Chief Orders Detectives to Work Nights : Hours: Weekend shifts will also be added. Plan takes effect in June. Some say change favors patrol officers.

In a move to improve service and save money, Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams has ordered detectives citywide to give up their bankers’ hours and start working nights and weekends.

“This will allow detectives to be more efficient about responding to crime scenes and it will cut down on overtime,” said Lt. John Dunkin, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Under the plan--scheduled to take effect June 11--most detectives will remain on day shifts, but a skeleton crew at each of the police department’s 18 divisions will work weekend and night shifts.

The new schedule will allow detectives to interview suspects and answer public inquiries throughout the night. In addition, said police officials, having detectives available 20 hours a day to respond to crime scenes will also free uniformed officers to spend more time patrolling city streets.

But the change has upset some detectives, who say it is more evidence the department is favoring patrol officers, who in their current contract received a 2% pay bonus on top of department-wide raises. Patrol officers have also been issued new cars over the past year.

“We’re really beginning to feel the crunch,” said Detective Rick Swanston, who heads homicide detectives at the West Valley Division. “Now we’re going to be working nights and weekends, and we’re not getting squat.”

Some detectives criticized the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing police officers, for agreeing to the change.

“There are some people who don’t like it,” said one detective from the Southwest Division. “They feel like the league should have brought it to the members for a vote.” Dennis Zine, a league director, said the expanded schedule is “an attempt to better serve the public and move cases through so that justice can be served.

“This department has been criticized for not conducting thorough investigations and not having state of the art equipment,” Zine said. “The chief is trying the best he can to make it work.”

Lt. Bob Normandy of the Devonshire Division said the plan will mean detectives will be more available to respond to crimes, but acknowledged it may be upsetting to those who dislike working weekends.

“Historically it’s been a longstanding complaint among uniform personnel that when something happens there are no detectives around,” said Normandy, who supervises detectives at the Devonshire station. “But now there’ll be someone here.”

Detectives assigned night shifts will work four 10-hour days per week, while their colleagues will continue to work five days a week.

Some detectives complain there will be fewer of them to investigate crimes during the day. Others criticize the proposed night shifts, saying they were drawn to investigative work, in part, because of its regular work hours.

“Evening watches can really affect family life,” said one detective. “But the department doesn’t really look at that . . . they look at the department’s needs.”

Dunkin acknowledged the new schedule is unpopular among some detectives.

“I’d be lying to you if I said it wasn’t being met with some resistance,” Dunkin said. “But once people get used it, it should be OK.”

Most detectives at the Van Nuys, Rampart, Wilshire and Harbor divisions are already working four-day weeks under a pilot program that has been welcomed by many.

“Generally speaking it’s working quite well from a detective’s standpoint,” said Lt. Richard Blankenship, who heads Van Nuys Division detectives. “Most of my detectives are enjoying the plan and having the extra day off . . . It’s been a boost to detective morale.”

Police and union officials said they will evaluate the new schedule in six months to gauge its impact on overtime paid and the number of sick days taken.