CITY VOTERS TO HAVE A SAY ON AIRPORT POLICE MERGER.

Byline: Rick Orlov and James Nash Staff Writers

Despite strong opposition from Los Angeles Airport police officers, the City Council gave preliminary approval Wednesday to ask voters to allow the airport police to merge with the Los Angeles Police Department.

The council voted 10-3 to ask voters on May 17 to remove a provision from the City Charter that prohibits the 328-officer airport police force from merging with the LAPD.

``We need to have greater control and the right to make changes,'' Councilman Jack Weiss argued. ``We have a charter that was adopted prior to 9-11 and we need greater flexibility to respond to a potential emergency.''

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski urged the council to submit the plan to voters, calling it a procedural change to make it easier for the city to look at the way the department provides security.

``This does not mean we will have a merger,'' Miscikowski said. ``What it says is we will make the City Council a partner with Los Angeles World Airports on security at the airport.''

The council did approve a Miscikowski amendment to require a two-thirds vote of the council for any merger of police services at the airports.

However, members of the 328-officer Los Angeles Police Officers Association said they will fight the proposal. Airport police Chief Bernard Wilson also objected to the proposal, calling it an overreaction to negative publicity surrounding his force.

The idea of folding airport police into the LAPD has gained momentum in recent weeks with media reports that airport officers botched several high- profile incidents and were videotaped wasting time while on duty.

``This effort appears to be predicated by a small handful of issues that exist in any police agency,'' Wilson said.

Councilwoman Janice Hahn - along with Tom LaBonge and Ed Reyes - opposed seeking the charter change.

``The airport and the port police are specialized details,'' Hahn said. ``When we changed the charter in 1999, it was decided to keep them separate from the LAPD because of the requirements of the job.

``And, I have to say, if we were to look at the two agencies, we have far fewer rogue officers at the airport than we do at LAPD.''

Hahn also argued the city should wait until a nearly $1 million study is completed next month on reviewing security needs at the airport.

``We don't lose anything by waiting,'' Hahn said. ``We can make the changes we need if the study recommends it, without taking this step now. There is no reason to remove this protection for our airport police without knowing what it will lead to.''

LAPD Chief William Bratton, however, has supported the change, saying it would provide a more coordinated response to emergencies.

But Officer Leon Nixon of the airport police supervisors association said the airport officers now work with 15 different law enforcement agencies without problems. He said a merger would not be in the best interests of LAX or travelers.

``Crime is down at the airport and there is no evidence a merger would improve security,'' Nixon said. ``Our coordination with other agencies is the best it's ever been and the real question is what the cost would be if we did have such a merger.''

Representatives of the Air Transport Association, which represents airlines, said they also oppose the charter change and any effort to merge the officers into the LAPD.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com