Okay, this may be perfectly innocent but....to have a clique within the LA County Sheriff’s Department calling itself “The Regulators” doesn’t exactly have the protect and serve image we’re hoping to find in our local law enforcement, Sheriff’s Department included.
I admit I have exactly zip inside knowledge about this. But my first bounce reaction is summed up quite nicely by my friend, Mike Gennaco.
Michael Gennaco, chief attorney for the sheriff’s Office of Independent Review, which monitors internal affairs investigations, said he was concerned that groups like the Regulators hurt morale and divide deputies.
He said that the name itself, the Regulators, is a cause for concern. In jail culture, regulators are inmates who control other inmates’ behavior.
“The name and connotation and symbol they have selected can cause sinister perceptions, even if in reality nothing sinister is going on,” Gennaco said.
I saw a Clint Eastwood movie where some bad police came together as a small group outside of the system to speed up “justice” by murdering crime leaders. As bad as government can be, I’d rather try to make changes through a legal process than through renegades, no matter how well intentioned–or not.
Interesting choice of name. Those familiar with Western History will recall that the gang that included Billy the Kid and fought for one side in New Mexico’s “Johnson County Wars” called themselves “The Regulators”.
Knockin’ on Heaven’s door indeed.
Does this type of conduct from cops really surprise anyone?
There are many police departments where the cops consider themselves warriors. Maybe in a very small town like Mayberry RFD you have cops like Andy Taylor and Barney Fife. But in many police departments I have known of such little cliques within the police department. Just read the blog of the LAPD website and you will see the cops often refer to each other as warriors.
I share my own personal little story of hypocrisy among cops, I enjoy going to a small bar/club in Arcadia, Ca. where a good blues/rock band plays. This place is also a favorite gathering place for a group of local Los Angeles Sheriffs; they are the loudest, drunkest (and drive drunk), rudest bunch who ever comes into the place. I should record some of their conversations, I often hear how they enjoyed knocking someone’s head last week. These cops work out of the Temple city sheriffs department and work areas like, Temple City and Duarte and not the mean streets of South Los Angeles but they still have the warrior mentality. I could only imagine what these clowns would be like if they worked in South Central Los Angeles where they have to deal with gangs.
Amazing how narrow-minded people can be. Are all plummers evil because one ripped me off? Are all priests child abusers? Is everone who reads the Times a liberal? Get real. Cops are human. Most are good, hard working people that do a job that most folks would rather ignore. EVERY job has subcultures, from the day crew at McBurgers to the Marines. What is the name of your company soft ball team, the “Butterflies?” Do a GOOGLE search of “Regulators” and see what you find. I have no room for rogue cops – nor should anyone, but I know enought not to judge all those that put their lives on the line every day based on an article in the newspaper or the bravado-laced ramblings in the local bar. Do a ride-along at your local PD, get to know those that serve you, walk a mile first, then see what you think.
The guys who wrote those anonymous letters against the “Regulators” are actually white racist officers that are working at the Century Station. They are upset that no one will go along with their personal views and ideologies against Blacks and Latinos.
The “Regulators” have been well aware for years that these white racist officers have promoted new officers to follow their racist Ideologies against Blacks and Latinos. They have been known to change their police reports to pin a gun or drugs on a guy that they got a big hard on for.
Thats the real story. Nevertheless, how the LA Times is a real big of crap newspaper, they ran with a bullshit story – like always.
Poplock…. So glad you commented. I was hoping you would. The name doesn’t sound great, but something about the LA Times article struck me as odd, I admit. From what you say, there’s a whole other, deeper story here that bears looking into.
RLC—great historical factoid.
In what I know personally, there is a handful of these racist white officers working for the Sheriff’s Department at the Century station. This is another reason why Lynwood and Compton never seems to have long term quality of life improvements – all the good officers see these abuses and just decide to give up good police work and jump ship to another station.
It amazes me the response and assumptions made by everyone by a sall biased article. I am a Deputy Sheriff currently assigned to Century Station, and I’m white. I happen to know many many Regulators (I am not one myself…yet), and many of them are white as well. As a matter of fact, some of the original Regulators are white. This is not a racial issue. This article, contrary to popular belief, was not written by any Deputy. It was originated by high ranking Department members who have never worked the streets of South Los Angeles who do not understand what it takes to work at a station such as Century… based on their prior experiences at stations like Walnut or Lomita. The Regulators keep to themselves, and you wouldn’t know one unless you find out by asking around. They don’t boast, and they never bring it up in conversation. Why they chose that name? Perhaps to keep the weak and lazy from working here. These are the ones who are are tasked with leading by example newly assigned Deputies in safe, aggressive, and ethical policework. This keeps these weak or lazy Deputies from getting themselves or others killed. Century station is a great station. It is one of the most dangerous places in the world for a police officer to work. This whole Regulator article is simply a politcal pissing match between Chiefs and Captains.
I am a Century Station Deputy and I personally know several “Regulators”. Contrary to popular belief, some Regulators are black, some hispanic and a few are even asian. So much for the racist subculture inside Century Station. The only single race “secret society” within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is the all black/African American club called “The Buffalo Soldiers”. Do your homework before you cast your racist allegation stones…
Very true regulators are black white and asians and Hispanics