LAPD's gang fighter
Hillmann ready to shape strategy

By Mariel Garza
Staff Writer

Wednesday, December 04, 2002 - After serving as the city's law enforcer in the sky, Michael Hillmann came back to Earth on Wednesday to fight the city's biggest criminal threat -- gangs.

The 36-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, with experience ranging from SWAT to commanding the LAPD's aviation operations, was sworn in as deputy chief in charge of running the city's new war against street gangs.

Police Chief William Bratton said Hillmann came highly recommended.

"When I first came into the organization, I looked for names in terms of who is respected, who has the reputation, and the name I kept hearing from people I care about in the organization, as well as others, was Chief Hillmann," Bratton said.

Bratton has charged Hillmann with developing the department's template to fight gang crime, in response to the spike in reported homicides in South Central Los Angeles and the northeast San Fernando Valley.

Hillmann, who grew up in the Rampart Division, said he feels a strong connection to the streets of his native Los Angeles. He has served in many assignments in the department, from antiterrorism units to emergency preparedness -- which he and others in the department think is good experience for his next duty.

LAPD Captain Michael Hillmann is sworn in as the new Deputy Chief. (Charlotte Schmid-Maybach / Daily News)

Most recently, he commanded the department's air support division, which the LAPD describes as the nation's largest municipal airborne law enforcement operation, with some 90 officers, 15 helicopters and one fixed-wing aircraft.

Hillmann said he was called up to his new job by Bratton, who told him he needed him to examine all the city's gang-fighting tools as well as those from outside the department -- and figure out how to best employ them all to quell the escalating gang violence.

Hillmann's first task: "I want to find out how deep and what the significance of the problem is (that) we're trying to face here," he said. "This is a steep learning curve for me."

LAPD insiders said they were not surprised to see Hillmann make the uncommon leap from captain to deputy chief, skipping right over the commander rank.

"He's the type of leader who, when he goes from captain to deputy chief, people will say, It's about time," said City Councilman Dennis Zine, a former LAPD sergeant who knows Hillmann from his days on the force.

"Mike Hillmann is a phenomenal leader who's well qualified," Zine said. "He's worked SWAT, he's been in the field, he's worked Metro. He's a real motivating leader."

"He brings a level of tactical expertise that few others in policing have, as well as a significant management insight and an ability to interact well with the community," said Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell, Bratton's No. 2 man who will be working with Hillmann to develop the anti-gang action plan.

One big ingredient in Bratton's crime-fighting strategy is gaining the trust of the city's communities that haven't always felt the police were on their side. Already, Hillmann said, the LAPD has started redeploying officers to the high gang-crime divisions and plans to move people around even more.

"You can look at statistics and say here's where your crime is and this is what time it's happening. It's an indicator," Hillmann said. "But when you can talk to a community member and the community member says, 'You know what, that's all well and good but over on my street over here there is a safe haven where people are congregating.' That doesn't show up statistically."

Hillmann will have all the department's resources at his disposal, McDonnell said, and he will be able to cross divisions and bureaus within the department to come up with plans to battle gangs.

On Wednesday, Bratton also promoted Cmdr. Earl Paysinger to deputy chief in charge of the South Bureau, replacing outgoing Deputy Chief Willie Pannell. Laura Johnson became police administrator in charge of the Fiscal and Support Bureau. She is the highest-ranking civilian woman to serve the LAPD.