New Offer Presented to City by Police Union : Labor: The compromise contract proposal may signal a willingness to end the lengthy dispute, some officials say.

Softening its position, the Los Angeles police union presented a compromise offer to city negotiators Thursday that is less than the $75-million compensation package it demanded last month but is still well above the $40 million that the city says is available, officials said.

The two sides remain well apart, but some officials said the movement in the union’s position signaled a willingness to end the dispute. The union’s counteroffer, which amounts to just under $55 million, includes a 1.25% bonus for patrol officers, a $1,000 cash bonus for all officers and an 8% raise over the next two years, sources said. The raise would come in four 2% intervals in July of this year, January and July of 1995 and January of 1996.

“The offer that we have sent back is a step forward,” said union President Danny Staggs. “We have given something and now we expect the city to give something.”

City and union officials had previously agreed to a $40-million package with 3% raises over each of the next two years. But union members overwhelmingly rejected that package two weeks ago, demanding additional pay for the two years that they have worked without a contract.

In recent days, union negotiators have revised their request for retroactive pay and are instead asking for a one-time cash bonus for officers. The amount of such a payment remains a major point of contention.

Earlier this week, the city had offered to bring in a mediator to help settle the dispute. The union turned down the request, prompting the city to say it intended to declare an impasse. Such a stalemate would send the dispute to state labor officials.

City officials would not say they were any closer to a deal after emerging from daylong meetings Thursday, but no impasse was officially declared by day’s end. The union saw that as a positive sign.

“The city decided to stop acting like the bully on the block and to start listening,” said union spokesman Geoffrey Garfield. “That’s a good sign. We need peace on the playground right now.”

Meanwhile, discontent among rank-and-file police officers erupted into action against Police Chief Willie L. Williams on Wednesday, as officers began circulating a petition declaring their lack of confidence in his leadership and personally attacking his performance.

The petition was launched by officers in the Rampart Division and more than 200 signatures were gathered within a few hours Wednesday evening.

An officer who helped draft the petition said it reflected widespread disillusionment among officers with Williams and his two-year administration.

“We’re tired of being a stepchild,” said the officer, who asked not to be identified. “Momentum is building. Anger is building. We’ve been pushed in a corner.”

The petition asks officers to sign and return the document to the union by June 15.

Calling the chief “a political pawn instead of a chief who is a leader,” the petition cites Williams’ failure to pass a California peace officers’ exam and accuses him of failing to respond in a timely way during the January earthquake, when he was trapped in his home for several hours.

Although the petition urges officers to return the petitions to the union, league officials disavowed any role in drafting or circulating it.

Union leaders last year considered calling for a no-confidence vote on Williams but decided against it.

Williams had no comment on the petition.