At last Friday’s hearing for the Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence—the final time the commission will meet before it issues its report at the end of this month**—the statements about the sheriff and the undersheriff, and others on the LASD command staff, pulled no punches, and left little room for spinning.
Here is a representative sample of some of the points made:
*Sheriff Baca failed to monitor and proactively control the use of force in the jails.
*Leaders had a lax attitude toward deputy aggression and discouraged deputy discipline.
*Management has known about and failed to address problems with deputy cliques.
*The undersheriff failed to up hold the department’s goals and values.
*There is substantial evidence that Tanaka urged deputies to be aggressive and ‘work in the gray area’ and “function right on the edge of the line,” made comments that undermine the credibility of IAB, discouraged supervisors from investigating deputy misconduct.
*There was a breakdown in the chain of command at MCJ that Undersheriff Tanaka encouraged and permitted.
These preliminary “findings” were presented to the commissioners by the teams of lawyers who have served as the commission’s investigators. The teams—-made up of high-powered attorneys lent by such firms as Gibson Dunn, O’Melveny & Meyers, Munger, Tolles & Olson, and others of that ilk, to work for the commission pro bono—have cummulatively interviewed approximately 150 people and have reviewed around 15,000 30,000 pages of documents.
Later this month, WitnessLA will have a more comprehensive story about the last stages of the commission’s work, including additional details and thoughts on these investigative reports and what they suggest for the final report.
In the meantime, here are a few representative bullet points from Friday’s presentations:
A CULTURE OF FORCE AND SILENCE
The teams found the following:
*The department condoned a Deputy-versus-inmate culture—counter to LASD core values.
*Harsh force is used as the default position, not as the last resort
*Significant force often used for things as trivial as an inmate questioning a policy or a deputy’s decision, such as the inmate’s ability to take a shower.
*Jails supervisors and management set an example that suggested that unlawful use of force would not be taken seriously, punished or held to account.
*False statements in reports are not acted upon, and sanctions against them are light.
*Certain department leaders appear to have tacitly or even expressly encouraged a “code of silence.”
*The departments’ tolerance of deputy cliques contributes to the use of force culture.
*Leadership in the department has undermined the disciplinary process.
* Undersheriff Tanaka promoted a culture that tolerated the excessive use of force in the jails, as did his protege, Captain Dan Cruz.
And it goes on from there.
NO SUGAR COATING
Several of the Board of Supervisors’ staffers who drifted down to watch the proceedings their 8th floor offices, said they were impressed with the teams’ willingness to call things as the facts they found suggested.
“Frankly, we expected a whitewash,” said one high level staffer. “But that’s definitely not what this is.
Or as Commissioner Jim McDonnell put it: “There was no sugarcoating as some may have thought there would be for political reasons.”
That much was clear on Friday. There is no white wash. No sugar coating. Just well-researched facts—and carefully drawn conclusions. What they add up to is troubling but not surprising.
The final report is still to come, of course.
And then there’s the question of what it will all mean. Will the Commission’s final report help to precipitate real change in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department? Or will it be one more stack of papers that get a day or two of attention from the public and the Board of Supervbefore being roundly ignored by the sheriff?
Stay tuned.
**DELIVERY NOTE
The Commission has pushed their timeline up and their final report will likely now be released on September 28, not early Oct. (October is their safety net date.)
The PowerPoint highlights of Friday’s 8 reports are available in downloadable form here. So read ’em yourself and see what you think.
LAPD NOTE: THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL HOST A SERIES OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE THE THREE RECENT FORCE INCIDENTS THAT HAVE RESIDENTS TROUBLED
The LA Times’ Joel Rubin has the report.
BOS staffers came down for a look see? And?
Yeh, we know Balance. Your going to blame all this on Block
The commissions report sounds like it will be somewhat truthful, but non binding.
Baca has said his piece “Don’t elect me.” He also said he won’t discipline Tanaka.
So lists will be made over who’s career is over and for who “needs” a bump up.
The report will solidify the departments division.
Baca has heard and seen the truth, he hasn’t accepted it and from all appearances he won’t.
Mr Mouth hole will go on TV and say the Sheriff is going to take strong and decisive action and a report will be “issued” later.
The Sheriff will thank the commission for their time, and their valuable insight…blah blah.
A Captain will be sacrificed, a retired Chief may be blamed.
