By Sarah Carrillo
Staff Writer
Without core values, there can’t be great leaders.
And without great leaders, a great police officer ceases to exist.
On Monday night, students walked in to see Sheriff Leroy D. Baca’s lecture on “Law Enforcement Challenges in Urban America” and walked out taking with them this memorable lesson.
“The Sheriffs Department is the most eclectic and most diverse law enforcement agency in the country,” Baca said. “The Sheriffs Department is the chief law enforcement agency in the county. (We) run the jails, protect the courts, and police areas that the city does not police.”
Baca explained that the department works with cities through contracts and changes its services depending upon the needs of the area, and that these needs frequently change.
“We have chosen to be different … we have to police each area the way that they want,” Baca said. “It’s a matter of the degree of programs that the city wants. We’re into giving our customers value for what they are going to pay.”
He continued to discuss some of the problems law enforcement has. “The advent of the radio car has allowed an increase in efficiency but a lack of connection with the public,” Baca said.
“(Also) The problem with law enforcement agencies is bureaucracy — they are slow to change. It’s easier to say that this is how we’ve always done it and this is how we’re going to do it.”
Baca also believes that some of the problems of the police force are larger than the force itself, and can be attributed to our country.
“America is the most incredibly interesting country on earth because we invited all other countries to come here, yet our history is the most racist on earth,” Baca said.
“Police officers in the past have helped with things like slavery … We should be the defenders of civil rights, not the violators of civil rights.
“We have too much power and if we abuse that power it becomes the lightning rod of mistrust,” he added.
After outlining the problems facing the sheriffs department, Baca explained how he is working to improve the system.
“Law enforcement must change, and programs must be created,” Baca said. “I’m hiring new men and women to be leaders, (because) leaders take on a higher moral and ethical responsibility in society.”
All 16,000 of Baca’s employees go to a leadership school to help promote his policy. Baca also believes that the core values of the organization need to be changed.
In his department, the core values every officer must follow include: leadership, honor, respect for all people, integrity to do what is right and fight what is wrong, fairness, and courage to stand against bigotry in all forms.
“(These) are golden rules; rules of conduct and respect,” Baca said.
He also tries to promote women entering the police force.
“We don’t treat women as helpless people; we treat women as equal partners,” Baca said.
The lecture ended with Baca answering questions from the audience about himself and the sheriffs department.
“I thought that the lecture was very interesting, and that his idea of core values would be valuable not just for police officers, but for everyone,” freshman Jalayne Arias said.
Baca, a native of East Los Angeles, has served Los Angeles County as sheriff since December 1998.
He graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School, attended East Los Angeles College and earned a doctorate from the University of Southern California in public administration.
He also is an adjunct professor of public administration at the University of La Verne.
Baca joined the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department in 1965, became captain in 1981 and chief in 1992.
Baca has been honored by numerous nonprofit organizations and elected officials for his service to the public.
February 21, 2002