BILL HIGHLIGHTS MEXICAN POLICY.

Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Killing a law enforcement officer and fleeing the country would become a federal crime under legislation introduced Monday by two Southern California congressmen seeking to highlight Mexico's extradition policy.

Mexico refuses to extradite criminal suspects to the United States in cases where the suspects could face the death penalty or life imprisonment, noting that its Supreme Court has ruled such sentences constitute cruel and unusual punishment.

Los Angeles County officials say the policy has made it virtually impossible to bring cop killers and others back to the United States for trial. Authorities estimate there are 2,500 to 3,000 people accused of U.S. killings currently hiding in Mexico.

While fleeing the country to avoid prosecution is already a federal crime, the bill by Reps. David Dreier and Adam Schiff would extend the law to apply to killings involving police officers.

``Killing a cop is not just a county or a city problem. This is a national problem. This is an outgrowth of permissive borders of the past,'' said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who was in Washington, D.C., for a weekend ceremony honoring police officers killed in the line of duty.

Baca stayed to make a public push for the bill he helped originate.

Dreier, R-Glendora, and Schiff, D-Pasadena, said they have been working together on congressional ways to address extradition issues since 2002, when Deputy David March was killed during a traffic stop in Irwindale.

The alleged shooter, Armando Garcia, fled to Mexico and has not yet been located. He also is wanted in connection with two other attempted killings in Baldwin Park.

Both lawmakers said they hope that by federalizing the crime, more resources will become available to local police and prosecutors trying to track down suspects.

David March's father, John, said in a telephone interview from his Santa Clarita home that he believes the measure would ``streamline the process with which cop killers are brought to justice.''

Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley said in a statement that the bill could have the unintended consequence of ``giving suspected cop killers a break.''

He noted that while defendants convicted of killing police officers are not eligible for parole under state law, they could be under federal law.

``The effect of this legislation would be to prohibit the state from prosecuting defendants charged with murdering peace officers when local police and state prosecutors are much more experienced and, frankly, better at it,'' he said.

Schiff, a former U.S. attorney, said he also believes state prosecutors generally hold an advantage in going after cop killers. But he and Dreier both said the bill's goal is not to supersede any agency's jurisdiction, but rather to help states that need extra resources.

Schiff said he believes Congress alone cannot solve the extradition issue and said it will require a major push by the Bush administration.

Lisa Friedman, [phone]

lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com