Unions endorse Ridley-Thomas

The Los Angeles Police Protective League and the Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs were among five law enforcement unions Tuesday that endorsed state Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) to replace retiring county Supervisor Yvonne B. Burke.

The move places the public safety unions alongside much of the region’s other organized labor groups in backing Ridley-Thomas, who is running against L.A. City Councilman Bernard C. Parks -- a former Los Angeles Police Department chief.

Burke announced last week that she was supporting Parks for the June 3 primary election. Parks also has collected endorsements from other elected officials, including county Supervisor Gloria Molina.