Then it is forward full speed confusion and blaming everyone and accepting no responsibility.
So look for the car on the freeway, maybe take up cigar smoking, it appears that even when the truth is revealed, they just don’t care.
Their style of leadership was shown when the Aero Captain testified before the board. Go in there and blame someone else, confuse the issue, dilute the truth and spin it so it looks like someone else it at fault. Do what you have to do so you (the Executives) are not accountable.
I bet there is not one subpoena issued to a person above the rank of Lt., with the exception of Cruz and Clark.
I’m not a liberal, not in the car, not a “hater” just a deputy that wants to do what is right. I will press on, take the calls, look for the Franks, and have some fun. But I also know that the “Leaders” in this department make it hard for me to have moral. So please stay away from the briefings you only embarrass yourself, and stop with the BS. If you want me to laugh send out another Waldie report of Alcohol abuse, but could you send from Palm Springs. That makes it funnier. Drop the patch, I am out.
The commission did what they were supposed to do and they did it good. The frightening part is that there is nothing that can force any real change. These people have described federal crimes committed by upper management. I know that any action taken by the department is premature short of the final report, but will Baca fire Tanaka? It will be interesting to see how Baca handles Tanaka.
In any case, I guess we’ll have to wait on the Federal grand jury to see where this department is really going. But we’ll be waiting for a long time. I hope they indict Baca, Tanaka and all upper management, who allegedly shielded Baca, along with all other immature cronies this group has hired and supported.
If LA County politics shake out as usual, Baca, his tiny punk buddy, and all their cigar-smoking cronies, will skate! The Board (including you, Mr. Antonovich) has never done anything with any previously revealed information about the corruption over the last decade, so why would they now? As Baca uses Gennaco and OIR for cover, so shall the Board use the Commission report and their recommendations. The Parkers, Hellmolds and Guyoviches of the LASD will continue to provide a well-groomed, handsome uniformed window-dressing of a smokescreen to cause uncomplicated thinkers to believe something is being done or that real change will happen inside LASD. Let’s see what State and Federal agencies do in response to the report, or if perhaps they too will provide cover.
Celeste writes that the conclusions presented by the Attorneys/investigators represents their thinking only, based on the investigations they have conducted. I think it is much more than that: I think that their statements represents the thinking of the Law firms from which they came, which are among the most high-powered in the whole United States. So when these Law firms think that
1. “Sheriff Baca failed to monitor and proactively control the use of force in the jails.”
2. “There was a breakdown in the chain of command at MCJ that Undersheriff Tanaka encouraged and permitted.”
then what must the U.S. Attorney think?
My deepest suspicion is that we are going to find out very soon.
left at the ball well said. i wish all deputies had your mind set. you don’t throw the race card, blame others for your shortcomings, see it the way it is, but unfortunately, as you have observed, you will probably not get to the top of the class.
not saying you did anything wrong, to the contrary, you have done everything right. when you see who is following tanaka, baca and other wand waivers, it will make you sick. you mentioned the captain of aero. he is another example why you don’t want a huge criminal investigation. He will incriminate himself or have to testify from a remote video. he blew a head gasket in the public eye and really displayed his irratic command response. and to make things worse, he is pushing metal and gas over our communities.
don’t be frustrated, because people like me, my family and friends expect a person like you to show up to our house when called and act professional. Last person i need is a supervisor with 5 years on the department who has worked 5 different coveted positions before their promotion.
i think you can read between the lines.
try to stay positive. you will be setting your retirement date before you know it.
Left at the Ball: your most likely correct! We can only look to the Feds to do what Baca can never be! And that my friend is clean house! I recall the Waldie report on alcohol abuse. It was akin to a guy picking up on a girl and start bragging about his STD’s! Too funny.
I’m sure the comments above are right on. The department will only pick low hanging fruit and sacrifice the lowest possible ranks in order to keep department executives from suffering any consequences for their actions.
Let the feds run through the department. I’d never thought I’d say something like that, but there it is.
@Further to Follow – At least the Captain of Aero worked the field in patrol and at Aero. He earned the right to blow a gasket on occasion. Get some time in the field and you will understand this. You worked the desk at both assignments until he ran you into retirement.
While there are some illustrius individuals on that commission, for example, retired Judge Carlos Moreno, I don’t expect too much from the report. Not that they won’t be honest in their investigation, it is just that I don’t expect the Feds or anyone else to press charges. What I hope is that the citizens of L.A. County will awaken and vote Sheriff Baca out of office, but that probably won’t happen. I live in Orange County, and look what it took to get ride of Carona.
