Sheriff Lee Baca Under Fire from LA County Supervisors

Listen to the full audio story

Download the MP3

In a sprawling beige room downtown, in front of a panel of slouched LA County Board of Supervisors, Sheriff Lee Baca and his team of officers are taking cover.

Bacca's at the receiving end of some pretty intense questioning regarding...everything.

From big things, like the quality of his crew...

"...These are individuals who went through a training program, sworn to uphold the law and they're like, the first ones who break the law..." says Supervisor Michael Antonovich.

To the things you'd never consider, like using heavy-duty flashlights as a deadly weapon...

"No head strikes, head strikes are forbidden," repeats Sheriff Baca.

Why now for all of these issues?

Before the year's over Baca's crew will be investigated for unnecessary force... in several jails.

The new cameras they're installing all over the county facilities are not just for monitoring the inmates. They're for monitoring the cops, too.

This is a reaction to recent reports of deputies fighting inmates longer than they had to in order to get even with them.

What's more, the Board suspects that communications officers right under Baca are keeping information like this as low-profile as possible.

"Reports have been submitted...before they get to your door step, someone spikes them, whether it's deliberately or it's just the bureaucratic maze go in..." says Antonovich.

And the Board's tired of it.

It's poured millions into new security measures for the jails. And with months surveillance camera installation seemingly wasted, they're ready to see some results.

"We're not going to get anymore reports of those cameras not working, correct?" (Supervisor Gloria Molina)
"No. They're working, Supervisor." (Victor Rampulla, with Sheriff Baca)

After all the cameras are installed, and after the investigation wraps up and the proper consequeces are carried out, Baca still has ground to recover.

The tense exchange today showed a Board that's been disappointed, time and again, by an over-promising police force.

"You have to understand you've told me this before, so I don't want assurances." (Molina)

For the next few months, whether on the streets or in the boardroom, Baca's under some pretty heavy fire.