Several people asked to see the “Banditos” sexual harassment lawsuit we mentioned in this morning’s post.
You can find it here: Lopez.Guadalupe-Complaint, etc. (filed 032514) copy
Guadalupe Lopez, the plaintiff, has declined to talk to anyone but her attorney, Greg Smith, is confident that her allegations are solid.
If he is correct, it would appear that quite a number of people would have observed or been aware of some part of what was reportedly going on in East LA station and with this group calling themselves the Banditos.
Let us hope that some of those folks come forward.
Sounds like good ol’ boys at it again. First the VIKINGS….now the BANDITOS.This is the one of the other reasons to bring in total change with McDonell. The sheriff’s dept.is it’s own worst enemy. This latest rendition of a lawsuit to be paid just makes it easy to bring lasd under a federal consent decree. Between the clown show at lasd and alads, they have a world wide audience laughing at them. Contract negotiations will be up and any thoughtful consideration will be down. Both LASD & ALADS are in a sad state of affairs.
Complaint #2…it is spelled Housing not Houseing….could be different in East LA. Tough to take lawsuits seriously when they dont spell the complaint correctly.
Loaded shotgun inside of a Sheriff station? She’s either grossly incompetent and should have been written up for said act of stupidity and lack of officer safety OR she’s flat out lying. Generally, if one lie is exposed, the rest of the story and list of “allegations” unravels rather quickly. Anyone who claims to have carried a loaded shotgun inside of a Sheriff station should re-examin their career path and maybe consider the Dual Track program. Then again, if this gig doesn’t work out and she finishes law school, maybe she can get a job with OIR or Merrick Bobb’s PARC. Or Not. Buena suerte Mija!
If she is telling the truth about the loaded shotgun, what does that say about this trainee? She can’t even retain the most basic of officer safety procedures? Or is it that she didn’t pay attention to what she was told and was on her own program? Even where the safety of her fellow deputy was concerned. What does that say about the probability of her bothering to take serious the finer points of officer safety and other patrol procedures and policies?
I don’t know the facts of the case, but it stinks to high heaven just reading it. I would encourage those of you who can’t wait to point to this lawsuit and say: “See, another indication of LASD being out of control” to hold your water until the facts are in. It’s easy to say things on a blog. This is one of those capers where you probably wouldn’t be singing the praises of her case if you met for a cup with your fellow deps., because you might be looking like a naive fool later on down the line.
If she is lying about the loaded gauge inside the station, oh well, there you go.
Department cliques need to be dealt with aggressively. There is nothing redeeming about these cliques. The actions or behaviors of the Banditos, Regulators, Vikings, 3000 Boys and 2000 Boys is just unacceptable in a professional Law Enforcement agency. I doubt everything in these lawsuit is true but I am sure enough is true for a big payday. Any current candidate who has supported these groups in the past should not be elected Sheriff!
I don’t believe that Deputy Guadalupe Lopez is demonstrating incompetency or stupidity or lack of officer safety when she details an incident of physical contact by another deputy while she carried a “loaded shotgun” inside the E.L.A. Station.
I assume that she is simply referencing her Sheriff Dept. training and her awareness of policy and proper procedure.
Carrying a loaded shotgun inside the station may be a violation of training and policy.
That same training and policy also dictates conduct when carrying a firearm or when in the presence of another deputy holding the firearm.
Whether it is actually loaded or actually not loaded makes no difference. The Department has strict rules about when a shotgun must always be considered as if it were a “loaded shotgun”.
I don’t think Deputy Lopez was lying. And you’re probably quite mistaken to refer to her as your mija.
Truth: Would you be surprised to learn that LBPD has two Officer cliques within the ranks? and McDonnell hasn’t got a clue! Go ahead and ask.
I’m looking forward to see what happens with this lawsuit. I’d like to know how much of these allegations are true and how much she fluffed her stories to help her suit. I’ll stay tuned. I hope she didn’t lie on any of these stories.
A cynical reaction to seeing the lawsuit filed by Deputy Guadalupe Lopez is to assume that the plaintiff is goldmining for a big payday. But there is nothing to support that assumption.
