LAST JAIL COMMISSION MEETING ON FRIDAY AT 9:15 AM—NEXT UP, THE COMMISSIONS REPORT IN OCTOBER
The last scheduled meeting of the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence will take place Friday, September 7, at 9:15 a.m.
The Commission is due to deliver its report in early October.
Those interested in listening to the live Commission meeting in real time may do so by calling (877) 873-8017, Access Code: 111111#.
10TH ANNUAL OFFICE OF INDEPENDENT REVIEW REPORT RELEASED
ON Thursday, Michael Gennaco, Chief Attorney for the Office of Independent Review, presented the OIR’s 10th annual report on the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The report covers a wide variety of observations, progress assessments, recommendations, specific cases, and special investigations in its 194 pages, including such sections as:
*Violence in the Jails (p. 11)
*Drugs, Fraternization & Off-Duty Violence (p. 49)
*A Look into the Mitrice Richardson Investigation (p. 146)
*And a special investigation into some very problematic hires of displaced officers from Maywood. (p. 119)
There is also this short but interesting section titled “Executive Leadership: The Pitfalls of Conflicting Messaging.”
It reads:
Over the past years, there have been times in which messages from Sheriff’s executives to
LASD personnel did not seem to mirror the vision of the Sheriff himself. For example, in 2007
we heard that a high level executive had been communicating his dislike of the Internal Affairs
Bureau (IAB) to various audiences. Because we monitor all investigations coming out of IAB,
we were concerned that such comments could have a deleterious effect on the functioning
and morale of the unit. We also were concerned that the comments could undermine the
effectiveness of internal investigations.As a result, we met at that time with the executive and related our concerns about comments
attributed to him. He described how his intended message was a more innocuous version of what
we had heard, and we indicated that his comments were not being received in the way he said
he intended. We suggested that he explore other ways to communicate his sentiments, and he
agreed to do so. We also relayed our concerns about the executive’s comments to the Sheriff at
that time, and we were informed that he subsequently also had a conversation with the executive
about the IAB comments.It is critical that executives’ comments to deputies and other personnel be consistent with the
vision of the head of the agency. Comments perceived as divergent from that vision may be
used by personnel to behave counter to the agency’s values. As another example, there has been 09
much recent public discussion about the same executive making a comment about “working the
gray.” There were clearly deputies who believed the executive intended by his comments that
deputies could cross or come close to the line of professional, legal, or ethical conduct in order to get criminals off the street. While the executive has recently disavowed that intent, in the years previous that messaging may have caused deputies to be confused about the expectations of their Department. We are hopeful that this unfortunate episode has served as a learning opportunity
for the Department, and that communications contrary to the ideals of the organization will not
be articulated in the future.
Of course there’s lots more, if you want to take a look.
Nobody likes Internal Affairs, especially when they knit pick split second decisions. Sadly, they are a necessary tool in police agencies.
Although this issue is more complex, I definitely don’t think the department members who denounced I.A. were trying to undermine its function. I think they just wanted fair and thorough investigations.
How do we do that? Do we get “Head Hunters” to work I.A. and negatively affect morale on this department? Or do we get level headed people who look for the truth and give employees and the public a fair shake? One thing we all agree on is: Malicious employees who intentionally break the law need to be separated from this great agency.
I think everyone has learned their lesson. The change department executives have implemented have been for the betterment of this deparment.
IA is a fact gathering entity. At the end, they are not responsible for interpreting and handing down discipline if founded otr whether unresolved or unfounded.
Normally the unit commanders, and chiefs are the one’s who interpret the investigation and make their findings.
Knit picking can work both ways for the subject. If details are overlooked it could actually prevent that person from being exonerated from the allegation.
IA is a necessary evil just like people see law enforcement. Both have a purpose whether people think so or not.
BS: Nothing has really changed and Baca and the gang are staying under the radar. It’s hard to investigate any case when complaints are deliberately being withheld and expire for time. Have investigations started against Stonich, Waldie, Aranda, Tanaka, Burns,D, McSweeny, Hemold and numerous other brass? NO! And nothing is going to happen! The lesson learned by Tanaka was that his “Loyalty Oath” didn’t work! As one of the few “A” retirements left, I predict, the worst is yet to come and we deserve it for voting in an idiot!!
