Are they kidding? Baca appointed to state prisons board

You may have noticed that Sheriff Lee Baca is under intense scrutiny for his management of the Los Angeles County jail system. Not too many people would give his jail oversight a passing grade. Just this week, the ACLU sued the sheriff's department over dodgy handling of complaints against deputies by inmates. Last Friday, the Los Angeles Citizens Commission on Jail Violence heard chilling testimony about the jails from a sheriff’s captain who said “this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my entire life.”

Nonetheless, Gov. Jerry Bown just announced he is appointing Baca to the Board of State and Community Corrections.

Leroy Baca, 70, of Monterey Park, has been appointed to the Board of State and Community Corrections. Baca has served as sheriff for Los Angeles County since 1998 and has served in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department since 1965. He earned a Doctorate of Public Administration degree from the University of Southern California. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Baca is a Republican.