LAPD TO MEET JUNE 15 DECREE REQUIREMENT SOME RULES SAID TOO STRINGENT.

Byline: James Nash Staff Writer

LAPD officials said Tuesday that they expect to meet a June 15 deadline for complying with most of the reforms mandated by a federal consent decree issued in the wake of the Rampart scandal.

During a three-hour meeting of the two civilian panels that oversee the LAPD, officials complained that many of the federal rules were too expensive or unreasonable, such as a requirement that police shootings of dogs be exhaustively documented and that 20 percent of police officers undergo 30 hours of training each on dealing with mentally ill people.

Still, Los Angeles Police Department officials said they were optimistic that a federal monitor would find them in compliance with the consent decree June 15.

``We are achieving substantial compliance with the intent of the consent decree, which is to institutionalize reform,'' said Gerald Chaleff, the LAPD official responsible for consent-decree issues. ``The intent and the letter are the same thing.''

In February, the federal monitor assigned to the Rampart consent decree wrote that the LAPD had made substantial progress on reforms such as investigations of officer-involved shootings, following through on citizen complaints and supervising undercover units.

The reforms were required by the LAPD's settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice in the wake of the scandal at the department's Rampart Division, in which police planted evidence, framed suspects and lied about officer-involved shootings.

Achieving the consent-decree goals has cost the LAPD $32 million for a new computer system and an estimated $30 million a year for the 300 police staffers who are assigned to consent-decree duties, officials said. In addition, beat cops say they're burdened with mounds of paperwork to satisfy new data-collecting requirements.

At Tuesday's meeting of the Los Angeles Police Commission and the City Council's public safety committee, several officials reported progress in meeting federal goals. But they admitted that the LAPD is falling behind requirements in training officers to deal with mentally ill people because of the high cost.

Police Commission President David Cunningham said he was concerned that the issue could trip up the LAPD.

``I'm concerned that if we don't touch that base, we could end up back in court,'' Cunningham said.

The Police Commission and Public Safety Committee both voted to relax what members said were draconian post-Rampart rules for investigating incidents in which police shoot animals.

In one case, after an officer fired at a pit bull that was charging at police, investigators had to interview 32 witnesses, transcribe their accounts and write a two-inch-thick report.

The incident highlights the need to align the goals of the consent decree with common sense, said Councilman Dennis Zine.

James Nash, [phone]

james.nash(at)dailynews.com