5th District Hopefuls Win Endorsements : Politics: Feuer and Yaroslavsky campaigns paint the public support of police and firefighters unions and the sheriff as a sign of their commitment to strong law enforcement.

The battle to lay claim to the title of top law-and-order candidate in the Los Angeles City Council’s 5th District race heated up Thursday when Mike Feuer won the support of the city’s police and firefighters unions while Barbara Yaroslavsky was endorsed by Sheriff Sherman Block.

Both candidates sought to use the endorsements as evidence they are the most qualified candidate to take a leadership post in a city where crime is a top issue for voters.

“We are delighted to receive the endorsements,” said Feuer’s campaign manager Cynthia Corona. “This . . . reinforces the position that Mike is the top candidate.”

Both sides also sought to downplay the significance of the other’s endorsement.

“We have real law enforcement support that cares about putting criminals behind bars, not the support of big union bosses who only care about pay raises and benefits,” said Rick Taylor, Yaroslavsky’s campaign strategist.

Corona returned fire, noting that the Police Protective League represents the rank-and-file members of the Los Angeles Police Department, which has jurisdiction over the 5th District. The Sheriff’s Department operates prisons and patrols unincorporated areas of the county.

“The union means more to this community because they are participants in what happens in this community,” Corona said.

Some Feuer supporters suggested that Block’s endorsement was politically motivated because Yaroslavsky’s husband, Zev, is a member of the Board of Supervisors and has direct control over Block’s annual budget. The sheriff could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The Police Protective League’s endorsement of Feuer came as no surprise because union leaders repeatedly clashed with Zev Yaroslavsky when he was a member of the City Council. Last year, they blasted him for opposing a police pay increase package.

But union President Cliff Ruff called the endorsement a “sincere pick,” saying Feuer is more knowledgeable than Yaroslavsky on the issues of concern in the department and “is honest, even when he offers an answer that we don’t want to hear.”

Mike McOsker, vice president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles, said Feuer won that group’s support because he “seemed to have a better grasp of the issues” than Yaroslavsky, and seemed more supportive of the firefighters as they battle drastic budget cuts proposed by Mayor Richard Riordan.