Officers’ Court Dates Run Up Overtime Bill : LAPD: The department paid more than $27 million in two years to witnesses, some of whom never testified. The city controller calls for reform.

The Los Angeles Police Department has paid more than $27 million in overtime over the last two years for court appearances by police, with much of the pay going to officers who were on call but never testified, an audit released Thursday concludes.

The cost could be substantially reduced by improved court scheduling, according to the audit by the city controller’s office.

Controller Rick Tuttle on Thursday called on the Police Department, district attorney’s office and court officials to work out a system “to only call officers . . . when they are needed for trial.”

The audit also found that the Police Department could save more than $1.3 million a year by using lower-paid civilians, rather than officers, to track and record overtime. It also called on the City Council to pay officers immediately for their extra hours, rather than allowing them to accumulate overtime that costs the city more in the long run.

The audit found that many officers use the delayed payment of their overtime to extend their retirement dates and fringe benefits. As a result, the city could be facing a bill of as much as $74 million in police overtime that has been allowed to accrue without payment.

Police Chief Willie L. Williams did not respond to requests for comment on the audit, but the controller’s office said the chief had embraced the recommendations in a meeting Wednesday.

At least one judge expressed skepticism about attempts to reduce the number of officers called to courts. Also, the police union would likely raise stiff opposition to any attempt to reduce or alter pay for officers on call to testify in court, department officials said.

The audit found that from July, 1990, to July, 1992, more than a quarter of the department’s overtime went for officers either attending court sessions or waiting to be called.

Officers who wait at home or elsewhere for calls to appear in court are paid a minimum of two hours of overtime--even if they never testify. In a random check of 110 overtime charges, the audit found that 70% of payments went to officers “on call” who did not necessarily appear in court.

One police commander told the controller’s office that courts keep too many officers on call.

The audit found that the large court overtime costs continue, despite a 1978 plan that allowed officers to be placed on call and receive a minimum two hours’ pay rather than waiting in court while receiving continuous compensation.

The Police Department has begun a pilot program in the San Fernando Valley to reduce court costs. The program attempts to take advantage of a new state law that allows increased use of hearsay testimony in preliminary hearings--eliminating the need for some courtroom appearances by police.

Judge Cecil J. Mills, supervisor of the Superior Court’s criminal division, said the courts “ought to be exploring ways to improve.”

Another judge, who asked not to be named, said many jurists prefer to call officers and other witnesses early and keep them in court to avoid delaying trials. “Keeping an officer on overtime is the minimum amount of the expense,” the judge said.