Police officers should be paid for the time it takes them to put on and take off their uniforms and safety equipment, a federal judge has ruled.

U.S. District Court Judge Gary Feess said in ruling issued this week that time spent dressing for duty is a vital part of the job because uniforms legitimize an officer's authority, increase the officer's safety and help deter crime. Greg Petersen, who sued the city on behalf of three Los Angeles police officers, praised the decision, saying that properly preparing for duty takes time and effort.

But Police Chief William J. Bratton lashed out at the officers in the lawsuit and the city's police union, which has filed a separate lawsuit on the issue. "We have enough costs to bear without paying officers to take their clothes on and off," he said.

The decision raises the possibility of higher public safety costs for a city struggling to close a budget gap estimated at more than $500 million.

Union and department officials have declined to estimate how much it would cost to compensate the city's roughly 9,800 officers. The Los Angeles Times calculated that an officer making $75,000 a year would be eligible for roughly $2,000 more each year if compensated for 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after his or her shift.