SHERIFF, MTA TRAIL ON 2000; Y2K EFFORTS NEED BOOST, OFFICIAL SAYS.

Byline: Douglas Haberman Daily News Staff Writer

The Sheriff's Department and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority are lagging in efforts to avoid the year 2000 computer glitch that has government agencies, private businesses and utilities scrambling to prevent a meltdown, the county's top computer guru said Tuesday.

If nothing were done to remedy the situation, it could affect the dispatching of Los Angeles County sheriff's patrol units in response to 911 calls and, on the MTA side, impair rail operations and scheduling of buses, said county Chief Information Officer Jon Fullinwider, who oversees the county's information technology systems.

The Sheriff's Department will take care of its problem, said Loretta Eason, the department's Y2K project manager. It might have to buy new hardware and software that relays information from dispatchers to patrol deputies' car computers, she said.

The deputies also use those computers to connect to state agencies for verification of driver's licenses and checking of criminal records, Eason said, and the Sheriff's Department is still waiting to see how well the state agencies handle their Y2K problem.

Sheriff Lee Baca is scheduled to discuss the issue next Tuesday at the Board of Supervisors' weekly meeting.

For their part, MTA officials said they will spend at least $3.2 million for new hardware and software to run rail operations, and the most critical functions will be in operation by June. They've successfully tested a solution to the potential bus scheduling glitch that avoids the need for software changes, officials said.

``I think it's a serious problem, but it's not dire,'' Frank Cardenas, MTA executive officer for administration, said of the Y2K bug's effects on his agency.

The Y2K bug is largely under control among county bureaucracies, Fullinwider told the supervisors.

``I am confident the county of Los Angeles will be ready,'' he said.

Under a $153 million three-year program, all testing, software and chip replacement, and retesting should be completed throughout the county's 36 departments by September, he said. Half of the departments still have work to do.

Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said he hoped that officials weren't painting an overly rosy picture.

``There's only one thing worse than not being ready - that's believing you're ready then getting caught with your pants down,'' he said. ``I don't think there'll be any forgiveness if we're in denial.''

The Y2K problem involves some computers, software programs and microprocessors that could read the abbreviated date of '00 as 1900, possibly causing incorrect data processing and equipment malfunctions.

For its part, the MTA only began serious Y2K efforts in May, agency officials said. Fullinwider said he will suggest that the MTA board hire outside contractors to help.

The MTA already has started the process of seeking contractors and the MTA board should vote in March on a contract, Cardenas said.