Anaheim Mayor, Police Union Chief Talking Privately : Labor: Discussions are characterized as ‘fence-mending.’ Wage dispute has lasted 18 months.

The president of the police association and the city’s mayor have been meeting privately in an effort to resolve the officers’ acrimonious 18-month wage dispute.

Both officials declined to discuss details, although police union President Bruce Bottolfson characterized the sessions so far as largely “fence-mending” to “bury the hatchet.”

Bottolfson, president of the Anaheim Police Assn., speculated that Mayor Tom Daly made the initiative because he is “looking for recognition” for putting the deal together.

The mayor is protecting his own political interests, Bottolfson said, adding: “I don’t care, though. If Tom can put the deal together, great.”

Daly, for his part, rejected Bottolfson’s talk about ulterior motives. “I wouldn’t characterize it quite that way,” he said. “I just want to get to settle this in a fair way. If and when there is an agreement there will be plenty of credit to go around.”

The union president added that “Daly, to us, has been the evil emperor.”

The contract dispute between the city and police officers has resulted in several public protests by the officers, including a 24-hour “blue flu” job action two weeks ago. Nearly 200 officers participated in the job action.

Anaheim officers have been working without a contract since July, 1992, and have not had a raise since July, 1991. The officers are seeking a 10% raise through July, 1995, which would cost the city about $7.5 million. The city has offered a 6.5% raise until 1995 with an additional 3.25% to 5% raise in 1996, depending on the inflation rate. That package is worth about $5.2 million.

City officials have insisted that they cannot afford to meet the union’s demands.

Throughout the negotiations, Daly has come under fire from the police association for what it calls a lack of leadership on the issue. Councilmen Bob D. Simpson and Fred Hunter have also criticized the mayor for failing to resolve the dispute.

At one point, an officer, frustrated by the impasse, purposefully ticketed the mayor’s car for expired vehicle tags, department sources said.

Daly acknowledges receiving the ticket but said: “I don’t have any factual basis for the officer’s motivation.” And, he said, “I certainly don’t expect any special treatment.”

The mayor said he still believes the offer the city has made to the police is fair, especially with the city facing an $8-million deficit next fiscal year.

In fact, he said, “we aren’t entirely sure how we are going to pay for this offer on the table . . . but we want to recognize the outstanding work of the officers. They do a great job.”

Daly also said he is committed to increasing the number of officers in the department from 352 to about 400 in the next several years. He has asked city staff to try and find funding for those positions.

The city is seeking a federal grant to help fund 22 new police positions. City officials were told Tuesday by White House officials that they should learn in a couple of weeks whether the city will receive the grant.