Call-Up Worries Agencies

Southern California law enforcement agencies are bracing for what may be the latest hit to their ranks: Hundreds of police officers and sheriff’s deputies are military reservists who could be called for active duty.

Throughout the state, police departments and other such agencies are making contingency plans in case officers leave in droves for military duty.

Some agencies are considering how to handle shifts without patrol officers, detectives, sergeants and lieutenants--a particularly challenging task in that many already are asking officers to work longer shifts to assist in the hunt for suspects in last week’s attacks and to brace for more possible violence.

For the Los Angeles Police Department, the prospect is particularly daunting: 652 sworn officers and civilians are military reservists subject to call-up. That is the equivalent of about two police stations in the LAPD, which has 18 stations.

The LAPD, moreover, is already stretched thin. The department is down about 800 officers since the early 1990s, and recruitment has declined. Additionally, Mayor James K. Hahn on Tuesday asked the Police Commission to approve a plan to let officers work a more flexible schedule, giving them more days off for working longer hours. Critics say that plan could deplete the LAPD’s street presence, though supporters say it will help recruitment and retention.

Los Angeles City Council members are expected to introduce a motion today allowing city employees who are called to duty to retain their salaries and benefits.

So far, six LAPD officers have left the department for duty.

President George W. Bush on Friday called up 35,000 military reservists, and the administration has suggested that tens of thousands more would be needed if the United States conducts military attacks. The administration also has said it could be a lengthy war.

Reserve officers in all walks of life are subject to the call to duty, but law enforcement agencies are likely to be particularly hard-hit. That’s because many police are drawn from the ranks of the military, and many maintain their reserve status after leaving the service.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department estimates that 236 deputies are active reservists. The department asked every unit this week to determine which deputies would qualify for duty, and officials will decide how to handle the vacancies, if that happens.

The San Diego Police Department estimates that 80 officers are military reservists who could be called up. The department circulated memos this week to determine the overall effect on the department.

Some departments could seek deferments for employees if they are particularly strapped. Also, some experts say that the recent terrorist attacks prove that cities are vulnerable, and as a result, local police will be needed.

“This is not a conventional war,” said Jim Kouri, vice president of the National Assn. of Chiefs of Police. “This is the first time the American mainland is being physically attacked. . . . Because of that, the powers-that-be look at it like a war on the home front, and that’s where local police, FBI and state police get involved.”

If New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, for example, requests that his police officers remain on duty, Kouri and others say the federal government would be hard pressed to turn him down. In Southern California, the threat is more remote, but officials remain alert to possible threats here as well.

During the Gulf War, law enforcement officers were called to duty. Police and sheriff’s departments say they reassigned some officers and paid overtime to others.

LAPD Chief Bernard C. Parks said he is evaluating how his department will handle the loss of hundreds of officers and civilian employees. He suggested that overtime costs will increase if the losses are significant. A small number of Police Department reserves also are military reserves, department records show.

“Any time you lose a large number of personnel, you have to be concerned,” Parks said.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department has about 50 employees who are military reserves. That includes deputies and non-sworn employees. Five of the 50 have been called up, but the department considers the number so small that it is not concerned about the effect on the operations if more are called up, said department spokesman Jon Fleischman.

Officials in smaller departments say they are meeting to determine who might be called up and how to juggle manpower.

“Of course it’s a concern, but we experienced it through Desert Storm. . . . We did without personnel and adjusted,” said Anaheim Police Sgt. Rick Martinez. “We are looking at all contingency plans.”

The department estimates that about a dozen officers are reserves.

Many police officials are attempting to account for long delays before officers return to work. In Santa Ana, police officials are considering how to handle a lengthy period without full staffing.

Santa Ana Police Sgt. Baltazar De La Riva said that as many as 15 officers could leave the department, creating “a problem down the road” if they are away for a long time, particularly given that the department already has vacancies.

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Times staff writers Jack Leonard and Patrick McGreevy contributed to this story.