L.A. sheriff sticks by Scouts

Los Angeles County sheriff Lee Baca won’t cut his department’s ties to the Boy Scouts despite their antigay policies, the Pasadena Star-News reports. The department runs an Explorer program connected to the Boy Scouts. “I think it’s better to respectfully disagree within the system and bring about some change,” Baca said Friday. “My goal is to continually voice my disagreement but work diligently to bring about changes in a respectable way.” Baca says he disagrees with the decision by school districts and charitable agencies elsewhere to cut their ties to the Scouts. “I think it was wrong, a knee-jerk reaction to an important issue,” Baca said. “I think disagreement occurs in all organizations, but you don’t quit your family because you disagree.” Los Angeles is considering cutting the Scouts' connection to the Los Angeles Police Department Explorer program and is reviewing the Scouts' free use of city and school facilities.