In the wake of a federal investigation announced in August of last year into allegations of “discriminatory policing by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department members” working out of the Lancaster and Palmdale stations, a group of five families and one sheriff’s department sergeant, have banded together in a lawsuit that accuses LASD members working in those same two stations of a pattern of excessive force and racial targeting that resulted in the shooting death of two men, the non-fatal shooting of a 15-year old, and the beating of 34-year-old man, and of a 20-year old female cyclist.
At a press conference, Wednesday afternoon in Woodland Hills, attorney Bradley Gage was joined by the families of the two men who were killed by the Lancaster/Palmdale deputies, and a third man who was badly beaten by deputies. Gage, alleges that a pattern of racial animus was a motivating factor in all of the listed cases.
CHRISTIAN COBIAN
The mother and the aunt of 26-year-old Christian Cobian, explained how he had left his family’s home in Lancaster on a Saturday night, January 21, with the idea of riding his sister’s bike to a nearby store to get cigarettes.
“He never came back.”
En route, he was pulled over by L.A. County Sheriff’s deputies for riding the bike without a headlight. Cobian, who was on probation, was according to the Sheriff’s Department, wanted for a a felony narcotics warrant. Likely wanting to avoid arrest, Cobian dropped the bike and took off after the deputies stopped him. LASD officers gave chase and shot him several times. The last shot, which was to the head, was the one that likely killed him, according to Cobian’s autopsy report.
Afterward, sheriff’s deputies allege that Cobian was reaching for something bunched in his waist that the deputies feared was a gun.
Gage, however, says he has talked to multiple witnesses to the shooting who describe a very different set of circumstances They reportedly tell of hearing Cobian pleading with the deputies to stop shooting, his hand clutching—not his waistband, but his groin, where he had been shot, and only after he was already hit. The witnesses, according to Gage, also describe Cobian calling out for his mother just before one office allegedly fired a single shot to Cobian’s head.
DARRELL LOGAN
In the case of Darrell Logan Jr., 32, Palmdale deputies were called to the Logan home on Oct. 13, 2011 after they received a report of a gun being fired.
Logan was reportedly in the garage of his house with his brother in law, following a argument with his wife of six years. Deputies ordered the men to exit the garage. Neither did.
This much is not in dispute. What happened next is less clear.
Deputies say they were fired upon.
Gage says that no gun was found in the garage (one was reportedly later found inside the house), and that deputies opened fire on an unarmed man, firing approximately 40 shots, hitting Logan 11 times—most of the bullets striking Logan in the back (which the autopsy confirmed, as noted by the Antelope Valley Times)
Logan’s family and his extended family attended the press conference, each supporting the other. Yet the shattering in the family is evident.
MARCO CHICLANA
In a third case, Marco Chiclana and his family, called sheriff’s deputies for help when Chiclana’s father, who had recently had open heart surgery, became confused and tried to leave the hospital prematurely, attempting to start the family SUV with a screwdriver, which he reportedly mistook for car keys.
By the time deputies arrived, the elder Chiclana had reportedly been calmed down, the situation defused, the screwdriver pocketed. However, in an incident caught on the Antelope Valley Hospital’s surveillance camera, Marco Chiclana was wrestled to the ground while being visibly punched and kicked before being handcuffed. Even Chiclana’s 63-year-old mother, Maria, who walks with a cane, was arrested by sheriff’s deputies, and charged with felony resisting arrest. (The charges were later dropped to a misdemeanor.)
OTHER CASES
The Lancaster/Palmdale cases came to Gage’s attention, Gage said, when he represented another man, Noel Bender, in a beating case, that ended in a $1.6 settlement. (The LA Weekly reported here on the Bender case.)
After the Bender case became public, close to 100 people call Gage, each with tale of abuse, some worse than others. But they suggested a pattern, Gage thought. Hence the joint filing. The idea wasn’t just to win, he said, but to produce change.
Additional cases in Gage’s Wednesday’s filing include William Fetters, a 15-year-old young man who was allegedly shot in the “back region” after he was stopped by deputies when he was riding his bike.
And there was 20-year-old Nikkia Wise, who was allegedly roughed up by deputies, half choked really, according to Wise and a witness, when deputies pulled her over for not having a light on her bike.
Gage represents LASD Sergeant Mark Moffett, who is also part of the joint filing. Moffett, as recounted here—is the man who reportedly had another LASD sergeant, Timothy Cooper, pull a gun on him inside the Compton station, point the the weapon at his head and mouth the words, “I’m going to kill you”—all in front of a witness.
