BRATTON, TIMONEY QUIZZED EAST COAST RIVALS FOR TOP COP, L.A. BRASS MEET.

Byline: Mariel Garza Staff Writer

In a second day of interviews for the job as L.A.'s top cop, East Coast candidates William Bratton and John Timoney met Tuesday with Mayor James Hahn and other city officials, with the interviews stretching into the evening.

Bratton, the former commissioner of the New York Police Department, met at 1:30 p.m. with Hahn, City Council President Alex Padilla and Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski, chairwoman of the council's Public Safety Committee.

Timoney, former commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department, began his scheduled meeting at 2:15 p.m., an interview that extended into the dinner hour.

Bratton is set to return to Getty House today for his one-on-one meeting with Hahn. He declined to comment Tuesday evening on how his initial session went.

Timoney and Bratton are two of the three candidates for the job left open by ousted Los Angeles Police Chief Bernard C. Parks. The third candidate, Oxnard Police Chief Art Lopez, a former deputy chief and 27-year veteran of the LAPD, met with Hahn on Monday for nearly six hours.

Hahn said he's going to take his time in selecting his pick, subject to the confirmation of the council.

``It's going to be a tough decision for the mayor to make,'' Padilla said after meeting with Bratton and Timoney.

Padilla wouldn't say if he has a favorite at this point, only that ``we're impressed with all three candidates.''

While the mayor ponders the three candidates, others are doing their own research into the candidates.

The board of the police officers union, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, planned to meet Tuesday with Lopez and today with Bratton, said PPL President Mitzi Grasso. The board would like to talk to Timoney as well, but at midday Tuesday was still waiting to hear back from him.

Grasso said that the PPL, which represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, may endorse one of the candidates depending on the outcome of the meetings.

``We're going to meet and talk with them and see who moves us,'' Grasso said.

And Councilman Nate Holden will be going directly to the officers to hear their thoughts on the next LAPD chief. Beginning today he will visit all of the department's police stations to talk to the officers and hand out questionnaires.

``We've heard from the mayor on what he wants in the next chief. We've heard from the Police Commission and a blue-ribbon panel,'' Holden said. ``But we haven't heard from the rank and file.''

At least one city official has already made his choice. Councilman Nick Pacheco said Tuesday that's he backing Lopez for the job.

``Here's someone who lives in the Valley, who went through the ranks on the Eastside and moved up the ranks on the Eastside and everyone agrees he's qualified. That's not even a question,'' Pacheco said. ``He's an outsider, but also an insider. He can implement the (federal) consent decree. How much better can it get?''