CHIEF SHAPES SLEEKER LAPD ORGANIZATION.

Byline: Jason Kandel Staff Writer

Police Chief William Bratton on Friday unveiled his blueprint for reorganizing the LAPD - a plan he says will erase the current autocratic, top-down management structure by putting day-to-day operations in the hands of subordinates and local commanders.

Bratton's plan cuts nearly in half the number of deputy and assistant chiefs reporting directly to him and attempts to get rid of the LAPD's militaristic management structure union by delegating authority and responsibility down the chain of command.

Likening the Los Angeles Police Department to a ship stuck in a harbor, Bratton told top officials at the end of their three-day retreat in Oxnard that it is time to get the agency moving again.

``It's a ship tied, not with ropes, but with glue,'' Bratton said. ``It's been a while since you've sailed out of safe harbor. We need to do that. We need to get detectives back in the game. We need to get cops more time to patrol.

``Let's take this SS Los Angeles and move it.

``This is the most critical business in America today - making people safe. And we could do a lot more to make a lot more people safe.''

The plan won quick approval from the police union and Mayor James Hahn.

``(He) is putting more resources out into the community, out into the field, but with a heavy dose of accountability at all levels,'' said Deputy Mayor Matt Middlebrook. ``His approach has been to push - and to keep pushing - responsibility down. To put it on the captains for holding the troops responsible.

``We're glad he is continuing to move quickly to bring needed changes to the LAPD because these steps are necessary to bring down crime.''

Bratton put his three assistant chiefs at the top of the chain of command, managing support services, operations and administration. The chain of command filters down from there.

Four other department heads, including the new bureaus of Homeland Security and Consent Decree report to him for a total of seven - compared with the 13 who reported to former Chief Bernard C. Parks.

Police Protective League President Bob Baker, who attended the three-day retreat at the Embassy Suites Hotel, applauded Bratton's plan.

``I think it's taken away a lot of bureaucracy,'' he said. ``It is more streamlined. We've been stuck and mired for over a decade. I don't see that there's more bureaucracy at all.''

In December, Bratton had promised to shake up the department, saying he disliked the LAPD's militaristic, top-down management structure based on command and control. This structure was heavily criticized by a 2002 UCLA-USC study, which was released at that time.

``This is a breath of fresh air,'' said Warren H. Schmidt, emeritus professor of policy, planning and development at USC, one of three professors who led the study.

``There are so many competent people in the organization. There is a better chance of making use of them under this plan, rather than the old system where everything went through Parks. It'll be a boost for morale.''

Bratton and his staff are expected to fine-tune the organization during the next few weeks. He said his plan-of-action document is due by March 31.

LAPD Assistant Chief George Gascon, who heads the Human Resources Bureau and will head Support Services under the new plan, said this is the most significant department restructuring that has occurred in his two decades with the department.

Staff Writer Mariel Garza contributed to this report.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) LAPD Police Chief Bratton

(2) Former Police Chief Parks

Box:

LAPD'S REORGANIZATION

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