news, Baca's Debacles, Sheriff Baca is wrong, John Stites top qualified.

Deputy Hagop "Jake" Kuredjian was killed is a blotched ATF raid in Stephenson Ranch on August 31, 2001. He was responding to a shots fired assistance call by fellow Deputies and drove into harm's way on his motorcycle. Lee Baca now calls for standard protocols when inter-agency operations involve Sheriff's personnel. Protocols should have been in place years ago. It is too late. The investigation must be made public. "Jake" deserves it.

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Though it is a felony for inmates to engage in sex in the jail, Sheriff Baca has authorized the distribution of condoms to gay inmates in jail facilities. Suborning a felony is not the answer. What can he be thinking?

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“Operation Easy Money”, an investigation opened eighteen months ago at the request of Sheriff Baca has proven to be a failure. Flaunted by Baca as a major corruption case involving 11 department employees and a stolen credit card ring, only one misdemeanor conviction has occurred for unauthorized use of a department computer. It appears there will be no felony convictions though the lead investigator in the case has been promoted. The lead investigator was with the Internal Affairs Unit. The Department has paid more than $500,000 in salaries to the employees while they are relieved of duty. All employees were named and photos were distributed to the news media. It appears it was posturing due to the “Rampart” scandal. Lee Baca was attempting to show he was tough on corruption. Should we call this a rush to justice?

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An Ontario man was brutally raped by jail inmates eight hours after being ordered released by a judge on March 17, 1999 yet he was returned to jail. “This took part of me, a part of my soul....” the victim was quoted. Dozens of suits pending.

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Supervisors, Baca at odds over Sheriff’s Dept. budget... SGV Tribune, Oct. 28, 2001.

Baca requested $22 million to hire extra Deputies for stations and $16 million to resolve a medical crisis for inmates in county facilities. This while a $60 million dollar inmate welfare fund is available and can be legally used to resolve some of these issues. His spokesman states that he is waiting on legal advise before he commits monies from the inmate welfare fund to health care. Let’s hope these are not the same attorneys he relied upon in dealing with over detentions in the jails costing the department a $27 million dollar class action payout.

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Sheriff Baca is suing the Board of Supervisors to prevent a term limit initiative that includes his office from remaining on the March 2002 ballot. The ballot initiative would limit all county offices , including the Sheriff’s, to three four-years terms totaling twelve years. Baca was quoted in September as saying, “Oftentimes, it takes six to eight years to get up to speed”. If any of the above is taken into consideration, we must all agree. Because after three years, BACA’s accomplishment are few, if any.

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The two largest agencies in the county, LAPD and LASD, still have not come to an agreement on the yet to be built consolidated Crime Lab at Cal State Los Angeles. The seven month delay has cost $1.5 million so far. More than 4000 untested blood and semen cases from rape cases alone have yet to be processed, some since 1994. Lee Baca, the main lobbyist for the consolidated lab, after a failed $220 million bond was defeated by voters last year, gained funding from Gray Davis. The $96 million allocated seems to be getting farther and farther away as the state’s budget woes increase.

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A Sergeant in Sheriff Baca's Office apparently ordered a Lieutenant at Temple Station to void a legally issued ticket due to a request by the violator’s husband. The husband was a campaign contributor who had attempted to get the ticket voided himself without success. Yet, a call to the Sheriff’s Office and the deed is done. Not only do I know that Lieutenants do not take orders from Sergeants on the Sheriff’s Department, I also know that no Sergeant would take it upon himself unless he had the approval and
authority of a superior. He works in the Sheriff’s Office, doesn’t he? This is not only a violation of policy, but it may be a violation of law and deserves the investigation of an outside agency. I will request the Public Integrity Unit of the District Attorney’s Office conduct this investigation. Perhaps when people are facing perjury charges the truth will come out. Perhaps not. Currently an investigation is being conducted by the Department’s Internal Affairs Unit.

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After asking for $21 million for inmate healthcare, it was revealed that the Sheriff had purchased an airplane for $2.4 million dollars. The plane was to fly Baca and his executives to “important” meetings. He said it would also be available to investigators.

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Lawyers, Red Tape stalled End to Illegal Jail Detentions... LA Times, Sept. 3, 2001.

Sheriff Baca, acting on advise from lawyers, continued to allow illegal jail detentions to occur for more than two years resulting in illegal strip searches continuing until March 2000, some 150,000 to 200,000 since 1997. Civil suit resulted in a 27 million dollar pay out. More suits are pending. The problem was fixed on orders from Baca within 90 days when he learned the civil suit was lost.

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Sheriff Baca refuses to answer questions about his substantial involvement in a conspiracy with local politicians to secure a successful presidential pardon for Carlos Vignali in Jan. 2000. Carlos Vignali, serving a 15 year federal sentence for his involvement in smuggling more than 800 kilos of cocaine to the mid-west, was pardoned by President Clinton on his last day in office. Hugh Rodham, Hillary’s brother, brokered the deal in which more than two hundred thousand dollars changed hands. Sheriff Baca wrote letters, made phone calls to the White House and others, yet denied and mislead the public about his involvement. Even President Clinton expressed regret about this pardon. All other suspects in the case are still in prison. Horacio Vignali, Carlos’ father, was a major contributor to Baca’s campaign.

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Sheriff Lee Baca Relied Heavily on two Controversial Campaign Supporters to Set up His Asian Crime Task Force. Both Men Have Drawn FBI Scrutiny... LA Weekly, Sept. 24-30, 1999.

Sheriff Baca refuses to answer questions about Kenny Chang, Eddie Leung, their support of his campaign and their role in his administration... according to Captain, (now Chief) Doyle Campbell. Contributions were questionable, rewards were great.

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*It is estimated that the Sheriff’s Department is currently $120 million over budget. (Dec 01)

How many more headlines do we need to recognize the inability of Lee Baca to effectively lead the Sheriff’s Department?

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