SAN FERNANDO BEEFS UP ARSENAL; POLICE ADD AR-15S, BEANBAG SHOTGUNS TO WEAPONS SUPPLY.

Byline: Yvette Cabrera Daily News Staff Writer

The blazing gunbattle during the North Hollywood Bank of America robbery in February was a little too close for comfort for this tiny city just five miles away.

Now San Fernando's 37-officer police force is prepared to handle the high-powered weaponry of 1990s bank bandits. City leaders Thursday unveiled a new arsenal of semiautomatic assault rifles and beanbag-firing shotguns.

Using $18,000 in police asset-seizure funds, Police Chief Dominick Rivetti purchased 12 AR-15s to add to an existing stock of four semiautomatic rifles, and he added eight Remington pump shotguns to the two on hand that fire the beanbags as a nonlethal way of stopping suspects.

``We pray (the North Hollywood shootout) never happens in San Fernando, but the reality is that it can happen in any community in our country and we have to be prepared for that,'' Rivetti said.

Though there hasn't been a bank robbery in San Fernando for about 18 months, banking officials from the city's six financial institutions praised the move to beef up the weapons supply.

``I think it's about time with what's out on the streets these days,'' said Barbara Carrillo, manager at Glendale Federal Bank. ``The police need everything they can (get) to protect themselves and the community.''

Just days after watching the North Hollywood gunbattle on live television, San Fernando Mayor Raul Godinez requested a review of the Police Department's weapons.

Godinez, whose brother is an officer in the Los Angeles Police Department's North Hollywood Division, said he agonized over his brother's safety during the shootout. The experience prompted him to take action.

``If the police are not safe, we're not safe,'' he said. ``They're our front line of defense.''

The LAPD made a similar weapons review and bought 600 M-16 rifles this summer. But the LAPD hasn't yet trained field supervisors, who initially will be the only officers allowed to use the guns, said department spokesman Mike Partain.

By last weekend, all of San Fernando's patrol officers, plus 40 reserve officers, had completed the eight hours of intense training required to use their new weapons. All officers will be allowed to use the guns to protect the city's 24,000 residents.

``Because of our size, I thought it was prudent for each officer to have the capabilities to use the weapons,'' Rivetti said.

While the LAPD has one officer for every 380 residents, San Fernando has one for every 648 residents in the 2.4-square-mile city.

Godinez said there is a higher probability that San Fernando officers would encounter a robbery in progress since police response time is less than two minutes.

``Given the likelihood that our police officers would arrive on the scene, I wanted to make sure they weren't put in a situation where they're outgunned,'' he said.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Officer Edward Hernandez aims a shotgun at a heavily padded Officer Jesse Paderez on Thursday during the San Fernando Police Department's demonstration of the use of beanbag rounds as a nonlethal method of defense and in the capture of suspects. The department has beefed up its arsenal of shotguns and semiautomatic rifles in response to today's better-armed criminals.

(2) Hernandez displays and describes an AR-15 semiautomatic assault rifle at a news conference. All of San Fernando's police officers have been trained in its use, and every patrol car has one.

Bob Halvorsen/Daily News