CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS / U.S. SENATE : Sheriff Block, Key Police Groups Endorse Feinstein : He says the Democrat best understands the state’s crime-fighting needs. Huffington downplays their support and releases ad attacking special-interest power.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein got a campaign boost on the state’s hottest issue Thursday when Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block and a roll call of major state police organizations declared the Democrat to be the better crime fighter in the race.

Block, a registered Republican who interviewed both Feinstein and GOP challenger Mike Huffington for the endorsement, said the incumbent would be the better advocate in Washington.

“Very simply, Sen. Feinstein seemed to have the best understanding, the best grip of what the needs were in California . . . and on that basis, the state sheriffs were unanimous in their endorsement,” Block said at a morning news conference that included about a dozen law enforcement groups.

Huffington downplayed the Feinstein announcement, saying he has not aggressively pursued endorsements because they are often a tool of powerful special interests. The Republican’s campaign also launched a new television commercial Thursday that targeted the theme of special-interest power.

The ad reminds voters that Feinstein, like Rep. Huffington (R-Santa Barbara), is a millionaire worth at least $50 million. Then it accuses Feinstein of being a “career politician” because, unlike Huffington, she accepts her congressional salary and charges the government for her travel, including a personal driver.

“I think the timing of this is interesting; they are probably very embarrassed to have lost all of these police endorsements,” said Kam Kuwata, Feinstein’s campaign manager. “He can be a name-caller, but the reality is that Feinstein is a fighter for California, and Huffington is a Texas oil millionaire out for himself.”

Thursday’s exchange captured the central themes of this Senate race as well as the hostile flavor that is likely to continue through Election Day.

Feinstein has portrayed herself as a tenacious advocate in Washington for California interests. Huffington, meanwhile, says she is an entrenched member of a broken government and he is an agent of change.

On crime, their difference has been more about style than legislation. Both lawmakers favor the assault weapons ban, the death penalty, funding for more police and prisons, and a “three-strikes” sentencing law.

Huffington, however, hurt himself with many law enforcement groups when he voted against a procedural rule last month that threatened to kill the crime bill. Huffington said he considered much of the bill’s crime prevention funding to be “pork” even though he had voted for it in a previous version of the bill.

Huffington, who was campaigning in Ontario on Thursday, voted for the crime bill when it reached the House last month. But police supporters were still angry.

“We burned up the fax lines to let him know our displeasure,” said Skip Murphy, president of the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California, the state’s largest rank-and-file law enforcement group.

Traditionally, Democrats have received support from rank-and-file police groups because of labor issues while Republicans are often backed by management-level law enforcement groups. Feinstein’s coalition, however, includes most major groups from both sectors.

In addition to the Peace Officers Research Assn. of California and the state sheriffs’ organization, Feinstein’s list includes the California Organization of Police and Sheriffs and the California Peace Officers Assn. The latter, the state’s largest management police group, endorsed Feinstein’s Republican opponents when she ran for the Senate in 1992 and for governor in 1990.