Baca, Block Continue Tough Talk in Debate

Incumbent Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block and his challenger, Lee Baca, maintained the newly combative tone of their campaign in a heated debate Wednesday.

The candidates in November’s runoff election for sheriff--the first in this century--questioned each other’s fitness for the job, with both citing examples of ineptitude and Baca again questioning the 74-year-old Block’s health, a topic he had avoided until recently.

During the debate, which was an advance taping of KNBC’s “Channel 4 News Conference” show to air Sunday, host Jess Marlow asked Block if his health affects his performance.

Block, who has twice fought off cancer and undergoes kidney dialysis, replied--as he has before--that “a sheriff does not run down dark alleys after crooks or climb 8-foot walls. He manages the department.”

Block said he had been examined for a kidney transplant, which he will probably seek after the election, and doctors had found him in good health.

Baca commended Block for twice beating cancer, but said the sheriff was not able to frequently visit the 55 sheriff’s stations, and “it’s important to have a hands-on sheriff.” Baca also told reporters after the taping that “the public is concerned about [Block’s health], and I think Mr. Block is concerned about it.”

Block accused Baca, a former regional chief, of overseeing “the two most troubled stations” in the Sheriff’s Department. Block said Baca failed to act on disciplinary actions involving deputies under his command because “he wanted to be Mr. Nice Guy.”

Baca did not immediately respond to the charge, but said he welcomed an audit of his work. He said Block’s scrutiny of his stations is politically motivated. After the debate, Baca told reporters that Block’s statement concerning his failure to act on discipline was “absolutely false.”

Much of the debate revolved around differing interpretations of policies and programs. Baca said the department was losing money by handling state and federal prisoners, while Block insisted that the practice generated profits.

Both men cited parts of semiannual reports by Merrick Bobb, a special counsel appointed by the Board of Supervisors to monitor the Sheriff’s Department. Baca quoted from a Bobb report that said the Century station, one of those he oversaw, was hurt by a shortage of supervisors, which he blamed on Block.

Block said the lack of supervisors was due to department budget cuts, and cited a Bobb report praising the department’s improved community relations, reduction in law suits and better coordination with mental health agencies.

Although the debate, which is scheduled to air at 5:30 a.m., may have little impact on the race, the Baca campaign claimed to have received a boost Wednesday when state Sen. Hilda Solis (D-El Monte) switched her endorsement from Block to Baca.

A news release issued by the Baca campaign quotes Solis as saying she endorsed Block “long before I knew Lee was going to run for sheriff.”

The Sheriff’s Department provides law enforcement to 40 cities and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, including El Monte, and the Sheriff is elected by voters countywide.