LOCAL 2004: SOME REFORM GOALS STILL ELUDING LAPD MONITOR SAYS U.S. OVERSIGHT MIGHT NEED TO BE EXTENDED.

Byline: James Nash Staff Writer

Despite progress on many fronts, the Los Angeles Police Department's attempt to meet federal reform goals by a 2006 deadline was clouded at year's end by continued delays in developing a computer system to spot rogue officers.

In the most recent report on the LAPD's compliance with a federal consent decree, an independent monitor found that police met standards on 27 of 55 provisions measured and fell short on 18. The monitor did not issue conclusions on the remaining 10 provisions.

LAPD officials said they made great strides in 2004 toward meeting reform goals on dealing with civilian complaints; separating officers in cases where they use force; and developing other systems to prevent abuses such as those at the Rampart Division in the 1990s.

But the federal monitor repeatedly faulted the LAPD for slowness in developing a comprehensive computer database to spot irregularities among officers before they mushroom into scandal.

The monitor, Michael Cherkasky, wrote in his Nov. 15 report that the U.S. Justice Department may need to extend oversight over the LAPD past the scheduled June 2006 expiration of the consent decree.

According to some accounts, the LAPD spends $30 million a year to comply with the consent decree and devotes 300 officers and civilian personnel to the effort. Many officers also call consent decree rules burdensome.

James Nash, [phone]

james.nash(at)dailynews.com