FTF: A agree about King Louie. He is very unstable and from my friends at Aero Louie looks like he’s about to have a heart attack! We can’t and must not give up! The time for Baca and the others for honoring themselves is coming to and end! How do I know? Baca refuses to face the press! Do you think Baca lies down on the back seat of his county car, to avoid the press? I bet he does!
Sorry Mac you took the bait. Again. Your simple minded rhetoric continues to defend your cause and I know your cause.
Please post something more substantial other than your rediculous protection of the name. As stated before, you need to monitor your tubine inlet temperature, because I do.
As with other questionable moves in the Department, yours might be next. Funnier things have happened and Mac doesn’t carry the weight of a truck…… My ink is really dripping now. Working Temple, and some other field ops clown assignments doesn’t quailfy much higher than a desk job.
Ask Louie. He worked for me.
So Mac, based on your post #10 and the previous posts that have been archived, I want to entertain you in a question that deals with lasd leadership. Here is the link for clarification of our subject matter: http://www.lasdblog.org/sites/page_render.aspx?pagename=aero_main
Now, as a risk manager, you reference that Louis Duran, Captain of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Aero Bureau was responsible for “running” an individual into retirement. This has been said several times.
Based on your comments, you are saying Captain Louis Duran knowingly precluded an employee from working in their current assignment and/or prevented said employee from continuing to work for the County of Los Angeles for fear of personal retribution by Captain Louis Duran.
Apparently, this is peraonal knowledge you possess, therefore you are aware of Department Policy prohibiting retaliation, discrimination or preventing an employee from advancement.
Your affirmation to this response is most welcome.
As you know, paper trails, e-mails, and other electronic history is discoverable.
Would you like me to explain further?
The following was forwarded to me today from a friend. It is from an LASD retirement site with a specific name attached, so I will have to say the information is authentic.
“I did contact ALADS this AM and had a long talk with them as to the 17 (indictments),yes its coming in Jan Fed, Court. I will wait and let ALADS put out what info they wish to be made public, it’s not going to be pretty, its a full blown Fed investigation.”
So there you have it boys and girls. The Feds are all over this like white on rice. I have it from inside sources this is just the first volley. The Feds have expanded their investigation into many areas OUTSIDE of MCJ. Aero, Federal Grants, election donations, and many, many more areas, many we have already heard about from WLA investigative reporting. People are going to sing like a Broadway musical to cut a deal for themselves. Isn’t that the way it always is, eh Good Fellas?
If I were in the Cigar Club, and if I were an executive (Captain and above) with shit on my shoes, I would be very, very concerned right now. Because the Feds are coming and they are bringing Hell with them.
It is a very, very sad time for LASD. Baca from day one, has been enamored with higher political dreams. He has been completely disconnected from the day to day operation of LASD. Paul Myron left and then Stonich took the reigns. His failure was his blind loyalty to Baca. For reasons perhaps only Bill knows, Stonich left and gave the ball to Waldie. Waldie and Baca allowed Tanaka to operate without boundaries. Tanaka was a train wreck unfolding in slow motion. Baca was warned and warned and warned again about the evilness of Tanaka. We all have heard stories of why Baca would not or could not clip Tanaka’s nuts.
Well now Paul Tanaka, the ghosts of all those good people who you took great pleasure of screwing are going to come back and haunt you. And I, along with many others, will be sitting in the public seats of the Los Angeles Federal Court Building, watching you and many others, get served the same shit sandwich you fed many a good person. And in the end, you and your cronies are going to feel the wrath of sweet justice. And remember Paul, the Feds dish out years in Federal prison by the dump truck load. Puff on your cigars while you can folks because the hammer is going to fall and it is going to fall hard. Watch the gates, the gates are closing.
@Further to Follow – Explain all you want. It is all about your job performance. Sorry, but it was subpar. Look at your past posts condoning white peace officers cliques and indicating it was okay for Sherman Block had to allow excessive force on the department during his days because of some old Field Ops directive. There is no room on the department for racism or excessive use of force. You had to move on to your new career as a blogger. Good luck.
