Mayor Appeals to Clinton for Help With Police Buildup : Government: Riordan also marshals House members’ support for Administration crime bill. Meanwhile, Congress passes measure that blocks attempts to use airport funds for public safety.

Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan lobbied President Clinton at the White House on Thursday as Congress began to tackle the Administration’s crime bill, a potential source of funds for the mayor’s ambitious plan to hire thousands more police officers.

After meeting with Clinton in the Oval Office, Riordan emerged upbeat and said the President understood the city’s law enforcement needs.

“Los Angeles has to be a top priority for the Administration,” Riordan said. “That makes me very optimistic that we’re going to get a reasonable share of the money.”

The mayor, on his second visit to Washington on mayoral business, also testified before a House Judiciary subcommittee and talked strategy with California House members, who are in key positions to shepherd the bill through the legislative maze.

The cornerstone of Riordan’s mayoral campaign was his promise to add 3,000 officers to the understaffed Los Angeles Police Department.

He has suggested diverting revenue from Los Angeles International Airport to help fund the buildup--but that is not permitted under federal law. On Thursday, Congress passed a transportation spending measure that imposes further obstacles to such a plan.

In light of staunch congressional opposition to diversion of airport revenues, attention has shifted to the crime bill as a way to partially fund the LAPD expansion.

The bill would provide $3.4 billion in federal funds to hire 50,000 additional police officers nationwide.

Although Riordan emphasized that no firm number of officers was discussed, he said Los Angeles officials were hoping to add 100 to 500 officers through the federal program.

Earlier in the day, Riordan made a series of office visits to California House members on the Judiciary Committee and others to discuss tactics for getting the bill passed and maximizing the benefits for Los Angeles.

The mayor was reminded that members from less urban districts outnumber those from the big cities.

“I made the point that Los Angeles should not be seen grabbing money from the rural cities,” said Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los Angeles), a freshman member of the Judiciary Committee. “This is good politics, common sense and a good sales pitch.”

Riordan also met with California Reps. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City), Carlos Moorhead (R-Glendale), Julian C. Dixon (D-Los Angeles), Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Steve Horn (R-Long Beach).

Clinton has vowed to pay special attention to California in light of the weakening of its economy by defense cutbacks and base closures. And Riordan hopes to parlay that into more police on city streets.

Riordan, whose police expansion proposal released last week included no long-term funding details, insisted Thursday that he will carry through with his plan “with or without the federal government’s help.”

Riordan said he did not discuss with Clinton alternative methods of obtaining funds to hire police, although Berman has begun negotiations with the White House to reach a compromise in the battle over Riordan’s plan to divert some airport revenues to hire more police.

The Riordan initiative on airport funds helped stir up a new wave of congressional opposition to such maneuvers. On Thursday, the House on a voice vote passed a transportation spending bill that contained an amendment from Rep. Bob Carr (D-Mich.) that bars all federal transportation funds from cities or states that divert airport funds to other uses.

Although the city cannot now divert airport funds, the amendment could frustrate future attempts.

The transportation bill also contained $170 million in construction funds for the Metro Rail Red Line, including $100 million for extensions to North Hollywood, the Eastside and Mid-City.