Riordan Picks Police Union President as Deputy Mayor : City Hall: William Violante is one of Chief Williams’ harshest critics. His role will involve him in LAPD reform.

In a risky gambit that could alienate popular Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams, Mayor-elect Richard Riordan on Wednesday appointed one of the chief’s fiercest critics--the head of the city’s police union--to the post of deputy mayor.

The appointment of Police Protective League President William C. Violante seems likely to secure Riordan’s popularity with rank-and-file police officers. But it drew immediate fire from Police Department critics, who questioned whether the new Administration will be able to work effectively with the chief to reform the LAPD.

Riordan told Williams to sit down when he called the chief Wednesday morning to tell him of the selection. There were about 15 seconds of stunned silence over the telephone when he delivered the news, Riordan said. But Riordan said Williams eventually warmed to the idea.

“The more we talked the more he liked it,” Riordan said. “I think . . . that he was very much in tune with the idea. He thinks it’s a great idea because you can’t have good reform unless you include the rank and file.”

Williams could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but one source who spoke to the chief said privately that he is “livid,” and another described him as “floored” by Violante’s selection.

As union chief, Violante has publicly criticized Williams, accusing him of building political capital at the expense of police officers and of moving too slowly to implement some reforms.

“The bottom line is that you have talked a good game with the public,” Violante said in a recent open letter to Williams. “But you have implemented nothing to improve officers’ working conditions.”

Although many rank-and-file police officers express misgivings about Williams, he is one of the city’s most popular public figures. The Times Poll earlier this year found that 67% of Los Angeles residents approved of Williams’ job performance, compared to just 39% who approved of Tom Bradley’s performance as mayor.

Wednesday, Violante promised to work closely with Williams and put their differences behind them. “I will ensure that reform of the Los Angeles Police Department takes place . . . change the public perception of the Police Department and . . . get more police officers on the street.”

On the eve of today’s inauguration, Riordan also named two other deputy mayors. Jadine Nielsen, executive director of Riordan’s transition effort, will handle community outreach. Michael F. Keeley, an attorney in Riordan’s firm, will work to make government more efficient and responsive and will be the city’s first openly gay deputy mayor.

Those appointments were not controversial, but Violante’s took many by surprise.

Some, however, said it made perfect sense in light of the union’s support of Riordan during the campaign. The Police Protective League helped the candidate defuse a potentially crippling controversy by continuing to endorse him even after the revelation of three alcohol-related arrests.

Violante will be the mayor’s liaison with the police, fire and parks departments. Although Violante will advise the mayor, department heads will continue to run their own operations under control of mayor-appointed, policy-setting commissions. Still, Violante is expected to work closely with Williams on the crucial issue of police reform--a task that already has pitted the two men against each other.

The union initially opposed a police reform measure approved by voters a year ago, but lately has embraced certain reforms and has criticized Williams for failing to implement them.

Despite Violante’s recent calls for police reforms, critics said they are wary of his commitment to the process and fear that he will not move aggressively to shake up a department that is still attempting to rebuild after the Rodney G. King beating.

“My initial impression is that this is a discouraging announcement,” said Jerome Skolnick, a UC Berkeley professor who has written extensively about the LAPD. “I think this will hearten those who would prefer to move backward rather than ahead with reform under Willie Williams.”

But Geoffrey L. Garfield, spokesman for the Police Protective League, said: “There’s no question that (Violante’s) commitment to reform is 100%.”

Riordan plans to appoint five deputy mayors. In addition to Violante, a Canyon Country resident who plans to move to Los Angeles, Riordan turned to close allies for the other slots filled Wednesday. Nielsen, 44, an Asian-American resident of San Francisco, managed Riordan’s campaign and led President Clinton’s Northern California operation last year. She plans to move to Los Angeles to become deputy mayor for executive and legislative affairs.

Keeley, 39, deputy mayor for city services, is a former Peace Corps volunteer who joined Riordan & McKinzie in 1981 after graduating from Riordan’s alma mater, the University of Michigan Law School. The Los Angeles resident has been politically active in the gay community and specializes in real estate law.

Riordan also announced Wednesday that William G. Ouchi, a UCLA management professor, will take a one-year leave of absence to advise him on restructuring the city bureaucracy.

The two other deputy mayors and dozens of citizen commissioners will be named early next week.

Riordan also announced that J. Christopher Lewis, a general partner in Riordan’s investment company, will manage a blind trust to handle the mayor’s investments.

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