Circus you are hearing the same buzz that will soon come to fruition. There are people now who work assignments in question that have provided inside knowledge. How fo you think the feds went into the jails without baca’s knowledge?
pay to play bad contracts will soon take their toll
And one more thing to ponder. This Commission, all of the investigations, the media focus from the LA Times and WLA, all of this fell upon one facility, Men’s Central Jail. None of the other LASD facilities, with the exception of one incident at TTCF, was a focus of this on-going abuse, scandal and reign of terror. Captain Cruz has the audacity to say he is “a fall guy” and that he is a victim of a smear campaign at the hands of “guys telling lies?”
Cruz, you are going to take a huge hit behind all of this. And the very person who you hooked your wagon to, Paul Tanaka, has thrown you under the bus. Remember his testimony, “Not one Captain, Commander, Chief or Assistant Sheriff EVER told me anything about force problems at MCJ. And if they say they did, that’s a LIE.” From what I have read, Olmsted tried to save you from yourself, but you would have none of it. Tanaka was your man, your mentor. You chose wrong over right. NONE OF THIS HAD TO HAPPEN. NONE OF IT, DAMMIT, NONE OF THIS HAD TO HAPPEN.
Commander Olmsted and many others have connected the dots of Deliberate Indifference as well as many other Federal criminal violations. Conte, Burns and Cavanaugh are either going to be co-defendants or material witnesses. Don’t think for a moment they won’t attempt to cut a deal. So all of you self-proclaimed Cigar Club members and MCJ Tanaka Fan Club members, take heed. The chances are very high that your world is going to be rocked like a 8.9 magnitude earthquake.
Think back at all of the good sergeants, lieutenants and captains who REALLY had your best interest at heart, those who were doing their jobs as supervisors and managers, those who were holding you to a standard of professionalism. Think about all of those good people who got screwed by the hero you worshiped, Paul Tanaka, because you thought he “had your back” and allowed the rouge cliques to do what ever they wanted. It all sounded great when you were smoking cigars with the little man at the MCJ patio, slapping him on the back and telling him what a great guy he is. How you clique members went around town telling everyone how you were “in the car with Paul,” and if a supervisor was doing something you didn’t like (such as keeping you from harming yourself – telling you No) all you had to do was drop a dime to “Paul” and chances are, that individual was called on the carpet or simply rolled up. Paul valued being loved by you ash tray cleaners more than earning respect from others by doing what he should have done, but was always incapable of, and that was being an executive.
You folks know exactly what was going on and who was pulling the strings, your pal Tanaka. Well, you made your choice between right and wrong. Cruz and Company became engrossed in the arrogance of Tanaka. And this I know, he has and will continue to turn his back on you. So you’ve made your bed, chances are you will have a very long nap in it.
#15-Thanks for the info. But if it involves ALADS, we are only talking about deputies. ALADS wouldn’t have anything to do with, or knowledge of, proposed indictments of upper management. So as far as I’m concerned there will probably be more than 17 indictments that will be coming down when upper management is included. And I’m sure that the 17 deputy indictments are only the beginning.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Further to Follow and Mac: Stop it with the personal back and forth or I’m simply going to delete you both without bothering to read the content of your comments.
Really.
C.
I’m having difficulty with this email from ALADS talking about possible indictments. If true I believe that Celeste and every other reporter would be all over this!? But, I want to believe you! I agree that Cruz has NO where to go. If Cruz says he told Tanaka he still in trouble for not doing anything. If he didn’t tell Tanaka then he still in trouble for not doing anything! His ship has sunk! The same goes for Burns using the same logic. C: Can you verify this email ALADS post?
Circus and Justin, word is also that particular line and especially ops lieutenant of Cruz is going to get muddied up as well.
The problem with that is their career(s) are still young, so if they deny wrongdoing, they’re done, if they admit or testify, they are done.
This is the whole dilemma of this mess. Do it right the first time and you can sleep at night.
Too many employees have been asked in disciplinary appeals who have lost and been terminated “why did you do it, and would you have changed your course if you had a second chance?” You all know that answer and it pains me to see the look on their faces.
Climbing the executive ladder, manuevering for promotions and doing things to get there is like a meth user. If you talk to one, they get that first high, and continue to chase that same high, but they never get to it. They lose their families, life, health and everything they had to be thankful for. Think of this as a bit draconian, but some will see my comparison.
Have any of you read the latest Alads Dispatcher? It is painfully and mean painfully obvious they are sleeping with the brass!!! I read all the directors articles, ripped it up and puked!!!