OIR once again shows to the world what a bullshit, self-serving entity they are. A majority of the OIR report is nothing but self-promoting. They are and have been in bed with Baca from DAY ONE. OIR will go to the ends of the earth to slam lower level personnel, but do “they,” and I am talking Gennaco specifically, have the integrity to expose the cornucopia of misconduct at the executive level? Hell no. Gennaco reports the most minimal amount of reference of Tanaka’s “Gray Zone” activity and what does he allude to? “It’s a learning experience.” Gennaco did the Michael Jackson “moon walk” on a dozen eggs and didn’t break one while speaking of Tanaka. What a disgrace from a person who claims to be “Independent.” If OIR did their job, and I mean really did their job, LASD would not be in the mess it is in right this very moment. OIR is just as much the problem as anyone else. And they are certainly not part of the solution. Watch Dog? Nope, Lap Dog is more like it.
If I had the magic wand, I would fire OIR outright and replace it with a true group of “Independent” folks who would do their job with blind integrity. And for the record, I have found OIR’s line attorney’s for the most part, to be good folk who are trying to do the right thing. But Gennaco compromised himself long ago and dares not remotely attempt to expose Tanaka and others. And why? How do you think Gennaco is getting outside employment gigs? From the recommendations of Baca.
OIR is yet another example of the breadth of executive corruption within LASD. I am sure many folks who read WLA have specific examples of executive misconduct, please expose it. I hope the BOS takes notice.
FTF: Expanding on your comments regarding the Internal Affairs Bureau. The Bureau is the only investigative unit within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department who job in not to determine the truth. I recently heard an IAB sergeant testify “our job is not to determine the validity of the allegations, we just write down what people tell us”. What a way to run a unit! I would also suggest the Internal Affairs Bureau has a history of “shaping” investigations to meet the desired outcome. Just an opinion based on prior experience.
I read Undersheriff Tanaka’s testimony before the CCJV.
On pages 131-132, the Undersheriff testifies regarding the EPC meetings and whether or not the issue of jail violence had been discussed at any of the EPC meetings.
Tanaka: “There are an incredible amount of problems or whatever on any given occasion. And we try–and we only had a limited amount of time to spend with him. So we want to make sure that only the most significant items, problems or otherwise, were brought to his attention”.
lol…and that my friends, explains the “I didn’t know, but now I know” answers from the Sheriff.
Somebody, anybody, needs to ask the Sheriff just what he has to do that is so important as to intrude on his time spent with his own executives. WTF has he got to do that is more important than spending enough time with his execs for the myriad of problems of the LASD to be discussed?
I’ll answer the question for you. He was busy being the Sheriff to the world. He was busy building his campaign war chest. He was busy preparing for the myriad of trips overseas to tell the world how progressive and enlightened the LASD is.
WHILE HIS OWN SHOP WAS GOING TO HELL.
The Sheriff never MADE TIME to hear about the problem.
No you say? How long were these EPC meetings? Find out how long he actually spent talking with his execs. about the day to day ops. and problems of the LASD at the EPC meetings. I’m sure it’s laughable.
He was just too damn busy with other things.
But it’s HIS JOB to know.
Now I suppose some LASD cheerleader will again rah rah the sheriff for holding people accountable…lol
#4: The OIR has an attorney/client relationship with the BOS/County of Los Angeles, and with all kinds of really top-notch lawyers–and by top-notch I mean they’ve graduated from top-tier law schools & won multiple cases before juries– lining up to sue L.A. County for LASD malfeasance of various kinds the OIR isn’t really in a position to publicly say anything that can be used against L.A. County in a court of law before a jury.
What the OIR is doing is telling, in a genteel fashion, the LASD to get its shit together.
That OIR report is hilarious. I wonder if they realize that the Sgt’s and Lt’s of IAB and ICIB were/have been/ or are doing the exact same things their trying to hang folks with. I dont often do this but Celeste, find out who is running these units (Sgts and Lts). Do some research on their history and I PROMISE, you’ll have material for months. Check into their backrounds. Enjoy
Sorry to stray from the topic, but for us LASD people, you better keep watch of Brown’s final sign off of pension reform. January 1st will be changes and any bonus pay, ie bonus 1 2 flight pay, esd pay etc., will not be calculated in your retirement. Your base pay will be the determining factor and a max retirement salary of 132k. this will affect the 1937 act, not just calpers and calstars.
