IS LAPD HURT BY THREE-DAY WORKWEEK?

Byline: SUE DOYLE Staff Writer

As the Los Angeles Police Department tries to beef up its ranks with 1,000 more officers, critics say the problem isn't just a lack of officers but a three-day workweek that leaves patrols thin.

About 70 percent of LAPD officers work a 12-hour shift, but the department could put more squad cars on the streets if it switched to a traditional five-day schedule, contends City Councilman Bernard Parks, former police chief and a longtime foe of the compressed workweek.

The department is constantly ``moving people around chasing the most recent firestorm,'' Parks said. ``The number of officers in place to provide day-to-day service has dissipated, and that's because of the three- day workweek.''

The condensed schedule began in 1997 as a pilot program. It was adopted after former Mayor James Hahn's 2001 election to boost police morale, help with recruitment and reduce the rate of officers defecting to other departments that offer flexible work schedules.

Police Chief William Bratton expects the schedule -- said to be popular among the ranks -- to remain as is. Crime has decreased during the four years it has been in effect, he said.

``There's an old adage: `If it's not broken, don't fix it,''' the chief said. ``The current schedule is working for us, and I don't anticipate any changes.''

However, after the schedule began, there were 22 percent fewer officers on the streets and 36 percent fewer cruisers responding to calls, according to a study by City Administrative Officer Bill Fujioka.

In response to the report, Deputy Chief Michel Moore, the San Fernando Valley's top cop, said compressed workweeks are only one of the contributors to the study's findings and are not the sole influence. He added that the department of 9,000 officers is understaffed, which is why Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has said he wants to add 1,000 more cops in the next five years.

``It's difficult, if not impossible, to assess blame or credit to the work schedule for these matters,'' Moore said.

Depending on their assignments, LAPD officers can also work four-day, 10-hour shifts.

A City Council committee is expected to hold a hearing on the report and could ultimately make changes. Fujioka said no hearing date has been scheduled.

The city report also recommends talking to residents and cops to get their feedback on the schedule. The department wants that research to measure whether the compressed workweeks are truly creating incentives for officers, Moore said.

The surveys could also provide an outlet to unhappy officers who don't want to speak up about their schedules, Parks said. He said some don't want to break ranks and gripe about it because they fear being ostracized by the police union and others on the force.

Married officers with grueling commutes say they rarely get to see their families in between working the long hours on the three-day shifts, and those with child-care needs find it tough to get coverage for their 15-hour days. And other officers say the schedules don't allow them to build relationships with the public, Parks said.

``It's rare that I go to a meeting and do not find officers who say, `This is killing us,' but they don't have the ability to say anything,'' he said.

Similar schedules have been used by other L.A.-area police departments, some with more success than others.

Before shifting to its three-day workweek in 1994, the Burbank Police Department measured overtime, sick days and field activity -- response times, number of tickets issued and other police work -- for up to 18 months, Sgt. Kevin Grandalski said.

Those results set the bar for officer expectations on their compressed schedules. Since then, the three-day workweek -- which began as part of contract negotiations -- has been expanded to include the traffic bureau and jailers. Grandalski said he hasn't heard any officer complaints.

``As a family person, you have more family time because you are gone for three days, and after that, I believe you end up with more time,'' he said.

Fatigue and schedule management led the Los Angeles County sheriff's station in West Hollywood to drop the three-day workweek in March after using it for 12 years, Capt. Buddy Goldman said.

With many deputies living in more affordable areas at least an hour away from the expensive Westside city, Goldman said many deputies only had time for work and sleep during their three workdays. The fatigue factor mounted when they had more responsibilities, such as court appearances that offer no flexibility.

``Those are things you don't think about until you are in the middle of it,'' Goldman said.

Today, West Hollywood deputies work four-day, 10-hour shifts.

``It's the same amount of officers,'' he said. ``But you're plugging them into the city more often.''

sue.doyle(at)dailynews.com

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