Officials Get New Jobs in LAPD Shake-Up : Police: More than 12 mid- to high-level officers will change assignments as part of Chief Williams’ controversial reorganization.

More than a dozen mid- to high-level Los Angeles Police Department officials will receive new assignments today in the next major phase of Chief Willie L. Williams’ shake-up of the force, sources said.

Some of the shifts merely formalize Williams’ controversial announcement in September that he would reorganize the department, notably the installation of Deputy Chief Ronald Banks as the LAPD’s second-highest-ranking official. Williams notified city council members of the shifts Monday.

Although creation of a new position such as the one for Banks normally would require council approval, the announcements expected by Williams do not depend on council action. That is because of a top-level vacancy at the department, created when Williams abruptly demoted Assistant Chief Bernard Parks last fall--a move that plunged the chief into the biggest controversy of his 2 1/2-year-old administration.

To complete his reorganization, however, Williams will need to submit parts of the plan to the City Council. That is because Williams intends to change the structure of the Police Department from having two assistant chiefs to having three. The additional position will cost more money, and the council has the power to consider all funding requests.

But when Williams brings that part of his proposal to the council, he will forward it to a body that no longer includes a potentially difficult adversary.

On Monday, City Councilman Zev Yaroslavsky, a vocal critic of Williams, was sworn in as a county supervisor. Yaroslavsky chaired the council’s Budget Committee, but his job change ensures that the Police Department will not have to confront him over Williams’ reorganization.

Although Banks’ promotion would be the most visible of the changes, it comes amid a host of shifting assignments. Tim McBride, the popular commanding officer of the LAPD’s Air Support Division, will take over as the department’s chief spokesman, a position vacated when Cmdr. David J. Gascon was promoted to deputy chief and took over responsibility for the department’s expansion plan.

A number of department captains also will be transferred, as will its highest-ranking woman. Detective Robert Kimball will move from Internal Affairs to Bunco-Forgery; he will swap jobs with Capt. Margaret York, the LAPD’s highest-ranking woman, who will inherit the sensitive Internal Affairs post.

In the San Fernando Valley, Foothill Division Patrol Capt. Robert Gale has been reassigned to the West Valley Division. Gale, who arrived at Foothill just last March, will be replaced by Lt. George V. Aliano, a 30-year veteran.

Cmdr. John Moran, second in command of all Valley divisions, said he also expects to be reassigned to a new position within the next three weeks, but did not speculate about his new job or who would replace him.

“It’s always tough to leave a nice assignment,” said Moran, was oversaw the Valley Bureau’s specialized gang, prostitution, auto theft, training and support units.

Gale, who could not be reached for comment, will fill the patrol captain position in West Valley, which was left vacant several months ago by Capt. Harlan Ward, who now works at the Valley Traffic division.

Aliano, who has spent the bulk of the last two years heading Valley narcotics, has worked a laundry list of assignments during his three decades with the LAPD, including a 12-year stint at the Los Angeles Police Protective League, where he served as president for 7 1/2 years.

While anticipating a heavy work load as a patrol captain, Aliano said he looks forward to starting his new assignment. He will join Foothill Area Capt. Ronald Bergmann, who took over as commanding officer at the division in September.

“It’s a very diverse community,” Aliano said of the Foothill Division. “I’m going to do what I can as a patrol captain to ensure that not only my people but that the narcotics people have a lot of support, because it will definitely impact the gangs.”

Later this week, another round of changes could complete the reorganization, officials said. Those changes probably would include the promotion of Deputy Chief Bayan Lewis to the rank of assistant chief in charge of the LAPD’s Office of Operations, which oversees 80% of all officers in the department.

That move would require council backing because Lewis would become the third assistant chief in a department only authorized for two.