Research and remember Lacera needs a month to do your paprwork.
I think 2014 may be 12/31/2012
@Further to Follow – You’re obviously not an LASD person. You are former and you never should have been. An e-mail has already been sent out from LACERA and others to actual department members and your information is incorrect. Do you ever post anything that has any truth to it? Crawl back into retirement.
After listening to the testimony of Sheriff Baca and Mr. Tanaka in my opinion they seem to trivialize the problems this Department is facing. With that type of attitude no matter how many recommendations the commission makes, I have graves doubts that under the leadership of these two gentlemen the department will change. One point that I hope the commission report strongly emphasis is the hiring and retentions of problem deputies. If you have deputies that lie about small incidents, can we trust those deputies to tell the truth about incidents of major misconduct that might occur during their career?Can the public trust their testimony in a court of law? The Department had hours of footage from the Fox show “The Academy” showing Mr. Henry Marin was not appropriate to hold a position in law enforcement. He was dismissed from the academy and hired again by the department only to be later convicted of attempting to smuggle drugs to an inmate! The department must tighten the accountability and show no tolerance for misconduct by the deputies it hires. It’s painfully apparent suspensions and performance mentoring may not be the answer for some. Out of the 37 County of Los Angeles Departments and 100,000 plus County employees ,the Sheriff’s Department employees should be held to the highest standards. Those all of those, who do not to tow this standard should be fired!
So much for just disgruntled former and current employees. The CCJV investigators gave them complete credibility in their findings. The findings are scathing. Harsh on Baca and spot on. They eviscerated Tanaka and company blaming them for the culture and problems in the jail. So what you say? The sheriff doesn’t have to follow the recommendations? Can you say consent decree? How about federal indictment? The foundation was layed out Friday for a diliberate indifference prosecution. The ACLU and their attorney buddies are circling like vulchers waiting for the carcasses to be thrown. Not a pretty picture.
You mean the one from Les Robbins? Yes, that one too. Why don’t you dig a little deeper into the Brown decisions. You actually have to read past what was and is filtered through the county.
You would have also read that Lacera is trying to interpret all of the implications of the state decisions.
Anyway, I’m done with that since you naysay me from post to post. See you at Tom Martin’s retirement. I’ll buy you a Shirley Temple.
@Further to Follow/Minister of Misinformation – No not Les Robbins. It is a LACERA document that refutes everything you posted regarding the pension reform bill and LASD. I would paste it here, but even though you are too dense to know it, this is an anti-Sheriff’s Department web page. WLA would see the strategy around the pension bill and be able to lobby to plug the loop holes. They are not our biggest supporters for pay and benefits, or anything else. Why do you think you see no positive LASD stories here. Do you really think there is absolutely nothing positive to report about LASD? If you buy into the story that they are here to help, you are dumber than you look. Go back to retirement or retirement dinners and tell people who don’t know any better some made up war stories.
Looking forward to early October, let’s see what the Commission’s report discloses, concludes and recommends. More critically important is what the Board of Supervisors, and State and Federal investigative and prosecutorial agencies do in response to the report. Will these government politicians and bureaucrats outside LASD have the courage to implicate and prosecute those identified as having violated the law? Do they give a hoot about the corruption and abuses instituted by Leroy Baca and Paul Tanaka and their cronies over the last 13 years that led to the abuses at MCJ and throughout LASD? We shall soon see.
Watching the circus go by — your post’s first three sentences hit the nail squarely on the head!
Post 15 – I think your snap shot in time might be too narrow. Let’s not just look at the last 13 years of Baca. Let’s look at previous years that proceeded him and compare them. 13 years ago there was a 99% white male department under Sherman Block.
For those of us that were there, that wasn’t working out well. Blacks and Hispanics couldn’t get hired or promoted. If they did get hired they were stuck in Youth Athletic League and other community relations positions. There were no executives of color or women executives.
Women couldn’t get hired or promoted. They were thought of as too weak to work patrol.
They were put in desk jobs and told they would get killed working a patrol assignment. Women were refused promotions. A federal judge had to take over the promotional process because Block and his handpicked white department wouldn’t give women promotions. You can thank the discrimination of the Block era for the banded promotional process we currently have.
