Block Denies Cover-Ups, Responds to Complaints Leveled at Deputies

Los Angeles Sheriff Sherman Block, formally responding Tuesday to complaints leveled at his department during a marathon public hearing last month, denied that his agency “engages in covering up for the inappropriate actions of its personnel.”

“It was our department that initiated the internal criminal investigations which have generated a great deal of the current media coverage,” Block said in a letter accompanying his 74-page report, which gave short, individual responses to the complaints.

At an nine-hour meeting Sept. 10, dozens of Los Angeles County residents accused the 8,000-member department of using excessive force against poor, inner-city residents. The emotional session was sparked by four recent shootings involving sheriff’s deputies, including the Aug. 3 slaying of Arturo Jimenez at the Ramona Gardens public housing project in Lincoln Heights.

In response to the repeated references to the Jimenez shooting, Block replied that the issues raised “will be addressed by the (County) Grand Jury.”

Block also defended the firing of former Deputy Bruce Boland, who gay and lesbian activists contend was dismissed because he is homosexual.

The sheriff said Boland was fired because he made a false arrest and made false statements in his report.

Supervisor Ed Edelman, the only member of the board to comment on the report Tuesday, said: “It is not as responsive as it could be.”