Moffett, who is part Asian, part Native American, was reportedly repeatedly on the receiving end of racial slurs and harassment. But when he complained about harassment, discrimination, and retaliation, Gage writes in the complaint, his superiors, including some of those high into the department’s command staff, failed to act.
“Obviously we disagree with this assessment,” L.A. County Sheriff’s Spokesman Steve Whitmore told ABC’s Robert Holquin regarding the lawsuit. He says each incident is investigated by several outside agencies, and in each case the reactions were justified.”
At the press conference, Gage was quick to state that he viewed problem deputies in the LASD to be part of a very small minority. “But when they do bad things, they’re protected by those above them.”
In the filing, Gage singled out Undersheriff Paul Tanaka, whom he said has “specifically gone to meetings with new Sergeants telling them to work in the “gray area” and to protect one another. Tanaka has covered up investigations of officers for use of unjustified force,” Gage writes.
Gage also revealed that, contrary to some reports, the undersheriff still has his Viking tattoo. Tanaka, if you’ll remember, was a member the gang-like deputy clique known as the Vikings in the 1990s. It has been long suggested that Tanaka has since had his Viking tattoo removed. (Members have the group insignia inked on to their ankles, with a number indicating in what order they joined.)
However according to a recent sworn deposition from an Assistant Sheriff, said Gage, Undersheriff Tanaka’s tattoo is still fully intact.
NOTE: Sergeant Moffett’s reported antagonist, Sergeant Cooper, was rumored to be either a Viking or a member of the clique’s more recent incarnation, the Regulators. But no one seemed sure which group it was.
Recently WitnessLA has learned that the answer to the question is: both. Sergeant Cooper wears “double ink,”–-he has both a Vikings tattoo and a Regulators tattoo on his ankle. Out of the 98 numbered Vikings, Cooper is 91.
However, his Regulators number is 11. Cooper is an O.G., one of the group’s founders.
The government claim, which may be found here, seeks unspecified damages, and was filed with LA County last Friday. It is the precursor to suing the Sheriff’s Department itself.
Logan’s college attending brother is Steven Leonard Porter.
Attorney Bradley Gage and the WitnessLA article focus in on the fact the subjects in each of the deputy-involved use of force or shootings summarized, is a racial minority. That appears indisputable. Also indisputable is the fact that none of the individuals killed or injured during these incidents followed the lawful commands of deputies who arrived in response to either someone else calling them, or to deputies’ observing them doing something appearing to violate the law. Do deputies use significant force on white people, injuring them, and shoot white people, killing them? Of course they do. Is this a racial issue? No, it’s not.
Gage’s civil claim/lawsuit will cause LASD to provide several hundred to a few thousand pages of incident reports, photographs, witness interviews transcriptions and audio recordings, crime scene diagrams, autopsy reports, ballistics results, radio traffic recordings and on and on. Gage will also receive the results of the Executive Force Review Committee, the three-commander panel responsible for determining if involved personnel acted in compliance with their training and department policy. The D.A.’s office will determine if the incident was legal. Gage will pour over all that material and he may or may not find a deputy used poor judgment or tactics during one of these incidents. More likely, he’s going to see that in the course of their duties, deputies were brought into a very volatile, rapidly unfolding scenario they managed as best they could, and in so doing, performed within the law and policy, utilizing the tactics they were trained to use. I highly doubt he will find any evidence or indication there’s some pattern or conspiracy going on in the Antelope Valley to mistreat non-whites who place themselves in harm’s way with their own behaviors.
Deputies at both stations are doing a commendable job of racing from call-to-call in response to the massive number of calls-for-service the residents of AV generate. I hope the article doesn’t inflame the general public to rush to judgment based on the superficial skimming of limited information it provides.
Tanaka;s Viking tatto and the mentality it stands for, Tanaka’s personal visits to briefings and proclaiming to patrol/detectives in attendance, “work in the gray area,” has been voiced at several LASD stations, Supervisory and Management schools. Tanaka personally made that statement IN FRONT OF OVER 100 FEDERAL AGENTS and their managers. He said it at the Los Angeles Royball Building to a room filled with agents and local law enforcement to include A FEDERAL AUSA, who were all attending a briefing for a warrant sweep in Hawaiian Gardens (Paul told everyone to turn off the rolling video cameras). The “culture” Tanaka has injected into this organization since his days at Lynwood to present is truly, a cancer. The stories have no ending. But as the attorney said (and to his credit) this is only a very small portion of LASD AND I AGREE. The 99% are proud and hard working members of LASD. The 1% lead by Tanaka call the shots and will destroy anyone who opposes them.
