BUSH BUDGET CUTS FUNDING FOR POLICE, DEPUTY HIRES.

Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer

The federal COPS program that helped to bring 1,500 LAPD officers and 300 sheriff's deputies to city streets would be slashed under President George W. Bush's proposed 2001-02 budget, ending a key funding source for new hires, officials said Wednesday.

The Justice Department said the popular Community Oriented Policing Services has accomplished its goal of putting 100,000 officers on the job nationwide.

But in Los Angeles - where the Los Angeles Police Department faces a staff shortage that has left it down 800 officers - officials said it will be a challenge to hire in the future without the federal grant funds.

``It's certainly easier to achieve the goals with federal funds,'' said Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Jennifer Roth. ``Is it unachievable? I don't think so. It's a question of priorities.''

Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said while staffing today is at healthy levels, the federal funding could have helped in the future.

``As the population in this city rises, the demand for services rises, we would hope there would be more funding available,'' said sheriff's Cmdr. Paul Tanaka.

Put in place following President Bill Clinton's State of the Union speech in 1994, the COPS program pays a portion of the salary and benefits of new officers for three years, with a pledge from local agencies to fund the position for a fourth year, officials said.

The goal was to increase community policing - having officers work with residents and other government agencies to fight crime rather than leaving them mainly to respond to calls.

The number of departments practicing community policing nationwide has grown from 15 percent in 1993 to 64 percent in 1999, a COPS spokesman said.

Under Bush's proposed 2001-02 budget, there would be no new grant money available, but already approved COPS grants would be funded through the end of their cycle, officials said.

The COPS budget, which includes other programs, would be reduced from $1.037 billion to $855 million, officials said.

``The administration's basis for this is that the goal's been met,'' said Justice Department spokesman Charles Miller. ``The bottom line has been there's just been a number of budget cuts.''

The Department of Justice hopes to emphasize other programs - such as school resource officers - in coming years, Miller said.

Los Angeles officials are not worried about losing funds - the LAPD has $133 million through an already approved COPS grant to hire 710 officers.

In fact, city officials have not sought additional COPS funds because they haven't been able to spend what they have, officials said.