You talk about needing to be in the car to get a coveted position these days. Try getting to a coveted position under Block if you weren’t male and white. It didn’t matter whose car you were in, or what campaign you contributed to, you were going no where fast.
And guess what, even with all these handpicked white guys running the department, corruption was far more rampant than today. The biggest arrest of department personnel in the history of the department took place during the arco narco corruption operations. Deputies were stealing, calling in false calls to stations and shooting pregnant women.
The use of force was out of control. People were getting beat on a daily basis.
There was far more jail and patrol force then. Booking front at IRC was called beating front back then. No reports were even filled out for use of force. They merely made a note in a book that a prisoner was put in a cell.
Look into the history of department a little before making comments about the current corruption and favoritism. It pales to what went on during the Block era.
WLA and the Commission should post the amount of force used during the Block era and compare it to the Baca era. Maybe even go back further and post the stats from the Pitchess era. These are all public records and easily accessible. A little balanced comparison will reveal problem areas, but will also show the sky is far from falling.
Post 16: Probably better to go back to the time of the 28th Sheriff of Los Angeles County, Peter J. Pitchess. He was appointed Under-Sheriff in 1953 straight from the FBI, where he was a field agent.
A lasting legacy from his term in office is The Pitchess Motion, which can be Googled. That holds that a defendant in a criminal proceeding can access a police officer’s personnel file to look for instances of
1. Putting falsified facts into arrest reports.
2. Using excessive force.
Sounds just like “the Grey area,” huh?
17 – Good point. The abuses from the Pitchess era lead to the infamous Pitchess Motion. Hopefully we won’t see a Baca Motion in our future. There is currently far less force and abuse than back in the Pitchess and Block years.
Balance, sorry, but it was not Block who allowed the force it was directive 86-3 which was a simple paragraph about use of force. Due to a certain samoan party, the use of force policy was re-written.
Your post is exactly the some one from a few months ago. Additionally, during the Block era, the demographics were way different.
Have you attended a recent academy graduation? You won’t be able to back your allegation. We have the BPOA, HPOA, women peace officer’s associtaions, but when a deputy at lennox wanted to create a white peace officer’s association, he was threatened with a career killing life.
So, I ask you “balance”. What is your opinion of this deputy who wanted his own representation of color. Racist? bigot? We can’t wait to hear your “balanced” reply.
Celeste, don’t kisck me for a second post, I forgot a question. Balance, if IRC was called “beating front” and you knew that, where was your courage and sworn oath to report what you knew?
Perhaps if you stood up back then, we would not be in the grey area now.
Just an observation from a cop who took the same oath
Post 16 – Balance — “Look into the history of the department a little before making comments?” Ok – let’s take a quick look. Your “99% white male department” where “Blacks and Hispanics couldn’t get hired or promoted” and “women couldn’t get hired or promoted,” is a specious statement. Under Block’s command (just looking a little into history, as you suggested), one Hispanic employee named Leroy Baca occupied the Region II Chief’s position and one of his commanders was Black employee Curtis Spears. Also under Block’s command, Black employee Ray Morris was promoted to Assistant Sheriff, Black Female Rachel Burgess was elevated from her Chief rank to Acting Assistant Sheriff, which was following Helena Ashby’s promotion to Chief and Carole Freeman’s to Commander. Some of the female and minority captain promotions by Block included Beth Dickenson, Irene McReynolds, Mike Aranda, Luis Najera, Johhny Jurado, Rick Castro, Art Herrera and Mike Nagaoka. This is by no means a complete listing, but it does take a little hot air out of your deceptive balloon.
Balance, let’s stay on point — the guys in charge NOW, have created a major fecal storm that even your spurious illogic can’t expunge. No one is saying past Sheriffs have been wonderful. But to keep up the sophomoric attempts to shift attention away from the creeps in power now, you’re just making a strong argument for someone who might believe you have one of those numbered Cigar Clubhouse coins.
POST #16 (BALANCE) – You make too much sense for this blog. You are 100% correct. Unfortunately, there is a political agenda for what’s occurring, which will be uncovered soon!
#16 you’re smokin crack. The department wasn’t 99% male white 25 years ago, much less 13. In trying to defend your positin, you’re making some patently false statements by just throwing up numbers that fit your agenda.