And Sheriff Baca’s response (despite repeatedly being provided factual evidence of Tanaka’s specific wrongdoings)………. promoting Tanaka from Lieutenant to Undersheriff. And to this very second, Baca will not accept any of this, despite all of the evidence. BACA, THE BLOOD OF TANAKA’S ADMINISTRATIVE VICTIMS ARE ON YOUR HANDS.
So who is to blame? And more importantly, when in the world is the FBI going to step in and indicate ALL of these clowns. People used to think Chicago, New York, Florida and New Orleans were the cesspools of law enforcement. Not anymore, make room for the new kids on the block, Tanaka/Baca et. al.
Witness LA, be proud of your investigative journalist excellence. When the wheels eventually fall off Baca’s chariot, it will be you and Commander Olmsted who really made a difference.
People will do and say anything for a buck. The fact of the matter is the county has deep pockets and these heathens will try to stick their grimey hands in them.
Dulce – The only people who will do or say anything for a buck are the sheriffs. They are ones who are paying for promotions by giving $100 to a campaign fund.
So you think attorney Bradley Gage is out for justice or money? You decide, please note the defense on the North Hollywood Bank Robbery Shooting!!! List of cases from his own website. Do your own homework everyone, and make your own decision.
Cases
Bender vs. County of Los Angeles
November 1, 2011 $1,635,185.00 Judgment.
Elam v. City of South Gate
July, 2008 $1,000,000.00 settlement.
Burns v. City of Los Angeles
March 27, 2008. $290,000.00 Judgment.
Christle v City of Los Angeles
October 3, 2007. $1,800,000.00 Judgment.
Hernandez v City of South Gate
Judgment entered August 27, 2007. $15,000,000.00 Judgment.
Van Holt v. City of South Gate
Verdict date March 27, 2006. $4,216,505.00 verdict and an additional $1,168,000 in fees and costs.
George v. Metrolink, Union Pacific
February 5, 2004. Plaintiff Verdict. Metro Link Commuter Train Accident.
McMurray v. City of Burbank
December 4, 2003. $2,000,000.00 judgment.
Frieders v. City of Glendale
June 2, 2003. $4,500,000.00 Judgment.
Rolfe v. LA Community College
July 30, 2002. $1,200,000.00 Judgment including punitive damages.
Boctor v. LA County MTA
August 10, 1999. $5,675,132.00 verdict plus an additional $180,000 in attorneys fees (This was a bench trial.)
Matasaraneu v City of Los Angeles et al
In this action, Mr. Gage was one of the two defense lawyers in the infamous “North Hollywood Shoot Out” trial. Case Dismissed.
Deming v. Waxman
Verdict rendered in favor of Martita Deming for injuries sustained in an automobile accident when rear ended by defendant Waxman.
Please note, this list does not mean that any particular case has any value. After the appeal was filed, some cases were settled and some were lost, so the actual recovery is different from the verdict or judgment listed above. There is NO GUARANTEE of success for any case and litigation is fraught with uncertainty.
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I have a challenge for PPOA and ALADS. You have read all of the Witness LA and LA Times factual reports. You folks in the “leadership role” of our unions and you know better than most, what has been going on, this you cannot deny. It is time you truly “represent” us, the paying members.
It is time for the PPOA and ALADS leadership to do just that, show some leadership. It is time to quit playing politics, quit “going along to get along.” It is time you offer the membership of both unions an opportunity to VOTE for a “No Confidence” resolution. This should be done for two separate items, 1. Sheriff Baca and 2. Undersheriff Tanaka. Additionally, the ballot should ask such questions for EACH individual A) Do you have faith and confidence with their management leadership? B) Do they demonstrate ethical leadership in their daily management of ALL personnel? C) Do you trust their ethics and leadership in their current positions? D) Are you “confident” in their leadership.
These questions can be worded as appropriate, I am just making suggestions. It is time that Sheriff Baca and Undersheriff Tanaka hear from the rank and file directly how WE feel about their leadership and if WE truly have “confidence” with their demonstrated performance.
Folks, this is NOT about politics nor is it about philosophical managerial beliefs. This is ALL about what has happened to LASD over the last twelve years. This is ALL about the systematic and methodical destruction of a once proud organization at the hands of a morally corrupt Undersheriff who clearly plays by the rules of the Vikings, The Cigar Club and the Pay for Play mantra and destroys anyone who stands up for what is right. It is also about a nomad Sheriff who has knowingly relinquished power and control to a corrupt individual long ago. It is about a Sheriff who is either in clear denial of how we have suffered for years while (although being told of specifics) he has turned his back on us, or a Sheriff who cares about no one other than himself and the politics of survival. It is time for a reality check.
