McCarthy’s Uniformed Deputies Ad Broke Pact, Block Says

Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block said Tuesday that use of uniformed sheriff’s deputies in a campaign television commercial for Lt. Gov. Leo McCarthy violated an agreement he made with McCarthy.

Block had agreed to let McCarthy film a political ad at a sheriff’s facility, as long as he did not use pictures of uniformed deputies or otherwise identify the department, the sheriff said in an interview.

Block said that he complained to McCarthy on Tuesday and that the lieutenant governor “expressed his chagrin and apologized for the obvious error (and) deviation from the agreement.”

McCarthy said he would withdraw the commercial long enough to edit out pictures of the uniformed deputies, Block said.

A spokeswoman for McCarthy, campaign manager Rose King, said, “The lieutenant governor feels that Block is correct in wanting it edited because it does identify the agency (the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department) unintentionally.”

Block acted a day after McCarthy’s challenger, Republican Mike Curb, objected to the same commercial, saying through a spokesman that its use of uniformed officers to portray McCarthy as a law enforcement favorite violates state law.

California law bars uniformed officers from engaging in political activity.

Block said he personally gave McCarthy permission to make the commercial at the sheriff’s training academy in Whittier. But he said that was nothing unusual.

“We receive requests all the time from candidates, as well as corporate people, special-interest groups, who ask permission to use our facilities as a background for something they’re shooting, and we almost always grant that permission,” Block said. “ . . . We lay the same ground rules for everyone, that they’re welcome to use the facilities as background, but not any (uniformed) personnel.”

Block said he was aware of the law cited by the Curb campaign.

“Even if the law were not in existence, I think it’s wholly inappropriate for people in law enforcement, who are on duty, in uniform, to ever be involved in any kind of political activity,” Block said.

The commercial, which first aired eight days ago, shows Democrat McCarthy watching plainclothes officers at a firing range, walking with officers who Block said appear to be in the uniforms of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and chatting with a uniformed officer whose shoulder patch identifies him as a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

King, McCarthy’s campaign manager, said the officers happened to be present at the academy and volunteered for the filming.

The commercial also shows Yolo County Sheriff Rod Graham, in uniform, in a speaking role.

Graham said Tuesday that he did not believe that the law on uniforms applied to him because he is an elected official and voters expect him to express his opinions.

Besides, he said: “Our policy here when a local official asks to have his picture taken with one of our (uniformed) staff, is if the staff member wants to, we say fine.”