@J. London. Sir, I have no dog in this fight, I am not assigned to Custody Division. I would never publish a rumor of this magnitude, being that of pending indictments. All I can say is I cut and pasted the exact verbatim email that was forwarded to me from a retirement site. I obtained access to the site to verify the posting and saw the name attached as the individual who said he spoke with ALADS. It is what it is.
As far as ALADS and PPOA, I wonder just how much more scandalous truth has to be exposed to the world before they, the union leadership, take a stance and call out those responsible for all of this embarrassing fiasco. You can bet if this were an LAPD caper and all roads pointed to their Chief and Executive Command Staff, the LAPD Police Protective League would send out Vote of Confidence-No Confidence to their membership. The results would be posted on full page Times paper ads, just as they did successfully did with former Chief Parks. ALADS/PPOA are not doing the right thing for their membership nor for LASD by taking no public position, or whispering their dissatisfaction in cheesy union editorials. But that is just my opinion.
#15: Re–The indictments coming in January. Remember, the U.S. Attorney is appointed by the President, and January is well after the November Presidential election, so things may well hinge on who is elected President, which now seems to be very much up in the air–a Willie Horton ad can make the difference. OTOH, if the U.S. Attorney has a good case, it may not matter much who becomes President. But things can’t be THAT bad in the LASD.
Can it?
Watching: I believe you! I’m going now to get a copy of the Dispatcher. I don’t understand how any good Deputy (except the kool-aid drinkers) could not be totally pissed off! Hang on! If we can make through Arco-Narco we get through this! Baca and all the others must go! In the words of Mike McAndrews “never while your out there give up!”
Unfortunately, we deputies are boxes of rocks. All alads has to do is give away a few more door prizes at raging waters and alcohol at the river and we’ll continue to run around fat, dumb, and cluelessly happy.
I hope Conte is spared from any grief.
@Circus-London: I sense we are in for something of historic/unprecedented proportions in the history of law enforcement. I believe this because of the evidence of such large scale conspiracies that reach well beyond the jails. ALADS and POPA have obviously received the complaint filed with the Federal Grand Jury (wouldn’t we all love to get a copy of that). They have to defend these people who are going to be indicted. In some incidents deputies and upper management might be considered co-defendants. That being the case ALADS is going to have to work with upper management’s defense team. This may be why they have kept silent on the issue.
It’s not going to work. These guys are going down. One thing that comes across clear, when reviewing the CCJV agenda exhibits, there is no leadership or consistency on the LASD. Most of us who have been around already know this.
The same problem exists on the patrol side as it does on the jail side. I have attempted, on more than one occasion, to make upper management aware of very serious problems. I soon discovered that not only was it hard to find leadership who cared about these problems, I found that no one is in control of the LASD.
There are a lot of people like me on this department: perplexed, frustrated disappointed etc. after attempting to address serious issues. As soon as upper management crumbles, our stories will be told and things are only going to get worse. They (upper management) say that their ears are wide open but unfortunately the trust has been broken.
Circus, you are correct. IT DIDN’T HAVE TO HAPPEN.
It was Baca’s decision to fly around the globe and be the Sheriff To The World that has kept him too busy (???) to be aware of the problems while they escalated to the point where we are today.
It was his CHOICE to do that. He made the decision. His ego got the best of him. He put being in the limelight ahead of doing his job.
He made his choice.
How come no one on this site has mentioned Sheriff Baca’s medical problems? Are they to be brushed under the table like Harper.
Well, I heard LACERA’s office has been very busy lately. In regards to #28, apparently stories will be told sooner than ALADS and upper management think. Hold on tight, this is going to be quite a ride.
Many people have voiced their opinions on taking what is left of retirement and running for the hills.
very similar analogy to obama being in vegas tonight to suck somemore face when he actually should be in the oval office with his military and international staff working a game plan for the embassy incidents.
Well that would be common sense and truly american, but…..
baca has displayed the same characteristics, traveling, eatin Korean food at Duc’s house and avoiding all the revelations. His continued response is “don’t re-elect me”. Doesn’t he have any passion for his people?
I attended a luncheon for an employee who put many years in county service. this was a baca be there luncheon. Instead, cavanaugh showed up apologizingfor him saying something important came up. really? more important than your loyal employees?
that’s why we are in the cesspool now.
