Williams Seeks OK to Carry Concealed Weapon : Police: The approval would allow the chief to arm himself pending successful completion of a state test. He has received death threats, which an official says go with the job of heading the LAPD.

Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams, whose high-profile job has drawn the usual assortment of death threats, is seeking approval to carry a concealed weapon until he passes the state’s standardized test for peace officers and becomes entitled to arm himself.

“It just makes good sense to have a concealed weapon,” said Lt. John M. Dunkin, a department spokesman. So far, the threats against the new chief have been “nothing out of the ordinary,” said Dunkin and officials of the Police Commission, which will take up the request today.

A perquisite of Williams’ position is an armed police officer who acts as bodyguard and driver, but the officer does not accompany the chief during off-duty hours.

Department officials downplayed the threats against Williams, saying that it is common for highly visible public figures to receive hate mail and phone calls.

Police Cmdr. Frank Piersol, the Police Commission’s operations commander, acknowledged that there have been “some specific as well as general threats” against Williams, but said he is not aware of the details. At least one threat, Piersol said, was received before Williams was sworn into office.

One threat, written by a prison inmate, is under investigation by the department’s Criminal Conspiracy Section, “but it’s not that unusual,” said Detective Tom King, who added that former Police Chief Daryl F. Gates was “constantly subjected to threats.”

Williams, who was Philadelphia’s police commissioner, must take a written exam by the state Commission on Police Officers’ Standards and Training to become certified in California and authorized to carry a gun.

But officials are comparing Williams’ credentials to California’s requirements to determine whether he should receive any equivalency credits, said Frederick Williams, chief of the commission’s Compliance and Certificates Services Bureau.

State certification also authorizes officers to make arrests and serve warrants--routine powers that have little to do with the daily duties of a police chief, Williams said.

Still, the new chief agreed to become certified when he accepted the job and intends to take care of it quickly, said Police Commissioner Anthony de los Reyes.

“My understanding is it’s a priority item and he’ll be attending to it very soon,” Reyes said. “I don’t think he anticipated being so busy.”

In other business today, the Police Commission is expected to adopt a motion asking the City Council to create the position of an executive director for the Police Commission and exempt the civilian’s post from a citywide hiring freeze. The position was recommended by the Christopher Commission and included in Charter Amendment F, the police reform measure adopted by voters in June.

Under the plan, a civilian executive director would provide the Police Commission with greater independence from the department and better oversight. Piersol and other sources said the Police Commission has no candidate in mind, and cannot begin soliciting applications until the post is created.