SUPERVISORS SEEK MORE DETAILS ON BACA GANG PLAN SHERIFF WANTS SALES-TAX ITEM PLACED ON NOVEMBER BALLOT.

Byline: TROY ANDERSON Staff Writer

Concerned about placing a sales-tax measure on the November ballot to fund gang-violence prevention, the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday asked Sheriff Lee Baca to more fully explore the feasibility of a new Gang Reduction Crime Team.

Baca's proposed three-part gang reduction task force model would provide $75 million split three ways between the Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Police Department and other police departments throughout the county.

``Gang violence is a plague on our communities,'' Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said. ``Los Angeles County is committed to putting an end to the terror, crimes and killings in our jails, in the streets and in our schools.''

The sheriff was asked to report back to the supervisors in 45 days on the feasibility of the plan and provide a breakdown of the costs and sources of the funding.

The plan will take into consideration department staffing shortages, other board priorities and deployment of deputies in unincorporated areas.

The plan is one of two proposals Baca presented at the meeting Tuesday, asking supervisors to vote to place a quarter-percent sales tax measure on the November ballot that would raise $325 million annually for law enforcement agencies throughout the county.

But supervisors noted the department is having problems with hiring and retaining deputies.

``It makes it hard for me to go to voters if we can't fill the positions,'' Supervisor Don Knabe said.

The deadline to place the measure on the ballot is Aug. 11.

``I believe that 500-plus gang murders a year in the county is an unacceptable reality that has yet to be curtailed,'' Baca said.

``Primarily, our defense to gang violence has been local cops -- 23,000 protecting 10 million people.

``80,000 gang members, 23,000 cops -- of which at any one time on duty is about 4,000 of the 23,000 -- doesn't suggest that we have an arsenal that's capable of defeating an enemy, an enemy that lives in neighborhoods and houses and has homes.''

After dropping to a low of less than 400 gang-related homicides countywide in 1999, the numbers have steadily increased to 553 last year, according to county reports.

From 2003 to 2005, the number of gang-related homicides in LAPD and sheriff's areas rose from 443 to 467, according to a recent Interagency Gang Task Force report.

In sheriff's areas, the number rose from 164 to 224. In LAPD areas, it dropped from 259 to 243.

In that same period, the number of gang-related serious felonies in sheriff and LAPD areas dropped from 11,916 to 9,737. In sheriff's areas, the number rose from 2,987 to 3,074 while in LAPD areas it dropped from 8,929 to 6,663.

Baca said gang violence is a regional problem and requires a regional solution.

``If the time is not now, when is the time?'' Baca asked. ``If we don't have the resolve to form a new model with law enforcement intervention combined, when will we have the time to really address our greatest crime problem -- gang members?''

``The turf wars over drugs involve gangs, the disturbances in the jails directly involve gangs. All of the menacing forms of criminal behavior in our jails, outside of jails, on the streets, in the cities, in the county unincorporated areas, are largely attributed to gangs.''

troy.anderson(at)dailynews.com

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