Sheriff Sherman Block - Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

D E D I C A T I O NS T R E N G T HSHERIFFleadershipV I S I O NSHERMANBLOCKprofessional1924~1998140Year in Review 1998

BIOGRAPHYFormer Los Angeles County SheriffSherman Block was born in Chicago, lllinois,where he attended grade school andhigh school. During World War II, heserved three and one-half years in the UnitedStates Army with duties under GeneralGeorge S. Patton Jr. in Europe and, whenGermany surrendered, he was sent to thePacific Region to train for the invasion ofJapan.Former Sheriff Block was an HonorsGraduate of California State University atLos Angeles, where he received his Bachelorof Science Degree in Police Science andAdministration and was elected to PhiKappa Phi Honor Society. He took graduatework in the field of Public Administrationat the University of Southern California.He was also a graduate of the NationalExecutive Institute at the F.B.I. Academy,Quantico, Virginia, and served on the facultiesof several local colleges and universities.On May 1, 1956, former Sheriff Blockentered the Sheriff’s Department as aDeputy Sheriff Recruit. In January 1960,he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant,and for the next 15 years moved up throughthe ranks to Undersheriff in 1975.On January 18, 1982, he was sworn inas Los Angeles County’s 29th Sheriff, havingbeen appointed by unanimous action ofthe Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors,and he became the first deputy tocome up through each successive rank toreach the office of Sheriff. In June, 1982,he was elected Sheriff.Former Sheriff Block passed awaynear the end of his fourth elected term ofoffice, while commanding the largest Sheriff’sDepartment in the world and supervisingmore than 12,000 personnel.Nationally recognized as an innovativelaw enforcement leader, former SheriffBlock was recognized for many innovativeanti-crime initiatives since becaming Sheriffin 1982. He developed a strategic lawenforcement vision for the Los AngelesCounty Sheriff’s Department reaching wellinto the new century.Under former Sheriff Block’s leadership,the Los Angeles County Sheriff’sDepartment has developed a major CitizenVolunteer Program, the Sheriff’sYouth Foundation, and the SANED E D I C A T I O ND E D I C A T I O N(Substance Abuse Narcotics Education)Program to deter our young people fromdrug abuse and gang affiliations. His youthprograms have impacted thousands ofyoung people each year.Other progressive programs launchedby former Sheriff Block include the highimpact COPS Program, a nationally recognizedcommunity policing program that helaunched in 1996 to regain control ofneighborhoods, bring about positivechange, and build community partnerships;and the Critical Issues Task Force, targetingfive key issues affecting law enforcementhate crimes, drugs, gangs, family violence,and sexual predators. He also initiateda Risk Management Program that hassaved the taxpayers millions of dollars inlitigation costs.In addition, former Sheriff Block ledthe Department in introducing a GangAssessment and Management System, aprogram aimed at gang reduction, the MentalEvaluation Team, pairing psychiatricpersonnel with deputies to respond to callsand provide alternatives to incarceration ofmentally ill people, and an award-winningRecruit and Recurrent Training Program.During Block’s tenure as Sheriff, theDepartment opened the Twin Towers CorrectionalFacility, 12 new Sheriff’s stationsand substations, and four youth and communitycenters.Diversity within the Department wasanother major goal. Under former SheriffBlock’s direction, the makeup of the Sheriff’sDepartment at all ranks was shaped tomore closely mirror the population of LosAngeles County.HONORS AND AWARDSFormer Sheriff Block was the recipientof numerous honors and awards from awide variety of community and professionalorganizations, including an honoraryDoctor of Laws Degree from PepperdineUniversity.In 1993, former Sheriff Blockreceived the Penrith Award as the outstandinglaw enforcement administrator in thenation. This selection was made by approximately500 police chiefs and sheriffs whoaregraduates of the F.B.l.’s National ExecutiveInstitute.142 Year in Review 1998SHERIFF SHERMAN BLOCK 1924~1998SHERIFF SHERMAN BLOCK 1924~1998143

In May 1996, former Sheriff Blockreceived the State’s highest civilian award,the Order of California, which was presentedby Major General Tandy Bozeman, thecommanding officer of the National Guard.The same year, the Commission for PeaceOfficer Standards and Training selectedformer Sheriff Block as recipient of theGovernor’s Award for Excellence in PeaceOfficer Training in the Lifetime Achievementcategory.D E D I C A T I O NFormer Sheriff Block also received theWebber Seavey Award from the InternationalAssociation of Police Chiefs and theMotorola Corporation in 1996. The awardis the highest honor presented to lawenforcement agencies worldwide for innovativeprograms, and marked the first timethat a California law enforcement agencywas selected. The Sheriff’s Departmentwas honored for “Operation Outreach,” ajoint effort with the City of West Hollywooddesigned to reduce transient-relatedcrime in the city.Former Sheriff Block had also beenhonored by numerous civic and philanthropicorganizations for his service andcommitment to the residents of Los AngelesCounty. Recent honors and awardsinclude:• The YMCA’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Brotherhood Award• The Outstanding American Awardfrom the Los Angeles PhilanthropicFoundation• The Law and Youth Award from theConstitutional Rights Foundation• The Peacemakers Award from theWest Angeles Church• The Man of the Year Award from theLos Angeles Organization forRehabilitation and Training (ORT)• The Spirit of Life Award from the Cityof HopeIn addition to these specific awards,former Sheriff Block was also the recipientof significant accolades and honors fromcivic organizations representing diversecultures ranging from the Chinese-AmericanCommunity to the Latino Peace OfficersAssociation and the Black Peace OfficersAssociation.On November 1st, 1998, Sheriff Blockwas laid to rest following a memorial serviceat the Hollywood Bowl, which wasattended by many members of the Department,members of the Community andhundreds of Public Officials. He will befondly remembered as a source of strengthand leadership in professional law enforcement.144 Year in Review 1998SHERIFF SHERMAN BLOCK 1924~1998