Bidding Dispute Blocks Police Training Facility

A Superior Court judge has issued a temporary restraining order delaying construction of a police driver-training center in Granada Hills at the request of a construction firm that complained the bidding process was flawed.

The order bars the city from awarding a contract to build the 44-acre facility near the Van Norman Reservoir, where the police department plans to practice shooting and high-speed driving techniques.

Construction was scheduled to be completed by April 1997.

Last week, the Los Angeles Board of Public Works voted to grant a $22.5-million contract to build the facility to a partnership including American Kuk Dong Inc. and Advanced Architect & Development Co.

But on Tuesday, Judge Robert H. O’Brien issued an order to the city to suspend the contract award, at the request of Prinner Construction, which failed to get the contract. Prinner sued, alleging that the partnership that won the contract failed to meet city rules regarding how much work can be done by subcontractors.

Police Cmdr. Carlo Cudio, who oversees the project for the police department, said the longer the contract is delayed, the longer it will take to complete the facility.

“It’s very frustrating,” he said.

Police officials have said the department has had difficulty meeting state-mandated requirements for driver training because the department does not have its own facility. For years, police have trained at a facility operated at Ontario Airport by other police agencies.

Assistant City Atty. Chris Westoff said O’Brien ordered a hearing in June to consider Prinner Construction’s complaint about the city’s bidding process.

But Westoff said the city may be able to resolve the problem before then by addressing the complaint and requesting new bids.