CHIEF PARKS' JOB IN JEOPARDY? MAYORAL CANDIDATES COOL ON REAPPOINTMENT.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

The future of Police Chief Bernard C. Parks could be in jeopardy with leading candidates for mayor in April's election voicing dissatisfaction Thursday with how he is performing his job as crime escalates and arrests and officer morale decline.

Four of the leading candidates appeared at a downtown forum, and none offered support for reappointing Parks when his contract expires in 2002, although they carefully avoided calling for his immediate dismissal.

Their comments were similar to those made at a campaign forum Monday night when discussion revolved about reforming the Los Angeles Police Department and the implementation of a consent decree with the U.S. Justice Department.

``Would you eat in a restaurant where 75 (percent) to 80 percent of the workers said they want to work somewhere else?'' businessman and candidate Steve Soboroff asked 500 downtown business leaders Thursday at the forum sponsored by seven business groups. ``Well, we have a situation where 80 percent of our officers want to work somewhere else. I would make my decision based on whether crime goes down, arrests go up and morale improves.''

Parks had no comment about the forum or about his performance being a campaign issue, aides said.

The other candidates at the forum - Councilman Joel Wachs, former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and state Controller Kathleen Connell - voiced similar views. City Attorney James Hahn and Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Los Angeles, did not attend the forum, but made similar statements earlier this week.

Wachs also criticized a decision by Mayor Richard Riordan to give Parks a nearly $30,000 retroactive pay increase.

``He already was the highest-paid police chief in the country and I don't believe Bernard Parks has done all he could to do to deserve to be reappointed,'' Wachs said.

On another issue, the four all agreed they were opposed to secession of the San Fernando Valley and other parts of the city, but said they understood the public frustration.

``People don't feel they are getting their fair share of services,'' Villaraigosa said. ``That's true in Sherman Oaks, in San Pedro, in Westwood, Eagle Rock and Boyle Heights.

``Secession is about frustration and fear of the future and the quality of the services they receive.''

Connell said she also saw it as a frustration with local government not being accessible to people.

``They don't feel they have a voice in government,'' Connell said. ``If I'm elected, I will only spend two days (a week) downtown. The other three days, I will be around the city and (I will) appoint deputy mayors to meet with people to let me know their concerns.''