Board of Supervisors Vote to Hire County Jail Monitor

Sheriff Lee Baca sat down with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday to defend accusations of ignored jail house beatings.

The supervisors voted unanimously to hire a monitor to make sure safety is improved.

"The focus is on everyone- it's not only on me, it's on the board," Baca said.

The board also voted on monthly meetings to keep track and report on these steps taken to improve safety. These decisions will be made by a panel that supervisors appointed last year when allegations of deputy brutality against inmates became more prevalent.

"If there is officer misconduct wherever it is in the department we want to have an effective response immediately," Baca said. "We want to say we are on the case as opposed to saying we don't have enough resources."

The monitor will track and review how successful the commission's 63 recommendations are, including a transition in the department's workforce. There will also be internal investigations to fully observe the system. Labor unions and other county departments will help implement the transition. 

Sheriff Lee Baca said he agreed with the reforms that need to fix leadership failure.

"I take full responsibility for the problems as they emerged," Baca said.

He plans to hire and train deuties by January 1st as part of the jail reform.