In reality, the die was cast the minute Baca cozied up to the ACLU and gave them so much access to CJ. He thought he could make them a supporter of HIS department. He thought he was so progressive, so enlightened and so friggin smart that they would actually be supporters of his.
He thought they would “assist” him in getting CJ closed and a new jail built. Hasn’t worked out that way.
The end result of this will be that some deps. will be convicted of 149….and the county will pay out untold millions in lawsuits to dirtbags.
If Tanaka REALLY had the deputies backs at CJ, he would have stood up to Baca and told him he was out of his mind for giving the ACLU so much access to the jail.
Talk about inviting trouble.
Maybe some of the deps. deserve to be in prison, but in every case like this there will be some deps. swept up in it that don’t deserve what’s coming down the pike.
Great decision Sheriff. Way to go genius. Nice job to all the inner circle, none of whom spoke out and tried to talk the sheriff out of this insane decision.
They didn’t think it would affect them, so why speak up and piss the boss off?
Turns out it’s gonna be affecting some of them. They only have themselves to blame.
I wonder how cozy his relationship with the ACLU is now?
Anyone see the intent to promote to captain? If you haven’t, you will see it’s a perpetuating spiral. At least with captain’s pay he can recoup all the retiremnt luncheons and dinners he paid for everytime baca or tanaka showed up
YUP! That’s our buffoon, Mr. Lee! He didn’t have anything more important, he just forgot!
I guess he forgot that many of the inmates hate the ACLU just as much as the ACLU hates the sheriff’s department. And fact of the matter is that it is a world that the ACLU does not understand nor do they care, they walk in with suits, escorted, sticking out like a sore thumb and every inmate knows who they are and that they are just being used for the ACLU agenda. And the fact that they never talk to any of the deputies to understand the situation shows that they are not as independent and fair as they would like people to think, although that is going around.
So to with over a group with the ACLU if not impossible will take a lot more than free reign. Much like to make positive change, that inevitably affects communities surpassing county lines, will take more than disciplining deputies. But I guess OIR doesn’t want to hear that either.
I would love to see a solid journalist investigative report of the OIR and their cover-up or failure to expose ALL of the executive misconduct that has been occurring for years now right under their nose. I believe they have received volumes of information and their response has been silence. Look at their mere mention of The Gray Area in the most recent OIR report, it is laughable. You could put that section of their report on a match book cover and they make some reference of it as a learning experience. Really? The BOS should terminate their contract just like Orange County SD did.
#37: The OIR, as does Merrick Bobb, has an Attorney/client relationship with the BOS/County of Los Angeles, so the two are not apt to publicly say anything that can be used against their clients in a court of law. Think of the two–the OIR & Merrick Bobb–as an IAB for the Board of Supervisors.
Who’s a strong candidate to run for Sheriff? It doesn’t have to be someone currently in law enforcement. Plenty of smart folks working in public policy, legal reform, elected official, etc. Baca and Tanaka must go.
#38, Sir, I have to disagree with your statement. OIR was not “retained” to provide “legal council” to the BOS OR LASD. Their specific placement is to review all completed IAB investigations and check for thoroughness and appropriate discipline or resolution. As you are probably aware, they issue several reports each year that addresses trends or specific incidents/issues such as the recent MCJ report. They have been in my office on a regular basis discussing pending discipline cases. 95% of the time, we have agreed on discipline as “appropriate.” Once in a while, there is a little arm wrestling, but in my situation, we have always come to an agreement.
There is no attorney/client confidentiality, per se’. Their job is to independently review allegations of misconduct. But they also have the ability to speak directly to the IAB chain of command within PSTD and recommend the initiation of IAB investigations based specifically on information they received that would support such action. They have done it many a time
My concern is the upper management of OIR have consistently turned a blind eye to executive misconduct. I think many of these incidents eventually become common knowledge within the management ranks, but one never hears a word from OIR, or anyone else for that matter.They had the ability to expose all of the issues WLA has been reporting on concerning Custody Division mismanagement, the infamous Gray Area, and many, many other areas. Their leadership chose not to and I have a problem with that. i As indicated in their latest report, they are asking for more authority. My issue is they seem to be completely “selective” with the authority they already have. That is my opinion, and that of others.