Find an academy class picture from 25 years ago, count the number of people of color and females. Do some basic math.
99% my ass.
You should run for political office if you’re going to make bullshit statements like that…lol
Balance still hasn’t answered my question in post 19 and 20. Perhaps he was assigned to the YAL. That’s where personnel with report writing issues, tactical concerns are placed. It’s a risk management decision
Further to Follow – You’re an idiot if you think Sheriff Block was mandated to allow excessive force because of some field ops directive. And I am sorry that you are upset because the Department wouldn’t let you have a white peace officers association. Maybe you can start one up in Texas.
Interested – Naming a dozen Black and Hispanic members on a 10,000 person department doesn’t really disprove Block’s 99% white male department. Also, It was a federal judge that ruled Block discriminated against women and showed bias in promotions, not me.
The demographic make up of the department during Pitchess and Block was white male. The instances where force was used during the Pitchess and Block era is astronomically higher than the use of force during the Baca era.
The above statements are just facts. Now my opinion regarding those facts. I had no problem working for Pitchess and Block. However, I can now see the Department is a much better place with its current diversity and reduced use of force. It relates much better to the community it serves and provides a better service. I am not trying to cover for the problems the Department has, but just trying to add some perspective to these problems.
Balance, I have over 13 years in service and I’m Hispanic women. I’ve had the opportunity to work various assignments and promote on the merit of my work ethic. Interested party, thank you for pointing out others who held higher positions under the Block administration. We will see what comes of the commission’s final report. Our Department needs to heal and hopefully the 5% of those who don’t represent the core values will be sent packing.
Balance, thaks for your clarification. I didn’t know Texas is a racist state and neither did anyone reading these blogs.
One thing though, you still haven’t addressed your knowledge of IRC as “beating front”. Can you please enlighten us on your actions when this revelation came to you?
Did you assume the code of silence that has plagued law enforcement or did you try to upright that mess by notifying supervisors outside the problem?
Just looking for a little closure to my question. I think we all are.
Thank you
Clean House: How do you know it’s 5%? I have patrol shoes that have more time than you! I NEVER gave a rats butt for who or what you were! Do your job and we as a Department have failed miserably! There are soul-less people that come in all colors. To prove my point; look at Baca, Tanaka, Stonich and Waldie! I would add female names to the list but I don’t have enough room for the post. WE are overweight, overpaid and under worked! Lose the weight, get back in shape. I bet you a month’s pay that NOT one exec can recite the Core Values statement! I was there when Baca wrote the CV statement and I knew then he didn’t mean it! All of us need to look deep into our souls and ask; are we doing our very best? Is my uniform clean! Shoes shinned? Brass clean? Do we speak up when we witness wrong doing or do we cowl down because we want a racist tattoo on our leg? We wear torn uniforms, dirty brass, fat and boots that never saw bristles of a shoe brush. Just once I want to see a honest LT line up the troops for inspection. Won’t happen as the snivelers will complain and want overtime to wipe themselves off! We need a regime change and soon. For those of you still endorsing Baca and the gang I hold you more accountable than anyone else. You sold yourselves for money and shinning objects and now the chickens have come home to roost!
@26 you lost me when you mentioned work ethic. I have seen far to many women promoted over better working males; by just the mere fact that they are women……….
Time out! Balance achieved his goal, like an attorney he took the issue at hand, changed the topic and change change you are now arguing about Block and not the corruption under Baca and Tanaka.
Stay on course people.
Yes Baca has some points of merit, but Sheriff of the WOrl and Moon Beam are comments I have heard to reference the Sheriff from at least one Chief, several Commanders and some one who sits very close him.
If a Deputy Sheriff on this Department is expected to be a leader, then every rank above that should be a leader as well.
So if we do the Chain of Command (yes there is one) then the responsibility for the Department rests squarely on the shoulders of one Sheriff, one Under Sheriff, two Assistant Sheriffs and some 12 Chiefs. That executive staff should be the steering for this department. It is responsible for the hiring, firing, training, mentoring and direction of this department. No if’s, maybe’s, or but.
Focus on tomorrow not yesterday.
When number 2 says “I don’t know” or I don’t recall” and number one says “I wasn’t aware of the force issue.” You have a problem.
