Bill Violante

Bill Violante, 45, is president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the politically active union representing 7,600 of the Police Department's sworn personnel, from the rank of lieutenant down. Violante, born and raised in Los Angeles, is a 22-year veteran of the LAPD who joined the force after a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

Reflecting political ferment in the San Fernando Valley, Mayor Richard Riordan has for the first time assigned a deputy mayor, his highest-level representative, to his Van Nuys office. Bill Violante, a longtime Valley resident, has been working half time in the Van Nuys office since early March. Local leaders had long urged Riordan to station a deputy mayor in the Valley. "It's very important that it happened," said Studio City attorney Dave Fleming, a Riordan confidant.

Reflecting political ferment in the San Fernando Valley, Mayor Richard Riordan has for the first time assigned a deputy mayor, his highest-level representative, to his Van Nuys office. Bill Violante, a longtime Valley resident, has been working half time in the Van Nuys office since early March. Local leaders had long urged Riordan to station a deputy mayor in the Valley. "It's very important that it happened," said Studio City attorney Dave Fleming, a Riordan confidant.

Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams and Deputy Mayor William C. Violante encountered optimism--and realism--in their quest Tuesday to line up federal funds to rebuild the shrinking L.A. police force. During a daylong series of meetings with California congress members, senators and Atty. Gen Janet Reno, the two officials made their pitch that Los Angeles should be at the front of the line when federal funds are allocated for more police on U.S. streets.

I hate to accuse cops of anything as shady as coercion, but I don't know what else to call it. The story begins with negotiations over whether the Police Protective League, the powerful police union, would support Proposition F. That's the proposed City Charter amendment on the June 2 ballot that would increase civilian control over the Police Department, as recommended by the Christopher Commission after the Rodney G. King beating.

It was just a few months ago that William C. Violante issued a blunt public warning to Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams: "We'll be the first to yell the loudest if we find that he's being controlled and manipulated by the political forces at City Hall," promised Violante, who was then the president of the union representing the city's police officers. What a difference those few months have made.

Police Chief Willie L. Williams expressed amazement Saturday that Deputy Mayor William C. Violante--while president of the police union--sent a letter to police departments around the state offering the union's assistance in helping them hire officers away from the Los Angeles Police Department. The letter was sent April 7, as the city was trying to boost the size of the police force.

The leader of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents LAPD officers, told a national civil rights panel Tuesday that the department is dawdling on implementing some aspects of a highly touted reform plan released nearly two years ago. William C. Violante, the president of the league, told members of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights that despite pledges to implement reform, the department has shown a "tremendous lack of response."

RAE FRANKLIN JAMES Housing and planning * Born: Aug. 21, 1942 * Residence: View Park * Education: University of California Berkeley, bachelor of arts; graduate studies in public finance at Cal State Hayward. * Career highlights: Legislative analyst for city of Los Angeles since 1989; has worked for the city for 10 years in various jobs. * Family: Not available. MICHAEL F.

Los Angeles Deputy Mayor William C. Violante and Police Chief Willie L. Williams will make the Washington rounds today in search of federal money to hire 100 new police officers, part of the effort to boost the depleted ranks of the LAPD. Violante and Williams expect to court six members of the California congressional delegation--including Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer--and meet with Atty. Gen. Janet Reno.

Los Angeles Deputy Mayor William C. Violante and Police Chief Willie L. Williams will make the Washington rounds today in search of federal money to hire 100 new police officers, part of the effort to boost the depleted ranks of the LAPD. Violante and Williams expect to court six members of the California congressional delegation--including Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer--and meet with Atty. Gen. Janet Reno.

RAE FRANKLIN JAMES Housing and planning * Born: Aug. 21, 1942 * Residence: View Park * Education: University of California Berkeley, bachelor of arts; graduate studies in public finance at Cal State Hayward. * Career highlights: Legislative analyst for city of Los Angeles since 1989; has worked for the city for 10 years in various jobs. * Family: Not available. MICHAEL F.

It was just a few months ago that William C. Violante issued a blunt public warning to Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams: "We'll be the first to yell the loudest if we find that he's being controlled and manipulated by the political forces at City Hall," promised Violante, who was then the president of the union representing the city's police officers. What a difference those few months have made.

Police Chief Willie L. Williams expressed amazement Saturday that Deputy Mayor William C. Violante--while president of the police union--sent a letter to police departments around the state offering the union's assistance in helping them hire officers away from the Los Angeles Police Department. The letter was sent April 7, as the city was trying to boost the size of the police force.

In a risky gambit that could alienate popular Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams, Mayor-elect Richard Riordan on Wednesday appointed one of the chief's fiercest critics--the head of the city's police union--to the post of deputy mayor. The appointment of Police Protective League President William C. Violante seems likely to secure Riordan's popularity with rank-and-file police officers.

The leader of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents LAPD officers, told a national civil rights panel Tuesday that the department is dawdling on implementing some aspects of a highly touted reform plan released nearly two years ago. William C. Violante, the president of the league, told members of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights that despite pledges to implement reform, the department has shown a "tremendous lack of response."

In a risky gambit that could alienate popular Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams, Mayor-elect Richard Riordan on Wednesday appointed one of the chief's fiercest critics--the head of the city's police union--to the post of deputy mayor. The appointment of Police Protective League President William C. Violante seems likely to secure Riordan's popularity with rank-and-file police officers.

Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams and Deputy Mayor William C. Violante encountered optimism--and realism--in their quest Tuesday to line up federal funds to rebuild the shrinking L.A. police force. During a daylong series of meetings with California congress members, senators and Atty. Gen Janet Reno, the two officials made their pitch that Los Angeles should be at the front of the line when federal funds are allocated for more police on U.S. streets.

Bill Violante, 45, is president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the politically active union representing 7,600 of the Police Department's sworn personnel, from the rank of lieutenant down. Violante, born and raised in Los Angeles, is a 22-year veteran of the LAPD who joined the force after a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.

I hate to accuse cops of anything as shady as coercion, but I don't know what else to call it. The story begins with negotiations over whether the Police Protective League, the powerful police union, would support Proposition F. That's the proposed City Charter amendment on the June 2 ballot that would increase civilian control over the Police Department, as recommended by the Christopher Commission after the Rodney G. King beating.