LAPD-SHERIFF'S TEAM PROPOSED TO POLICE MTA.

Byline: Chip Jacobs Daily News Staff Writer

A coalition of political and law enforcement leaders is lobbying to dismantle the MTA's transit police and replace it with a joint LAPD-sheriff's team, contending it would save $700,000 annually and operate more effectively.

The takeover of the 508-officer transit force by July is scheduled to be considered today by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board, which is expected to form a committee to study the idea.

Under the plan, which has preliminary support from Mayor Richard Riordan, the transit police union and the two law enforcement agencies, the Los Angeles Police Department and the county Sheriff's Department, would contract with the MTA for an estimated $43.5 million a year to guard America's second-largest bus system and mushrooming rail network.Transit officials said reductions from the current $44.2 million annual budget would come as a result of streamlined deployment techniques and elimination of transit police overhead such as office equipment and other administrative expenses.

In an interview with the Daily News in Sacramento, Riordan said he is awaiting details of the proposal.

"In concept I support (the plan), but I won't commit to vote for it until I know the details," he said. "I want to make certain it will give more protection" to transit patrons.

MTA board chairman Larry Zarian was skeptical of the proposal, saying the agency needs a specialized force. He added, however, that he expects the shift will take place.

Transit police have supported such a move for years, but the proposal gained impetus after the MTA board, LAPD and other police agencies statewide helped kill legislation in Sacramento last year that would have given them injured-on-duty benefits and a better pension.

Safety on the mass-transit lines is a crucial issue.

Proponents of the LAPD-Sheriff's Department team say they can ensure security on the lines, and do it more cheaply by absorbing the transit police.

The LAPD would get 232 sworn transit officers to guard the Metro Red Line subway and city-based bus lines under the draft plan.

The Sheriff's Department would absorb 186 sworn officers for protection of the Los Angeles-Long Beach Blue Line, the Norwalk-El Segundo Green Line, the Los Angeles-Pasadena trolley when it opens, and some bus routes.

About 90 civilian and support staff would be divided between the two agencies.

For Riordan's part, the breakup would allow him to count more LAPD officers toward his goal of increasing the force by 2,855 officers, a goal he's close to meeting.

Riordan denied Tuesday that his support of the proposal is intended to boost those numbers.

Proponents say the merger would boost the visibility of LAPD and sheriff's squad cars.

"The criminal just looks at them and sees them as the bus police," said LAPD Lt. Ken Hillman, an aide to the LAPD's transit coordinator. "If you see black-and-whites on the street, that's a deterrent effect."

However, officials concede that the plan would not add a single police officer dedicated to fighting street crime unrelated to public transit.

MTA chief Sharon Papa said last summer that the mayor helped bring out John Haviken, a New York City Police Department official, to push the merger proposal. New York has completed such a merger.

As envisioned now, transit officers reassigned to the LAPD would receive six to eight weeks of training at the Police Academy, and then would be assigned to at least two years of transit work.

Those going to the Sheriff's Department also would get additional training but wouldn't be guaranteed MTA-related work, according to sheriff's Lt. Marc Klugman.

The transit rank-and-file support the merger.

In October, a survey by the Metropolitan Transit Police Officers Association found that 83 percent favored the merger. The union and the MTA currently are at impasse over contract negotiations.

Besides benefits, union leaders complain that MTA management has failed to upgrade their obsolete equipment - including a malfunctioning radio communication system - and support increases in their police powers.

"There's been nothing but empty promises," said association board member Dan Robins.