CANDIDATES FIGHT OVER CRIME HAHN AND VILLARAIGOSA EACH ON FINAL BLITZ OF ADVERTISING, APPEARANCES.

Byline: Beth Barrett and Rick Orlov Staff Writers

Mayor James Hahn and Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa clashed Wednesday over who would do a better job in fighting crime as the mayoral campaigns launched their final week's television and mail advertising blitzes.

Even as the challenger was picking up the endorsement of Sheriff Lee Baca, Hahn continued his effort to label Villaraigosa as soft on crime because of his civil liberties background. At a news conference, the mayor said Villaraigosa opposes his proposal for a citywide gang injunction and his campaign released a commercial featuring a woman who pushed for tougher state child abuse laws.

Karey Jaeger, whose 22-month-old son was killed by a baby sitter, appears in the commercial questioning why Villaraigosa, when he was a legislator, was the sole negative vote against a measure toughening penalties.

Villaraigosa defended himself, saying that while he did vote against the measure, he supported another proposal that he believed had stronger penalties. Also, he said, while he was the only no vote on the bill, there were 16 other members who were absent or abstained.

``No one knows more about domestic abuse than I do,'' Villaraigosa said. ``I grew up in a home with domestic abuse and I know what living with that terror is like. I was supporting a measure that I believed had stronger provisions.''

Hahn aides disputed that, saying the second measure was rejected by then-Gov. Pete Wilson.

In endorsing Villaraigosa, Baca said Hahn was not up to providing the leadership the city needs.

``When I look at the job of mayor, I want to see someone with energy, who is out there, who is like a cop walking a beat,'' Baca said. ``I want someone who will go to all the neighborhoods in the city, the schools and elsewhere. I am not criticizing Mayor Hahn, but I think Antonio Villaraigosa will be the mayor to do that.''

Hahn dismissed the endorsement, saying he's happier to have the support of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing rank-and-file cops.

``I want to knit together the 22 gang injunctions that are in place, and take it to the next level with a citywide injunction .... we're going to tell the gangs there's no place in the city of Los Angeles where your activities will be accepted,'' Hahn said outside the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center. Villaraigosa said the mayor's proposal would not solve the problem.

``It's easy to talk about the gang problem, but we have to do something about it,'' Villaraigosa said.

He reiterated his promise to add 1,000 more officers, noting Hahn has failed in four years to deliver on a similar promise. The extra cops would provide more bike and street patrols, expanded anti-gang units and more senior lead officers.

Villaraigosa took his campaign to an area that is largely ignored in the retail politics of modern campaigning, the business district of Pacific Palisades.

Even though LAPD figures show crime has dropped in the area by 40 percent, Villaraigosa said the local Wells Fargo branch has been robbed six times in the past year as residents gave him complaints of armed robberies and 45-minute response times from the LAPD.

Both campaigns are also beginning to receive support from independent expenditures. A television commercial from the California Teachers Association for Villaraigosa that attacks Hahn's record on education began running this week.

The Police Protective League began a mailing program that depicts officers giving their support to Hahn and citing the drop in crime.

Also, SEIU Local 347 announced it will begin a series of precinct walks and telephone banking operations starting this weekend, leading up to the election.

In addition, the City Clerk's Office reported it has sent out 195,000 absentee ballots for the election. In the primary election, absentees counted for nearly one-fourth of all ballots cast. If that holds true for the runoff election, officials said there will be about a 30 percent turnout of the city's 1.45 million registered voters, up slightly from the primary.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com