The smart bet says that Deputy Lopez wants something more valuable – she wants an opportunity to have her career in the LASD. She wants a dignified career in a dignified organization.
This lawsuit is about much more than one Deputy and her claim of unfair and illegal treatment by her employer. Take a second look at the allegations. Deputy Lopez and her attorneys have dropped a bombshell of a lawsuit geared to expose an illegal pattern and practice of conduct which had become institutionalized. And the exposure is the path to reform.
Look at what they did. They spelled “Housing” correctly and incorrectly on the front page one on top of the other. They must have intended to highlight these two spellings for everyone to see.
I don’t believe its a mistake. In Poker its called tipping your hand. I’ll will bet anyone a lunch at the Quiet Cannon there are reports on file at E.L.A. Station signed by the same person where “Housing” is spelled correctly on some and incorrectly on others.
Thats what can happen when you “buy reports” from the grunts. Somebody left a paper trail that’s gonna get themselves fired for signing a report they did not write.
Deputy Guadalupe is smarter than you think.
The “Banditos” are finished. Those that should get fired due to conduct will get fired. Anyone left with a “Bandito” tattoo will get broken up and reassigned. Banditos will never be allowed to work the same assignment or at the same station ever again.
The best bet is that Guadalupe Lopez will be the new captain at E.L.A. within ten years.
And don’t even think about asking Paul Tanaka what he knew about the Banditos and when he knew it – if he ever appears in public again.
Here’s the problem. Deputy Sheriff’s are human beings. There are going to be cliques. It’s unavoidable. Regardless of whether the cliques have names or tattoos, they will remain. Society has cliques. LASD will have them. BTW, the cliques have been around on the sheriff’s department for over 30 years. Back when the LASD was the premier LE agency in the world, there were several cliques. The cliques have been around long before the scandals. Are some of you commenters unaware of that, or is it that you are simply naive? In fact, the Banditos are just the latest in a long line of cliques at ELA.
I see so if she had a loaded shotgun in the station, she couldn’t of been sexually coerced? Got it Bro, sure your right. Maybe if the training focused on policy and procedure instead of her pants, she would have known.
And what about the flat tires? Justified, “we are ol school Bro.” Got it.
And the rat? Hey she has to learn Bro. Got it.
WTF is going on? High School?
I’m sure there is some truth and fabrication in the lawsuit, and maybe she would have failed patrol training, but you guys are not doing yourself any favors.
I don’t know Guadalupe Lopez and can’t speak to the merits of specific allegations outlined in her lawsuit. However, I am familiar with the macho mentality some folks working some of the celebrated “ghetto” stations displayed when I had the displeasure of doing my four weeks of ride alongs as a cadet in the late 1970’s at Lynwood, Firestone, Lennox and East L.A. Stations. I know many good deputies who did not participate in this B.S. also worked these stations, and I commend them for their service. Unfortunately, in addition to the “boomer” types, too many of the sergeants, lieutenants (and yes, command staff born in these places) watched and laughed, perpetuating these abuses, some ascending into the executive ranks of LASD (Hellmold, Lopez, Romero, Abram, Cruz, Ritenour, to name a few). The Lopez lawsuit allegations remind me of the bully tactics administered by clique deputies with inflated views of themselves, their abilities and importance. Former Undersheriff Tanaka’s words and actions nurtured the preservation of this primitive culture. Tanaka’s celebration of and extraordinary support for personnel who had work(ed) Lennox, Compton, Century or MCJ, while denigrating employees who work elsewhere cultivated a “them” and “us” mentality, straight of the ghetto station playbook. No wonder acrimony and futility is prevalent amongst the workforce.
