Informed Opinions on Today’s Topics : Adding 3,000 Officers Hard, Not Impossible

As part of his campaign to “turn L.A. around,” Mayor Richard Riordan pledged to add 3,000 officers to the 7,600-member Los Angeles Police Department during his term in office. Chief Willie L. Williams has publicly dismissed the goal, saying the department lacks the capacity to hire and train that number in four years. A preliminary report produced by Assistant Chief Frank Piersol has suggested several ways the goal might be met, including hiring off-duty officers from other departments to provide police services and increasing the size and number of Police Academy classes.

Can the LAPD expect to meet the mayor’s goal of 3,000 additional police officers in four years?

Mark A. Kroeker, LAPD deputy chief:

“I think with the proper funding and the proper brainstorming and with the extraordinary effort of everyone involved, it’s not a mission impossible. If the plan includes, for example, not only hiring more officers but strategic ways for putting more officers on the street, then the department should be able to figure out how many they can train.”

Laura Chick, city councilwoman who recently donated $70,000 in cash and three staff cars to the LAPD in fulfillment of a campaign promise:

“I absolutely believe it’s possible. I think it’s not so much a matter of where we get the money. I think the big problems will be the logistical problems, in terms of how we deal with the training. I think it’s not only feasible, I think it’s very necessary. We have to start as soon as possible to radically increase our police force.”

Robert L. Scott, president of United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley and a Riordan appointee to the Planning Commission:

“I have faith in the entrepreneurial spirit of our new mayor. There are alternative and phased training techniques that can be used and we can re-employ officers who have been lost to other departments. With meaningful reorganization and budget reallocation, I feel certain that Mayor Riordan will deliver on his promise.”

Ramona Ripston, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California:

“The ACLU twice supported unsuccessful citywide ballot initiatives to add 1,000 more officers. That was an attainable goal. Increasing the department by 3,000 in one mayoral term--a proposal the mayor made without even a rudimentary grasp of the situation--is unwise public policy bound to create far more problems than it would solve.”

Danny Staggs, co-director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League:

“The mayor has committed himself to this goal and those who are reluctant to ensure its success should reconsider their obstructionist attitude and get on board to turn L.A. around. Although it has been stated that in order to obtain the 3,000 officers it will be at the expense of much-needed equipment and training of current personnel, we at the League have not seen any proposals of that type materialize.”

Rick Gibby, senior lead officer for the LAPD’s Devonshire Division:

“It’s kind of far-fetched. I think the goal should be five or six years, maybe. The recruitment and training process is fine, it’s just very time-consuming. I think we have to do that to get the most qualified people.”