"Los Angeles County sheriff to retire amid federal probes" by Greg Risling | Associated Press, January 08, 2014
MONTEREY PARK, Calif. — Embattled Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca announced his retirement Tuesday amid federal investigations that have targeted abuses in his jails and discrimination against minorities in one of the communities his deputies patrol.
Baca said he would step down at the end of the month and would not seek reelection because he was concerned about the ‘‘negative perception’’ the upcoming campaign would create concerning the nation’s largest sheriff’s department.
He's worried about the negative perception of himself and his reputation.
‘‘I didn’t want to have to enter a campaign that would be full of negative, contentious politicking,’’ said Baca, 71, in an emotional statement outside sheriff’s headquarters.
Baca spent 48 years in the Sheriff’s Department and became the first Hispanic-American to hold the top post. He liked talking about his job, traveling the world, and even went on uniformed patrol a few years ago to try and save the department from paying overtime.
He said it was time to step aside and give someone else a chance.
‘‘I don’t see myself as the future, I see myself as part of the past,’’ he said.
Last month, 18 current and former sheriff’s deputies were indicted for alleged crimes that included beating inmates and jail visitors, falsifying reports, and trying to obstruct an FBI probe of the nation’s largest jail system.
Federal prosecutors said the charges showed that some sheriff’s employees thought they were above the law and exhibited behavior that had become institutionalized.
Baca sidestepped questions Tuesday about whether he was worried that he might be indicted as part of the federal probe but acknowledged more of his employees might face charges.
‘‘I’m not afraid of reality. I’m only afraid of people who don’t tell the truth,’’ he said....
He must be terrified of newspapers.
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Related:
"Federal officials say 18 current and former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies saw themselves as being ‘‘above the law,’’ engaging in corruption and civil rights abuses that included beating inmates and visitors, falsifying reports and trying to block an FBI probe of the nation’s largest jail system....
That's nothing new and it is an attitude in police departments across this country.
And why not? They get to kill with impunity. You would feel that way, too.
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Maybe the U.N can get after him the way they did Kim.
