BY ALFONSO CHARDY

 As tensions rise over the latest crisis in the Elian Gonzalez case, federal
 and local officials are stepping up scrutiny of some groups in hopes of
 avoiding disturbances if immigration officials revoke the boy's parole.

 City of Miami and Miami-Dade County officials said they have intensified
 the monitoring of Spanish-language radio stations and public statements by
 some exile leaders in an effort to anticipate possible protest demonstrations.

 Most prominent exile organizations, including Brothers to the Rescue and the
 Democracia Movement, which have organized major protests in the past, had
 not called for protests Tuesday.

 ``We are waiting to see what happens in the negotiations between the federal
 government and the Elian family lawyers,'' said Demoracia Movement leader
 Ramon Saul Sanchez who pioneered the protest tactic of blocking or slowing
 traffic.

 MIAMI ON ALERT

 While county police said they were monitoring the situation, preparations were
 mainly the responsibility of Miami, since most of the action is unfolding within city
 limits.

 Miami Mayor Joe Carollo, in an interview, appealed for calm and said he was in
 touch with community leaders, federal officials and Elian's family to prepare for
 any contingency.

 Carollo said he thinks demonstrations, such as a 9 p.m. prayer vigil tonight at
 Southwest Eighth Street and 22nd Avenue, will be lawful. But if peaceful protests
 turn violent or disruptive, police will respond.

 ``It is our responsibility to protect life and property and safeguard the well-being of
 the citizens of Miami,'' Carollo said.

 A MAYOR'S PLEDGE

 He also pledged that Miami Police would not help federal authorities remove the
 child from his Miami home if the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
 revokes Elian's parole and orders his return to Cuba.

 ``The Miami Police Department will not participate in taking Elian Gonzalez away
 from his Miami family to be sent to Castro's hell,'' Carollo said.

 Late Tuesday afternoon, Carollo met with four U.S. Justice Department and INS
 officials at City Hall.

 INS declined to comment, but Carollo said the officials requested his views on
 what the case outcome should be. ``I told them INS should let due process take
 its course,'' he said.

 Carollo said he also was seeking a meeting later Tuesday with Kendall Coffey,
 one of the Miami family's lawyers, to get a briefing on legal developments.

 In the county, Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas -- through spokesman Juan
 Mendieta -- blamed tensions on the Justice Department.

 ``Attempts to modify or abridge the process is what's causing a lot of the tension
 in the community,'' Mendieta said.

 He said Penelas would join most of the mayors in the county for a news
 conference on the steps of the federal courthouse in downtown Miami at noon
 today to urge the Justice Department to grant Elian a normal appellate process.

 FREQUENT CONTACT

 Armando Gutierrez, the Miami family spokesman, said he was in frequent contact
 with Miami Police, particularly undercover officers assigned to protect Elian's
 house and monitor exile activity in the area.

 In moments of tension, the house near the corner of Northwest 23rd Avenue and
 2nd Street has become ground zero for the start of exile protests.

 Gutierrez said he visited Spanish-language radio stations frequently to urge
 listeners not to commit acts of violence. ``I'm asking people to remain calm,''
 Gutierrez said.

 While Democracia Movement's Sanchez would not provide details on a specific
 response, he did cite the possibility of a ``Return Flotilla'' in which exile boats
 would sail toward Cuba should INS send Elian back.

 Only the smaller exile group, Vigilia Mambisa, was taking action.

 Vigilia leader Miguel Saavedra, who is behind the almost daily demonstrations in
 front of Elian's house, disagreed with the wait-and-see attitude of other exile
 groups.

 ``This is like a hurricane,'' Saavedra said. ``You have to be ready now, not at the
 last minute.''

                     Copyright 2000 Miami Herald