In the State of California, we have had PD’s, Cities and various individuals either audited, investigated indicted and arrested. But there is a missing link here that has yet to be under public scrutiny that I know full well is responsible for some of the State’s chaos: the judicial branch.
Let’s not forget that the County began paying judges an additional 40-50K per year on top of their regular salary which is paid by the State. This practice began in the 1980’s. Their alibi was that the money was for yearly training. However, the issue was challenged, and the Court of Appeals ruled that not only was the additional payments were unlawful (Sturgeon v. County of Los Angeles (BC351286, filed 10/10/2008).
http://www.examiner.com/article/sturgeon-v-la-county-opined-as-elaborate-fraud-on-the-california-courts
The State legislators quickly and quietly acted legalizing that act and afforded judges retroactive immunity from criminal and civil liability. Yep! These may have been criminal acts. The practice continues today and is viewed as payments to judges in exchange for protection against civil cases.
I have seen, first hand, judges deciding cases not based on law, but on financial impact.
#40: The OIR itself has cited an attorney/client relationship in refusing to release information on investigations to plaintiffs filing lawsuits against the County.
How about Sheriff Joe Arpaio? Great man, with a great mission.
Joe Arpaio has ZERO chance of being elected Sheriff in LA County. He also has ZERO chance of being appointed by the Board of Sups. GET REAL!!!!!!
It’s too bad. But it’s a fact.
OIR does a very poor job at looking deeply into executive misconduct! The current jail issues, lying and corruption clearly illustrates their incompetence. How could all this criminal behavior go on without OIR knowing? Because OIR doesn’t investigate a thing! They just report what they are told and read over some documents without verifying their authenticity, I know! OIR why don’t you look into the Pat Gomez fiasco? Or how Leyva and Herrain got screwed? Has OIR even asked about Tanaka and the illegal activities? The answer is; NO! There answer would be; Baca is paying us and it’s not our job!
#40, Watching the circus go by — You put ’em all in the ten ring! Michael Gennaco is OIR’s “upper management,” and I understand your reluctance to name him — on a personal level, he’s a gentleman. But your point OIR consistently has the blinders on when it comes to Baca/Tanaka misconduct is where you hit a bull’s eye. The “OIR Group,” is a private, but County-contracted and funded entity. Michael knows who butters his bread. He may claim to be ethically seeking social justice, but he has a for-profit business to operate and alienating Baca, Tanaka or the Board would rock his bottom line. Insisting on opening a case for Tall Paul’s atrocious and illegal behavior for example, wouldn’t be good for business. It is much easier to pounce on politically powerless deputies and civilians and continue to collect that fat paycheck.
circus regarding post 37 i will comment but will most likly get deleted for obvious journalistic reasons.
What you say is absolutely true. For the life of me the media wants a total failure of the system. look at obama, cliton, and his idiot press secretary. blame all the killings and embassy attacks on a youtube video? Jesus Christ, what an absolute pity and the media publishes it
And of course it’s Romney’s fault for making a statement before our president even can process the issue.
Here’s the reality. It’s gonna get worse, Isreal is going to pull the trigger, obama will be in vegas and for all the media who want more excitement, it will be in our own country very soon. But please donn’t stand in a crowd of police to protect you.. You publish your slanted news, you can live by it at your risk of being killed.
You don’t get your agenda or understand your mission, so don’t expect the one’s protecting our country to step up and save your ass, cuz, at the end you’ll backstab the one’s who tried to protect you
Go ahead and and delete if your feelings are hurt. At the end you’ll get the point.
Further to Follow, ???????. Keep up the Jack Daniels and typing. When you get 390, you are far more interesting. In case your having a hard time reading this, I said: fuver to folw &&&&&&. kept up the Jak Dnils and sptying. When you got 390, you are fart mour intesitning.
Well said what. I was watching a stream from the middle east and now our little aussie country is blowing up.
If you have pan and zoom software, look at the one’s protesting. At least the one’s who aren’t the cowards covering their faces.
Anyone know why we haven’t experienced the same backlash here? Any qualified law enforcement person knows of the sleeper cells, and outright persons being tracked. The whole cause of this is one alleged Cerritos film producer. One movie caused all this. Ironically, it happened to start on 9/11.
With everything in flux with LASD, our only hope will to request mutual aid from LAPD. Their mobilization force and tactics far exceeds our capabilities. For those of you who worked the northridge quake, you saw how we used our air resources and personnel. Very comical, but sad.
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…