Newsman Tapped for LAPD Post in Security

Chief William J. Bratton has asked John Miller, co-host of the "20/20" newsmagazine on ABC, to join the Los Angeles Police Department as his special assistant, with responsibilities that would include homeland security.

Miller, 44, would advise Bratton on issues involving counter-terrorism as part of an expanded homeland security bureau being considered by the department, Bratton said in a telephone interview from Israel, where he delivered a speech and met with police officials.

"I am very interested in hiring John Miller to the position of special assistant to the chief," Bratton said.

Miller, who co-wrote a book on the government response to security challenges after Sept. 11 last year, said he is interested.

"It's a very exciting possibility and we are still talking," he said.

ABC executives had said that Miller was considering leaving to become a press aide to Bratton. Bratton said Wednesday that Miller would not handle press relations.

The exact duties of the position have not been established. Bratton has proposed three new positions of assistant to the chief, which have yet to be created by the City Council.

No decision has been made on whether Miller would serve in an advisory or supervisory position.

If the position is created and Miller accepts it, he would report directly to Bratton, said a source familiar with the negotiations.

Should he accept the job, Miller would take a substantial pay cut as he did in 1993, when he left ABC to work for Bratton, then head of the New York City Police Department. As Bratton's top press advisor for two years, Miller took a $500,000 cut in annual salary.

Los Angeles officials appear to endorse Bratton's efforts to bring change to his department.

Matt Middlebrook, deputy mayor for policy and communications, said Mayor James K. Hahn was strongly inclined to support personnel decisions by the chief that would help reduce crime .

"The mayor set very clear goals for Chief Bratton and that is that he wants to reduce crime and improve public safety in the city of Los Angeles," Middlebrook said. "If this [appointment] helps him achieve the goals that the mayor laid out, we're all for it."

Questions May Surface

David Dotson, a former assistant LAPD chief, said he sees nothing wrong with bringing in outsiders to manage aspects of the department. He added, however, that there may be valid questions should Miller be placed in charge of homeland security or anti-terrorism.