Councilman Has High-Profile Role in Police-Deputies Debate : Law enforcement: Les Robbins is a sheriff’s sergeant. Some complain that he faces a conflict of interest in deciding who should patrol the city.

For Councilman Les Robbins, the emotional public hearings on a proposal to replace the city’s police officers with sheriff’s deputies were somewhat personal.

Of the nine councilmen, Robbins took the most jabs as critics questioned whether he should have a say on the issue.

Robbins is a sergeant for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He is also one of the staunchest council advocates for replacing local officers with deputies.

Critics argue that he has a conflict of interest. And some argue that Councilman Warren Harwood, a county employee and a supporter of hiring deputies, also has a conflict.

“I get the feeling some of you are trying to invade our town,” one man yelled at Sheriff’s Department representatives during a recent public hearing at Jefferson Middle School.

As a chorus of angry “Yeahs!” filled the school auditorium, one homicide detective screamed: “They’re on the council, aren’t they?”

Robbins argues that he does not have a professional stake in the matter. As a 17-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department, Robbins believes that his employer, the largest sheriff’s organization in the country, can provide the best law enforcement. And as a 3 1/2-year councilman, Robbins wants to do what is best for his eastside constituents.

“I think I have a right to represent my constituents, who are getting the best level of law enforcement service in at least 15 years,” Robbins said. Seventy percent of his district is patrolled by deputies, who also patrol the northern parts of the city.

During a hearing at Marshall Middle School, one angry resident said he wanted deputies to leave Long Beach altogether. Another yelled: “That includes Les Robbins.”

“He shouldn’t be allowed to vote. Neither should Harwood. They are county employees. And in my mind, they have a small interest in this,” said John Rose, vice president of the Long Beach Police Officers Assn.

Until last January, Robbins had a legal conflict of interest, but a law that would have prevented Robbins from voting on the matter was changed, said Assistant City Atty. Robert E. Shannon.

The new law also affected Harwood.

“Basically, what the new law says is that employees of a county are not deemed to have an interest in a contract with their employer. . .,” Shannon said.

Robbins said that it’s his responsibility to give the residents of his eastside neighborhoods what they want. And they want the Sheriff’s Department, he said.

“My constituents are telling me they want to keep the sheriff’s (deputies),” said Robbins, who works in East Los Angeles and has served as president of the union representing deputies seven times since 1979.

The City Council is expected to vote on the issue by early July. A majority of the council said this week that they plan to support the local force and kill the proposal that would make Long Beach the largest city in the nation without a police department.

Once the dust settles and the council decides who should patrol Long Beach, Robbins said he will back the chosen agency.

“Whatever way it goes,” he said, “you’re going to see me be supportive of law enforcement no matter who it is.”