Listen here Mo’ Teff…..You don’t think she was lying and you base this on what? I’ll tell you what, absolutely nothing. You don’t know her,you don’t know a single department member assigned to ELA and you are not a member of the department. So, you believe her because as a liberal hack with an agenda against the LASD, that’s what your DNA predisposes you to believe. Here are your two choices; Guadalupe aka Mija is telling the truth, or every ELA female trainee before her submitted to the same acts as she claims to have been subjected to, and did so willingly or decided to keep quiet about it. She spent 8+ years in Custody Division and maybe earned a few pieces of papers known as degrees. Apparently, the degrees and education didn’t help prepare her for the rigors of patrol. Shes lying. End of story. The lawsuit goes nowhere. Stick to playing video games on momma’s Lazyboy, eating TV dinners between games, and sponging off momma. Leave the heavy lifting to the folks who will undoubtedly bust their collective asses to race to your musty dust filled crib when momma stops breathing or some thug is crawling through your window at 2:00 am. Keep sniffing the toluene. And, Mija is going to need lots of luck to cash in on this baseless lawsuit.
What do these Clowns call them selves in LBPD, some more litte boys trying to be somebody?
Lopez may be exaggerating her allegations, and she could have been incompetent and unwilling to submit to the culture of EastLos, however, the alleged behavior displayed by deputies, even if 50% true, is unacceptable. Now in reading the complaint and learning who the perpetrators are, I am not in shock….
InterestedParty Says:
You are absolutely right when you state that P. Tanaka denigrated other employees who worked at other facilities. After becoming Undersheriff, he addressed the staff of Special Victims Bureau and had the audacity to tell them to their faces that he did not like the bureau and really did not think their work worth while! These detectives and support staff, investigate the abuse of children. To say that the employees came out of that meeting atstounded is an understatement, but he did make those stupid remarks.
Geez. Some of you guys remind me of a patrol trainee who rolls to their first 415B/G. The cute little female tells her tale of woe of how she was mistreated. There’s no evidence that she is telling the truth about anything, but you’re not only ready to hook the big bad mean man, but you hope he resists because after you hear her story you have nothing but disdain for the boyfriend. Before you take ANYTHING she says at face value, you might want to hear the other side of the story. You might want to see what the witnesses have to say. Some of you are reaching for your hooks based on nothing but her story.
I’ll be the FTO here and and the voice of experience.
Slow down hot rod. What are you going to tell the W/S when you are asked why you got no statement from the boyfriend, no evidence that a crime occurred? You feel good good about running the arrest by the W/S with what you’ve got? Even if the W/S buys the arrest, what are the detectives going to think of your “police work” if you hook him and write the 49 based on what you’ve got?
You better go talk to the witnesses first. Then go talk to him. ALL we’ve got right now is her statement.
In case some of you have never considered it, a lawsuit is NOTHING but a statement, an allegation. And the person and their lawyers are going to make it sound good.
And you’re ready to buy it or make a judgement already? COMICAL!
How many times have we seen bogus lawsuits?
How many POE complaints are bogus compared to those that are righteous?
Geez. Hold your water people. Your need to continually bad mouth the LASD and it’s cliques might just be causing you to be a little bit myopic where this is concerned. Let the FACTS play out before making your snap judgements.
Look whose back…Boomer’s back. Look Mo…You truly are a liberal clown. You might think I may sound like I’m joking when I say this but I believe cliques are necessary in any organization. The one’s I know of in the LASD are usually divided by the workers and the do-nothings. Now I know most of you who fell into the latter category are going to be up in arms and attack Boomer again, but let’s be real. Without the workers you’d have a bunch of slap do-nothings. In my eyes there are two kinds of deputies, guys who write paper with a body attached, and guys who take paper with suspect unknown. This stuff has been going back to the earliest days of Firestone when the streets of South Central LA were an extension of the war in Vietnam. It’s going on to this day. I don’t care what group you’re in, the one’s that can’t be “trusted” usually aren’t invited. No different then football or any other manly sport. Starters hang out with starters, bench warmers hang out with bench warmers. Let’s be real fellas. Stop whining and admit there’s a class system in the LASD, and frankly I agree with it. Work your ass off and you too can be one of the “haves” vs. being a lazy ass “have not.” Sorry to offend. But Boomer speaks the truth. No BS here. I don’t roll with the “informants” in case you haven’t noticed. On PMs/Ems we carry guns for a reason! Boom out.
