Los Angeles County Voters Are Getting a More Progressive Option for Sheriff

The most populated county in America has seen a lot of problems with its Sheriff’s office over the past few years. L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca has morphed from a law enforcement professional to a thoroughly greasy politician, and his lack of leadership in the department led to a prisoner abuse scandal in the county jails, according to the county’s Citizen’s Commission on Jail Violence.

Now a Los Angeles Police Department supervisor is stepping up to challenge Baca in 2014. Lou Vince, a progressive by nature and temperment, is an 18-year veteran of the force and a leader in the department. The California native holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration as well as a Master’s Degree in Criminology, Law and Society. He’s handled major operations and worked on opening new police divisions in L.A.

Vince also has an admirable personal background. A former Marine, he and his wife have four children, two of which were fostered and adopted through the County Department of Children and Family Services. Lou and his family currently live in Agua Dulce, a rural part of northeast L.A. County, where he's an elected member of the Town Council.

But most importantly, Vince would be a more progressive Sheriff than the one we have now. He pledges to reform the Sheriff’s Department and prevent the sorts of abuses seen in the county jails. He says he will develop more alternative sentencing options for minor, non-violent offenders to limit overcrowding in the jails. A former DARE officer, he also wants to better prioritize resources to target serious crimes rather than minor drug offenses like cannabis possession.

Vince has a keen awareness of the importance of civil liberties and maintaining public trust. Unlike Baca, he opposes the use of U.A.V.s (drones) flying overhead and spying on residents. He tells DWT that, “any cost savings, when compared with a manned aircraft, is not worth the erosion of public trust. As Sheriff, I would not use them.”

So can a progressive win a law enforcement post? That’s the question L.A. voters will have to decide next year. We'll be following this race closely. You can learn more at Vince's website.