Sheriff Faces Health, Jail Issues in Battle for a Fifth Term

The Los Angeles County electoral races to be decided Tuesday generally have been low-key affairs, with the notable exception of the contest for sheriff, in which the incumbent, Sherman Block, faces three opponents in his quest for a fifth term.

Unlike past sheriffs’ races--in which voters merely rubber-stamped the incumbent--this time Block, 73, has been forced to campaign vigorously in an effort to retain the post he has held since 1982. The sheriff’s annual salary of $234,015.96 makes him America’s highest-paid elected official; the president of the United States makes do on just $200,000 a year. Unlike the sheriff, however, he and his family get room and board.

The lack of subsidized housing notwithstanding, those who hope to send Block into retirement include: Sheriff’s Chief Lee Baca, 56, who is in charge of half a dozen of the department’s stations, including those in West Hollywood, Lennox and Century City; retired Sheriff’s Chief Bill Baker, 60, who stepped down in 1995 as head of detectives; and Sgt. Patrick Gomez, 40, who is assigned to the department’s Temple City station.

If no one wins a majority of the votes cast next week, the top two vote-getters will face each other in a runoff election in November.

Baca has focused his campaign on the sheriff’s health, saying he believes that Block is too sick to serve another four-year term. The incumbent has survived two bouts of cancer and undergoes hemodialysis three days a week, but says he feels fine and is fully able to meet the demands of his office.

Baker and Gomez have accused Block of failing to adequately administer the department, a situation they say has hurt morale and led to a variety of embarrassing snafus in the county jail system, which the Sheriff’s Department runs.

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Block acknowledges that there are problems in the jails, stemming--he says--from a lack of automation. Inmates are often illegally detained past their court-ordered release dates because jail clerks cannot process their paperwork quickly enough. And, occasionally, the paperwork mistakes have led to the erroneous release of dangerous criminals.

But Block says the system is on the mend, adding that he has started a task force to raise $32 million to upgrade the computers in the jails over the next few years. Block is also capitalizing on the fact that many jail inmates are now serving 100% of their sentences, thanks to a program that has freed up space in county lock-ups by placing thousands of convicts--mostly white-collar criminals--under house arrest.

Baca--a 32-year-department veteran who heads up the department’s anti-gang program--says he should be elected sheriff because he would bring new, invigorated leadership to the department.

His candidacy has not been without controversy, however. Several weeks ago, Block accused Baca of offering him numerous inducements--including a county car, an office and a driver--to drop out of the race, a move that may have violated the state elections code. Baca reacted by first confirming that he offered Block a deal to step down, then by calling a news conference to deny it.

Baca now says he offered to make Block sheriff emeritus out of “compassion.”

Baker, who is defense attorney Johnnie L. Cochran Jr.’s brother-in-law, says that he is the most sensible alternative to the current regime. During his 35 years in the department, he quickly worked his way through the ranks, supervising a number of stations before taking over as head of detectives. His ascent was rare among African American deputies of his generation.

Baker said he retired in 1995 because he was frustrated with the direction the department was taking.

Gomez has backing among the department’s rank-and-file. He has won the support of his fellow deputies by promising to get them better equipment and to cut the time they must spend working in the county jails. He also says he will eliminate perks for department managers, including doing away with the use of take-home county-owned cars.

In other countywide elections, Supervisor Gloria Molina is unopposed in her bid for a third term, while Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky is running against three opponents--Shane McLoud, a former deputy to retired Supervisor Deane Dana; C.J. McDonald, a resident of the 3rd District, which covers the Westside and parts of the San Fernando Valley; and Casey Peters, a Peace and Freedom Party candidate.

County Assessor Kenneth Hahn faces challenges from two deputy assessors, John E. Hasley and D.C. “Dan” Kumaus, and mortgage broker Richard Kenneth Maguire.

Also up for grabs are more than 30 Assembly and Senate seats.