When a coin gets you access to number 2 and your a deputy there is a problem. When a detective can tell a Lt., I work for someone above you, you need to listen, you have a problem.
When number two says the Chain of Command is not really a Chain, you have a problem.
When the “Executive Staff” mail group is the cigar and fishing club, you have a problem.
Baca has done great things for the department, Mr. Tanaka has done a number of great things for the department.
Some deputies who were fired for misdeeds were good people overall, but they still were fired.
@28 “Won’t happen as the snivelers will complain;” is’nt that what u are doing? Sounds like it….things that make you go hmmmmmmm
Enough with the “everybody is a leader” bullshit. That’s another one of these new wave wanna-be dynamic theories that just doesn’t wash.
Everybody’s a leader eh? Then why the hell do we even need a chain of command?
If everybody’s a leader, who’s gonna follow orders?
Yeah. Those Itermediate Typist Clerks and Patrol Secretaries really need to go thru the DLI. Uh huh. How about the station operators? Talk about a waste of money. It’s a joke that they send them to the DLI and everybody knows it but nobody will say it. Don’t wanna get beefed. Get admin. rolled to another unit when the hostile work environment beef gets filed.
That’s right along the lines of the parachute packer mentality. You know, where they tell you the guy who packs the parachute is just as important as the Special Ops. guy that jumps out of the plane….because if he doesn’t do his job….
It’s feel good bullshit. Everybody knows it. You can’t make everyone a leader. EVEN IF YOU GIVE THEM RANK.
Show up at a containment on a 998 with outstanding suspects and you’ll see who the leaders are. And you’ll see other deps. willing to follow their lead.
Bravo #32, and where are the one’s who won’t be at the 998? Working an A schedule at Court Services
#32- The everyone is a leader comment is to say the Sheriff put that out there for us to be leaders and the Command staff refuses to do that.It’s sarcasm. But it was their idea. Everyone knows its BS. But they put it out their and now they piss backwards when the heat is applied. “I don;t know”, ” I was unaware.” That’s crap I wouldn’t accept from a deputy.
Secty’s and DLI have nothing to do with the issue at hand.
Is it something that is needed, no. The department should create DLI counterparts for the professional staff.
Like it or not the professional staff keep the department running. The comment on the parachute packer is true, but I get your point.
I signed on to this department because it is proactive. I love patrol. But there is a lot more to the department, you may not care or maybe you don’t know. Either is fine, cause the department needs deputies like you. Thanks for what you do. But back to the issues at hand.
#32:”You can’t make everyone a leader. EVEN IF YOU GIVE THEM RANK.”
This is a huge problem.You can’t test for real leadership. So we have an abundance of cronies in leadership positions who are afraid to make the simplest decisions. The ability to make decision is a prerequisite to leadership and I have worked for countless captains who lack this ability.
This is absolutely amazing. The best example of divide and conquer. You all claim to be deputies but you are just bickering amongst yourselves like little girls. Yes there were mistakes made, by all parties. Are we in a better position, hopefully but that is what progress is. But don’t for a second forget the the largest truth in the matter. We still have a group of people who have NEVER BEEN COPS and never been in a fight trying to Monday night quarterback all of us and tell us how to do our jobs based on second hand information passed and filtered up the chain. If you have so much tenure on the department why don’t you help teach and guide us boots instead of trying to prove how OG you are and step up for the department you felt was good enough to be a part of. Say something in a forum where SOMEONE CAN ACTUALLY SEE YOUR FACE. Do you think OIR, CCJV, FBI, BOS or executive staff care about what you or I think? No! otherwise they would have asked us, and when Baca did ask us he ignored us. And that is the problem, nobody thinks about who is in the trenches RIGHT NOW. And I may lose my job for speaking out outside of this forum, but f– it. It’s my life, my job, and my community. The gangsters and parolees are waiting right around the corner and on the tiers getting bolder by the minute because they know that all of this is working to their advantage. You may not stand with me and cops now are getting more scared to back each other up but the streets are watching and they see us slipping.
Justin, you said it all when you said:
“And I may lose my job for speaking out outside of this forum, but f– it.”
I’m going to give you my opinion of the problem at the line swine level.
