The Los Angeles Police department gets more national attention, but the LA Sheriff's Department is arguably more powerful. Its 18 thousand officers police large areas of Los Angeles County, and the $2.5 billion agency oversees the largest jail system in the US. For 15 years Lee Baca has overseen the department, which is now being investigated by the FBI on suspicion of multiple abuses of power. This morning Sheriff Baca made the surprising announcement that he will not seek re-election and will retire at the end of this month. Robert Faturechi has been covering the Sheriff's Department for the Los Angeles Times.
KCRW
