What Would You Rather See Happen? Less Officers or Closed Jails?

For LA County Sheriff Lee Baca, he rather close jails than take officers off the streets. Facing potential cuts in his department, which he says will be around $72 million, he would lean towards releasing inmates early, possibly closing the Men's Central facility (that could mean releasing 4,000). Under his plan, his 10,000-officer force would not decrease other than through attrition and a number of civilian jobs would be cut. But the county's chief executive, William T Fujioka, told the LA Times Baca's story is "irresponsible" because nothing has been set in stone. Fujioka asked many departments for draft budget proposals showing how they would handle a 5% cut, but he said the Sheriff's Department is not one of them.