

Also honored Tuesday was Sheriff’s Deputy Nelson Yamamoto, 26, who was fatally wounded during a March gun battle in Walnut Park with a fugitive accused of three murders. Yamamoto’s alleged killer, Cesar Uriel Mazariego-Molina, escaped but was later killed during a confrontation with authorities in New York.

Magaw and Block also noted the death of Sheriff’s Deputy Richard B. Hammack, 31, of Quartz Hill, who only Monday was fatally shot as he served a search warrant for illegal drugs at an Antelope Valley mobile home. His death in the line of duty will be officially recognized at next year’s service, they said.

During Tuesday’s ceremony, the 23rd such memorial, bronze plaques inscribed with the names of Yamamoto, Howe and Champe were added to a black granite monument to the county’s slain officers.

“I can assure you that neither Deputy Yamamoto nor anyone else whose name is on this wall believed that as law enforcement officers they were going to change the world,” Magaw said. “Six million violent crimes occurred in this country last year alone--and we’re only a few hundred thousand peace officers.

“So what drives a Nelson Yamamoto or a Gary Howe or a Randy Champe to fight against such odds? I can offer only one explanation,” Magaw said. “They knew they could achieve a few small successes, and to them, that was worth the risk.”