[0] CHALLENGER TO WEAR BADGE.

Byline: Douglas Haberman Daily News Staff Writer

Lee Baca claimed victory over the late Sherman Block in Tuesday's balloting for sheriff of Los Angeles County, less than a week after Block died while running for a fifth four-year term.

Block's supporters insisted on carrying on the campaign through Election Day, in spite of his death Thursday from a brain hemorrhage, in hopes of denying Baca the office.

Baca, wearing a yellow rose in his lapel, gave a victory speech to supporters early in the evening.

``Los Angeles County has become a victorious, wonderful place of inclusion ... because of what's going on tonight,'' he said.

``We can take great pride that this has been a campaign about decency, this has been a campaign about fairness. That this campaign was about inclusion of everybody, not just some powerbrokers,'' he said.

``The message is clear ... We have won this campaign. I am ready to become your sheriff for the next four years.''

For voters, it was a choice between Baca, 56, or voting for Block with the knowledge that if he won, by law, the county Board of Supervisors would select a successor as sheriff to fill the position until the November 2000 election.

If early indications prevail, Baca, a former regional chief in the Sheriff's Department, will be sworn in Dec. 3.

Before Block's death, the election was expected to be a referendum on his four-term leadership of the 13,000-employee department, which operates the largest jail system in the nation and provides law enforcement services to 40 cities and the county's unincorporated area. After his death, it turned into a vote on public confidence in the surviving candidate.

Baca was in the top echelon of department leaders in June when he and two other hopefuls ran against Block in the June primary.

Block finished the primary in first place with 36 percent of the vote, but Baca trailed him by only 4 percentage points and forced the sheriff into the first runoff of his political career.

For Block, who had been sheriff since 1982, it suddenly became the most critical campaign of his life.

Long a popular public official and never seriously threatened for his job, Block went out on the campaign trail in the runoff and faced questions about inefficiency in his department, mistaken releases of prisoners and other management criticisms.

The event that turned out to be the final campaign debate of Block's nearly 17-year career occurred in Studio City on Oct. 23 as the two men faced each other at a forum of the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.

The next day, Block, 74, fell at his West Hills home and hit his head, requiring 10 stitches and hospitalization for dizziness and disorientation, followed by surgery to remove a blood clot in his brain. He died only days later, still in the hospital.

Before losing consciousness, Block asked his supporters not to give up the political battle regardless of what happened to him, according to his campaign leaders. As the runoff campaign lengthened, Block increasingly had questioned Baca's integrity, ethics and leadership ability.

Baca resigned from the department shortly after the primary, saying it would enable him to campaign full time. Afterward, Block openly questioned the job performance of his onetime subordinate.

The pre-eminent issue for Baca's campaign, during the primary and most of the runoff battle, was Block's age and health. The sheriff had been undergoing kidney dialysis three times a week after twice defeating cancer.

Late in the race, however, Baca began criticizing his former mentor's management, particularly of the jails.

Until stricken Oct. 24, Block insisted he was in good health despite his age and the dialysis treatments. He said he was still the best man for the job of reducing crime, still the one most likely to reduce his constituents' fear of violence.

Baca cast himself as a man with the energy, vision and hands-on management style needed to steer the department into a new era.

But he also was hindered by allegations that he had offered Block a deal to quit the race, including the title of sheriff emeritus with a staff car and driver as well as continued official responsibilities.

Baca insisted the offer was not meant as a shady deal, but rather as an effort to keep Block in the department while avoiding a bitter race that could divide the department.

During his 32 years in the department, Baca rose through the ranks to division chief in charge of six stations and the anti-gang bureau. He has a doctorate in public administration from the University of Southern California.

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PHOTO (color) Lee Baca talks with reporters after voting Tuesday in Pasadena.

Kevin Karzin/Associated Press