Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa was exhausted, his voice so hoarse he could barely talk, but by 8:30 a.m. Wednesday he was sitting in the office of Police Chief William J. Bratton -- a man who was hired by his opponent.
That Villaraigosa's first order of business was an hourlong private meeting with Bratton surprised no one. Rumors had been circulating in New York that the popular police chief might bolt from the West Coast and run for mayor there.
So the question on many minds, and a main topic of the meeting: Is Bratton staying?
The answer was yes. Villaraigosa asked Bratton to remain as chief. Not only did Bratton say yes, he told the mayor-elect that he might want to be considered for a second term when his first expires in late 2007.
"We share a common vision for the LAPD," Villaraigosa said after the meeting, standing outside police headquarters downtown. "Based on the fact that we need more police officers, better technology and support for community-based police efforts to build trust."
The relationship between the two men may prove crucial to Villaraigosa's tenure as mayor, as well as Bratton's reputation as a turnaround specialist. It's an alliance filled with potential for success and conflict.
Flashpoints ahead include Villaraigosa's choices for the Police Commission; the current commission has been largely deferential to Bratton's policies. Also unclear is how influential Councilman Bernard C. Parks will be in the new administration's approach to law enforcement. Parks was Bratton's predecessor -- and has since been a frequent department critic. After losing in the runoff, he became a Villaraigosa supporter.
Then there is the question about whether Villaraigosa can succeed where Hahn repeatedly failed: Substantially increasing the size of the LAPD.
If Villaraigosa succeeds in expanding the force and pushing a reform agenda, Bratton could get the chance to fundamentally reshape policing in Los Angeles. With a wave of retirements beginning in 2007, Bratton sees what he calls a "ground zero" opportunity to promote one-third of the department's top commanders, creating a new generation of like-minded officers who could carry his legacy forward.
Bratton relishes chances to promise steep crime reduction, saying in February that if he had a force of 12,500 -- about 3,400 more officers than he has now -- he could reduce crime by 50% and dismantle gangs.
