POLICE UNION BACKS STEIN, ASSAILS HAHN : RECORD ON POLICE SUITS ATTACKED.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

Trying to capitalize politically on the flood of public goodwill for the police in the wake of the North Hollywood shootout, the president of the police officers union Wednesday asked voters to show their thanks by electing Ted Stein as city attorney.

Police Protective League President Dave Hepburn and other union leaders accused City Attorney James Hahn of not being aggressive in defending police officers against lawsuits by criminals.

Stein, Hepburn said, ``won't give up and hand the money over to plaintiffs' attorneys who view the city as an easy touch.''

Cliff Ruff, an official with the 9,000-member police union, said the group believed Hahn was hurting officers more as city attorney because he was not defending them zealously enough against lawsuits.

``A lot of people have been stepping forward to thank individual police officers on the street,'' Hepburn said at a news conference with Stein. ``We're here asking the public to demonstrate its thanks to the entire department by throwing their support behind a man who we believe will turn around the City Attorney's Office.''

Hahn spokesman Matt Middlebrook said it was inappropriate for Stein's campaign to be using the shocking bank robbery and shootout to advance his campaign.

``To make hay of that incident for his own political advantage, when he has no experience as a law enforcement officer, is unseemly and wrong,'' Middlebrook said.

Dennis Zine, Police Protective League director, said there is nothing wrong with the union exercising its political power, which he acknowledged is heightened after the positive public response to the Los Angeles Police Department's handling of the North Hollywood shooting.

Middlebrook charged that the union board is out of touch with the police officers on the street, who he believes appreciate Hahn's 96 percent criminal conviction record and his success rate in defending officers hit by lawsuits.

``I think the whole endorsement is silly,'' Middlebrook said. ``James Hahn has been out there working on behalf of police officers.''

He said that the police union is only endorsing Stein because Hahn refused the group's request last year to run against District Attorney Gil Garcetti.

Ruff acknowledged that the union offered to support Hahn for district attorney, but said ``Our position was to ease him out of this particular race.''

The Stein news conference was held on the same day Stein sent out a full-color, mass mailer to city voters touting the police union's endorsement.

The flier, which also asks voters to support Mayor Richard Riordan, includes a letter by Hepburn noting that the police union has never before opposed an incumbent city attorney.

Hahn fired back Wednesday by filing complaints with the city Ethics Commission and state Fair Political Practices Commission, seeking an investigation to determine whether the police union violated Proposition 208's limit on independent expenditures of $100.

Union officials said the billboards and contributions were made in December, before the Jan. 1, 1997, effective date of Proposition 208.

City attorney debate planned

Los Angeles City Attorney James Hahn and challenger Ted Stein, an Encino attorney, will debate the issues of their campaign at noon Monday at the Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge.

The debate is being jointly sponsored by the Daily News and CSUN as a community service to get the public more involved in the political process.

The debate is open to the public with free parking available at Lot C on the east side of the campus on Zelzah Avenue.

This is the second and last scheduled debate between Stein, the former Airport Commission president, and Hahn, who is seeking a fourth term.

Many issues of importance to the city as a whole, and the San Fernando Valley, in particular will be discussed, including charter reform, secession and the power of the city attorney to affect a broad range of issues, including law enforcement, domestic violence and neighborhood control.

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BOX: City attorney debate planned (see text)