Sheriff Alex Villanueva of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
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Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
Sheriff Alex Villanueva of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images
The civil oversight board responsible for keeping tabs of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is launch an investigation on the prevalence of deputy gangs within the ministry.
According to the board, these types of gangs have created decades of problems internally and with the way it deals with the people of Los Angeles. Those issues include discriminatory statements, excessive force, and even murder.
Sean Kennedy, chair of the committee, said: “Deputy gangs have encouraged and promoted excessive force against citizens, discriminated against other deputies on the basis of race and sex, and time undermining the chain of command and discipline,” Sean Kennedy, the committee’s chairman, said in a statement. “Despite years of recorded history in this regard, the ministry has been unable to eliminate the gangs.”
Police Chief Alex Villanueva wrote on Facebook that his department’s investigation of the alleged gangs was just a “fishing expedition” and political theater.
“None of the elected officials, or their political appointees, have provided me with even a name” of a deputy associated with the gangs, he wrote.
The investigation is expected to take five to six months to complete. The commission aims to identify the stations where these gangs operate, as well as the scope and impact of these groups on the communities that police officers are tasked with protecting.
California Law require that law enforcement agencies maintain a policy of prohibiting “law enforcement gangs”. However, many reports have pointed to the existence of these deputy gangs within the county sheriff’s department.
The California Legislature has defined law enforcement gangs as “peaceful officers in law enforcement who may identify themselves by name and may be associated with a symbol”. identification, including, but not limited to, matching tattoos.” Lawmakers have said the problem seems to be most common in the Sheriff’s Office.
One Knock LA’s investigation published last year detailing the long history of these gangs and how prevalent they are in Los Angeles. According to Knock LA, “There are at least 18 gangs in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department,” and they are believed to have been implicated in the deaths of at least 19 people, all of whom were men of color. The department did not speak to the press about the series.
The civil watchdog commission’s announcement of the investigation comes about a year after Knock LA first announced the Cerise Castle investigation.
“It was quite a moment for me to see that an independent investigation into these deputy gangs is being pursued,” Castle told NPR of the news.
The county inspector general also conducted an investigation into the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department this year.
In one letter to VillanuevaLA County Inspector General Max Huntsman requested documents from the department that are still owed to investigators.
In the letter, Huntsman said at least 41 Los Angeles County deputies have been identified as tattooed members of the Banditos or Executioners gangs.
Castle’s report included a database of names of delegates believed to be associated with these gangs.
Castle said that since her project was released, she has repeatedly witnessed deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, along with the gangs they were involved in, “perform serious action” against civilians in LA.
“Many stories don’t get into the news,” she said.
Her investigation into LASD’s deputy gangs continues.