Good point Oh Well, but……..Sheriff Scott stated in the NBC interview that “appropriate administrative action for several people” was taken as a result of the original investigation. That statement tends to give “some” validity to her civil suit. There may be some smoke with this fire.
Good point Bandwagon…regarding those involved were disciplined.
A P.O.E. was filed, investigated and “appropriate administrative action” was administered. But the original P.O.E. made no mention of banditos or sexual harassment. It was just harassment in general because she was a “slap”. It was an extensive investigation where practically the whole station was questioned. Shes been a horrible deputy throughout her career (from her time at CRDF, Twin Towers and East LA). Also in regards to the sexual harassment claim, not sure if anyone has seen her, but there is a reason you haven’t seen her on T.V. with her lawyer. And I wonder if the department will take issue with the fact that she wrote fabricated reports (see lawsuit).
Bandwagon,
“Administrative Action” and discipline are two completely different things. If the deps. named in the POE were admin. transferred to another unit pending the outcome of the investigation, that’s “administrative action”. I would be curious to know if any were disciplined behind the beef. I’ve seen guys transferred, their lives severely disrupted , etc. over an allegation of a POE violation, and then the investigation is completed and it’s deemed Unfounded. They get a phone call eight months to a year down the line. “Come on back to work at ……….station, you’ve been cleared”. Not even a “We’re sorry for what you’ve been through”. Meanwhile, the female who filed the completely bogus POE beef because her feelings were hurt over some perceived slight just goes on about her business. If you were made aware of the percentage of POE beefs that are filed that have any meet on the bone compared to those that are bogus, I think you would be surprised.
I don’t know ANY of the facts of the case, and unless the people commenting on this blog about it do they might end up looking foolish when it’s all said and done. Hence my previous comment that if they met for a cup with their fellow deps. they probably wouldn’t be singing the praises of this lawsuit just yet, because they know they might end up looking like a fool down the line. Yet they’ll pop off on a blog where they have the veil of anonymity. Childish, irresponsible and unprofessional.
That’s all I’m saying.
One other thing Bandwagon.
Jack Dawson mentioned on a previous thread that one of the deps. named in the suit not only returned to ELA, but was made a FTO. If what Jack claimed is true, don’t you find that strange? Is Henry Romero really that stupid to take a dep. who was guilty of gross violations of the POE and make him an FTO after the fact? The training sergeant? Ops. Lt? That right there tends to signal to me that after the investigation was completed it was determined there wasn’t a whole lot of merit to Ms. Lopez’ beef, at least where that named dep. was concerned.
Yes, I’m reading between the lines. Looking at certain indicators. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe those Banditos T/O’s and wannabe T/O’s are completely out of control, demanding sexual favors and committing gross violations with female trainees. Strangely enough, no other female trainees have come forward. Are they all giving it up, being treated like shit, and keeping quiet about it? Even when they know they could get a BIG payday from filing a suit?
Could be. Probably not.
Come on man. Look at the indicators. I’ll hold off on believing these deps. should be fired or hooked for the things claimed in the suit. I’ll also hold off on believing the county should just write Ms. Lopez a big fat check tomorrow.
Just my opinion.
Oh Well, thank you for your boots on the ground insight. It is quite refreshing especially on this site. There is still much to be learned about and from this issue. Anyone can win a one sided argument. Let’s all withhold judgement until those listed in the suit are able to defend themselves and we get to see the issue from all sides.
Boomer while I usually read your posts for entertainment purposes only, I agree with your workers vs non workers argument. We have all observed the efforts of few carrying the many. I once believed PT was going to be our next sheriff and he would change things. My paradigm has shifted due to his lack of action to tell the truth and practice what he preaches in Pandora’s Box. However, now that there is blood in the water, the non workers are seizing the opportunity to take what they can get during our leadership vacuum.
As always this is just my humble opinion.
Oh Well, I took the Sheriff’s comments to mean they were disciplined. I stand corrected if in fact they were not disciplined, and the transfer pending the outcome of the investigation was deemed “administrative action”. I would welcome anyone’s comments who know the results of the investigation and if the deputies were disciplined. As far as the Policy of Equality is concerned…..you are again correct. The current policy is FLAWED and needs to be revised…..and don’t even get me started on the Internal Affairs Bureau! I appreciate your response.