Some guy who is a stand up guy who has a wife and a couple kids is caught in a dilemma. They count on him. They need that paycheck. He is the breadwinner and the caretaker of his family.
He can’t speak up for fear of his losing his job. Or at least his career being over. He then is relegated to the “it’s just a job” mentality. His dreams/goals are finished.
Speaking the truth has become a thing of the past. You can only say what NOBODY finds offensive. Guess what, you CAN’T address problems in the workplace without people being offended. There’s no more debriefings in the LASD where people are told to get their shit together. You can thank the POE (and the rampant abuse of it, sanctioned by the LASD in it’s INSANE application of it) for the problem.
Piss somebody off, from one of your fellow deps. to the station operator, and you get the old admin. transfer and are under investigation. Then, guess what… it’s found to be unfounded. Yet you’ve just spent six months to a year with your life being turned upside down.
And what happens to the person who made the frivolous allegation because their feelings simply got hurt at a deputy voicing their opinion? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. These fucking parasites are able to control the narrative in the workplace of the LASD thru fear of filing a POE. They have siezed the oppurtunity to silence any criticism of their work ethic, behavior, inability to interract positively with fellow employees, demeanor, etc. etc.
WITH ABSOLUTELY NO FEAR OF ANYTHING DETRIMENTAL TO THEM HAPPENING FOR FILING A FRIVOLOUS POE.
Can’t even ignore somebody somebody nowadays. That’s offending them. You don’t like them, and they don’t like you. But hey, can’t ignore them.
There are people who just wait for the oppurtunity to file a POE, and everybody knows it. If anybody denies this, they are living under a rock.
Yet the LASD fails to acknowledge that if somebody has filed several POE’s (sometrimes at different units) THEY are the problem. THEY are the ones who can’t get along with others.
Yet it’s those THEY accuse of offending them that pay the price.
You can thank the Sheriff for the insanity of this situation. He’s the one who went way over the top with all of this POE bullshit and the way it is enforced, so he could once again show PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE LASD how progressive and enlightened he is.
There are some people in the LASD who have filed numerous frivolous POE’s and turned several people’s life into hell. Yet they are never held to answer.
And you wonder why nobody speaks ups anymore? Really?
That’s why.
Sure, there are many cases where the POE filing is righteous. There are many more that are plain bullshit, and everybody knows it. Nobody has to wear their big boy/big girl panties anymore.
THAT’S the reason nobody speaks out anymore. You can’t “offend” the lazy, malcontents, whiners, neer-do-wells, non-hacker slackers without a very real fear of retributiuon.
That’s one of the problems at the line level. And it’s a HUGE problem.
P.S. Before any of you cheerleaders come at me with “You’re obviously disgrunteld” let me add this. It’s never happened to me. Never had a POE beef filed against me. But I have seen it happen to numerous buddy’s/fellow employees. It’s bullshit. You know it. Everybody knows it. It’s taken advantage of it constantly.
I’m stepping down from my soapbox now.
@ Get Real – I feel you man, I really do!
GET REAL…….. You are 100% correct…….. I was a victim and have seen several…. Lost three years of my career! Not fired but under investigation with IA, Admin etc etc for THREE YEARS. Came back UNFOUNDED!!!!!!
#39: Dictionary definition of “unfounded”: Having no foundation or basis in fact.
There really ought to be a way to keep this from happening. How did all this get started? I don’t mean your particular situation, but the whole POE rigmarole.
Any thoughts?
There are LASD victims at more than one level. Please don’t forget the victims of corrupt LASD executives. There are plenty, and we are the victim exemplars. From us, all other victims are born…
The insane way the POE is enforced is due to nothing more than Leroy Baca going waaay overboard to prove how progressive he is regarding women in LE. It was a manifestation of the Bouman decision, and his reaction to it.
Remember when the policy flatly stated that even off-duty LASD members could be held accountable for violations of the POE policy? ON THEIR OWN PROPERTY!!!!
Remember the “backyard barbeque” examples given in the trainings and pamphlet?
Leroy Baca actually attempted to supress free speech by LASD members when they were OFF DUTY.
Of course the “backyard barbeque” scenario would never hold up in court. Yet none of his inner circle ever bothered to tell him that. Another example of nobody having the stones to tell the boss that some of his ideas are a real doozy.