COUNCIL BACKS LAPD EXPANSION GREUEL STILL URGES MEASURE A SUPPORT.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Moving to find more money to hire police officers, the Los Angeles City Council backed efforts Friday to make city government more efficient and use half the savings to expand the Los Angeles Police Department.

The council, in an 11-0 vote, approved the proposal from Councilwoman Wendy Greuel and others to get a recommendation in 60 days on the steps needed to create an account that would be funded by savings achieved through greater efficiencies in city departments.

``We know, at a minimum, that we need 3,000 more police officers,'' Greuel said. ``The LAPD long has been understaffed and overmatched by the sheer expanse of its service area.''

Greuel said that is one reason why she is urging the public to support Measure A, the half-percent sales-tax increase on Tuesday's ballot.

Measure A, a countywide measure that needs two-thirds support, would bring in about $560 million a year for the sheriff, city police departments and other law enforcement and public-safety agencies. The LAPD would get about $167 million a year, enough to hire 1,260 officers, according to city officials' estimates.

Greuel's plan would provide more officers in addition to any provided by Measure A.

She said her goal is for the city to set aside enough money to hire 1,740 more officers after Measure A takes effect.

Her proposal calls on city agencies to improve their operations, with any savings being equally divided between the department and the new LAPD fund.

Greuel cited several areas in which the city could either become more efficient or make more money.

Among these would be having a booking fee that allows the city to charge other jurisdictions for jailing their prisoners, improving ambulance billing and developing automated fuel sites in transportation yards.

``We need to pass Measure A to put more officers on the street,'' Greuel said. ``This does not take away from that. But if we are going to make Los Angeles the safest big city in the nation, we are going to need more police officers.''

The LAPD has a sworn force of nearly 9,100 officers. Mayor James Hahn and Police Chief Bill Bratton have said they want to see it grow to 12,500 officers.

There has been some concern in political circles that the council action could jeopardize voter support for Measure A by showing there are other ways to fund police services.

``We don't think it will change the minds of voters,'' said Rick Taylor, who is managing the campaign. ``It is always difficult to get two-thirds support for any measure. We think voters will understand how important this is.''

Taylor said contributions to the campaign have totaled less than organizers had hoped for, but its commercials are on television this final weekend. The ad spending amounts to more than $1.3 million.

Earlier, the campaign was given a boost when Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa, a co-chairman of the campaign, put $500,000 of money he had collected in an account for television commercials.

Greuel said the city needed to show it also took the situation seriously.

``We need Measure A, but we need to do our part as well,'' Greuel said.

The proposal was backed by several council members.

Council President Alex Padilla said the city needed to act on its own while seeking voter support.

``Even if Measure A passes, it only gets us about halfway to where we need to be,'' Padilla said. ``We need to have a plan to get the rest of the way to add 3,000 officers.''

Councilman Dennis Zine said he also supported the plan and pointed to the needs that will be coming in the near future with the opening of a new station in the north San Fernando Valley.

``We are going to be taking officers from other areas to staff that station,'' Zine said. ``It reaches a point where we just don't have enough officers.''

In a related action, Councilman Bernard Parks, who has been critical of the LAPD and its flexible work schedule, filed a request for a report on police response times.

Parks questioned statements this past week about improved response times in the Valley by officers using lights and sirens to respond to calls.

Parks said he wanted a comparison with other areas of the city.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com