Civilian Oversight Panel Took Action on Budget Priorities, Deputy Cliques & Use of Force Investigations

Los Angeles, CA – The Civilian Oversight Commission for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department hosted a virtual Commission meeting today and took action on three important items: the Sheriff’s Department Budget Priorities, Deputy Cliques Policy and Investigations of Fatal Use of Force.

Sheriff’s Department Budget
The Commission will send a letter of support to the Chief Executive Office requesting prioritization of body worn cameras & Mental Evaluations Teams. The motion passed to send the letter after Commissioner discussion regarding the memo from the Budget Ad Hoc Committee and public comment.

Independent Investigations of Fatal Use of Force
In other actions, the Commission unanimously approved the recommendation from the Use of Force Ad Hoc Committee that states the Office of the Inspector General should be designated by the Board of Supervisors as the primary investigative agency for all lethal uses of force and uses of force that cause great bodily injury by deputy sheriffs of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputy Cliques
And lastly, Commissioner Sean Kennedy along with two law students, Bianca Torres Murray and Jordy Garcia, presented this PPT to discuss the findings of the Loyola Law School Report “50 Years of Deputy Gangs in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.”

Commissioner Robert Bonner then discussed the draft proposed policy & preamble that discourages deputies from joining and participating in deputy gangs. A motion to send this proposed policy & preamble recommendation to the Sheriff’s Department was approved unanimously.

The Commission also authorized the Deputy Cliques Ad Hoc Committee to engage outside counsel to advise on the constitutionality of its proposed policy prohibiting Sheriff’s Department personnel from joining, participating in or soliciting others to join deputy cliques.