Oh Well, let me add…..my comments were not made to indict the deputies named in the suit. Having spent almost 30 years on the Department (retired), I have seen the behavior deputies sometimes exhibit towards each other. Do I believe everything listed in the civil suit, absolutely not! Do I believe some of the behavior may have occurred…..quite possibly.
Bandwagon,
“Do I believe everything listed in the civil suit, absolutely not”.
So let me ask you two questions.
Why do you think she would lie about ANY of it?
What part do you tend to think she’s lying about?
It’s been my experience that the reason people lie when making allegations tend to fit into one of four categories, often more than one of the below:
1.They have a personal beef with one or more of the defendants, but they know it doesn’t meet the parameters of any legal or policy violations by the defendant(s) so they have to lie about the behavior of the defendant if they want to see the defendant(s) suffer consequences.
2. They want to be seen as a victim so people will feel sorry for them.
3. Their ego is badly bruised because they didn’t perform as well as their peers. Instead of accepting responsibility for their shortcomings they need to blame somebody else for their failure.
4. $$$$$$$$$
#3 is quite prevalent. People are usually embarrassed when they know they are looked at as failures by their peers. They are usually angry at their TO’s over perceived slights and want to lay blame at the TO’s feet.
The standard lines one will hear if they ask somebody why they were rolled up from a station while on training goes something like this:
“My TO was a real asshole. I wasn’t going to play that game”.
He wanted me to do things that were unethical”.
Rare is the trainee failure who says: “I wasn’t prepared for patrol, I should have prepared more and taken it more seriously prior to going to patrol”……..,,,OR………”Maybe being a street cop isn’t a wise choice for me. My life experiences haven’t prepared me for this job and I don’t seem to do well in a high stress environment”.
Those people are very rare indeed. It’s usually somebody else’s fault.
Again, I know none of the facts of Ms. Lopez’ case. . Every one of her allegations could be true. Her claims could be exactly as alleged. Her case could be the exception that proves the rule.
The FIRST thing I would do if investigating this case is take a look at the evaluations of the non Bandito who was Ms. Lopez’ TO. See what he had to say, in writing, about her performance. If he documented that she was having problems, well, that’s a red flag for her because, as the suit itself alleges, he wasn’t a Bandito and wasn’t in favor with them.
Last thing on this. According to her suit, there was a serious conspiracy by numerous people of all ranks and assignments against her. The sergeants refused to sign off on her reports. The detectives failed to file her cases. (That’s a pretty brazen claim for someone of Ms.Lopez very limited experience to make. Apparently she believes she knows more than the detectives assigned to ELA which cases should be filed…..and perhaps therein lays the problem lol). The brass brought them back without notifying her. The people who investigated the POE were obviously incompetent or involved in the conspiracy, and on and on it goes. Even to the point of Century not wanting her assigned there.
My oh my. That’s a whole lot of people involved. Obviously they are ALL out to get Ms.Lopez, simply because she wasn’t, “one of the girls”.
Yeah. I’m having trouble buying it. Call me crazy.
Oh Well, take a breath my friend!
Lol. Good advice right there. Have a great weekend.
I heard female deputies assigned to East Los Angeles station have come forward.
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Female-Deputies-Speak-Out-Against-Lawsuit-Claiming-Sexual-Harassment–254072201.html
If Ms. Lopez is lying, the named deputies need to file a counter suit against her. The department can’t stop them. You don’t give up your right to protect yourself from libel or slander when you become a deputy, regardless of the insane P.O.E. that Baca instituted. The way the policy is written and implemented punishes department members simply because another member of the department makes an allegation.
You want to talk about retaliation? This policy has been used to retaliate against department members who have pissed off other members. Mind you, they haven’t violated policy or the law, they simply did something or said something that pissed off the member filing the P.O.E. beef.
Insanity.
Another article
http://laist.com/2014/04/06/east_la_female_deputies_deny_that_t.php