Celeste, if you think this suggestion has any merit, would you please be our agent for change and bring this to the table of your readers and to ALADS/PPOA? Perhaps if Baca reads for once, what the line personnel “really” thinks of him and what he has done to us, perhaps he will wake up and smell the coffee. If anyone has a valid opinion, I think we would all like to listen.
It’s time to be heard: your idea is right on the mark! We have seen in other departments that no confidence votes get mainstream media coverage. The contract cities have millions invested in LASD. They will certainly have some issues to ponder when more publicity is drawn to the serious issues inside the Department. Those issues will ultimately manifest themselves in the delivery of service to our paying customers.
Remember the last election? Sheriff Baca ran unopposed. In his mind, how could that do anything but validate a belief that he and the Department are performing perfectly.
Aside from the other noted issues about reserves, cars, etc, Sheriff Baca is the one who created the Paul Tanaka monster. As one current Department executive aptly put it, (in response to the ongoing complaints about how Paul ran the Department) “This is the Sheriff’s company and Paul is his son.”
Many people tried to advise the Sheriff that this cancer was growing, but on every occasion, he didn’t want to hear it. Now, pulling Paul and the Assistant Sheriffs out of the case review process is needed, but too little to late.
Quite a glimmer of hope was cast a few weeks back when Witness L.A. reported the potential demotions. Sadly, we waited like Charlie Brown in the Great Pumpkin and nothing happened.
Sheriff: as Eldridge Cleaver put it: “you’re part of the solution or you’re part of the problem.” Although now continued inaction in dealing with Paul makes distancing yourself virtually impossible. Sadly too, Larry Waldie (as Paul’s “boss”) knew all that has been reported by Witness L.A. since the beginning and did nothing either.
Witness L.A.- Thank you for digging the dirt away from the bottom of this big boulder, so it can be rolled down the hill!
celeste….delete post number 9….it didnt take…the spam monster got it or the format dropped it.
“It is time to be heard” and “Mountain Man”, excellent thoughts. If the leadership of ALADS and PPOA refuse to take action in initiating a vote of no confidence in the Sheriff and Undersheriff, then maybe it’s time for the union membership to initiate a vote of no confidence in their union leaders. Sometimes the tail has to wag the dog.
Better than a vote of no confidence for the unions, sue them. They have collected millions for the last 13 years and what do we have to show for it? We have a hostile work environment complete with favoritism, pay to play, cronyism, a bonafide spoils system no civil service system should tolerate, and an enemies list populated by anyone who donated money to any candidate other than Lee Baca or who didnt drink the koolaid. Do the math. The unions sold us out. Any vote against Lee isnt disloyalty; it’s a vote against his mini me, Paul. Our unions havent done squat. Meanwhile, we have been denied the opportunity to seek advancement and the community’s assets have been stolen and diverted for personal gain. Their silence makes them as complicit in this criminal enterprise as the two clowns running this show. The only thing the unions or the crooks they are fronting for understand is litigation. You can vote no confidence if u want to, but at the very least we could get our money back. It isn’t in their financial interst to rock the boat. Most of our dues go to union attorneys on bullshit cases getting jobs back for idiots none of us want to work with. The only reason we pay the dues is because we want someone to save our ass if we screw the pooch. Meanwhile, our guys know exactly what Paul and Lee have been doing. They talk a big game, but act like they have laryngitis when it comes to standing up for us.
Bradley Gage is out for justice, not money. Just because he gets paid for his work does not change this. He is the only person standing up for the poor people of Lancaster that were beat by sheriffs. He is not buying his promotions by paying $100 donations to campaigns. It is sickening that there are no comments on this page that show any sympathy to these beating victims. Instead, everyone is too worried about their sheriff supervisors, their promotions and unions, very sad. How about a little protecting and serving the public?
Well said “The Truth Says”…..now stand by for the personal attacks and accusations of being in the “car” for stating the truth.
Dear “The Truth,”
I appreciate all the additional information in your comment. Perhaps when everything is laid out in trial, the truth will be somewhere in between.
Or not. Perhaps it will be as you said.
I do, however, want to clarify one thing: the story on Gage’s lawsuit was just that—a story in this particular lawsuit, which is a large filing by a well-known attorney, who makes some harsh claims—and therefore it is newsworthy.
By the same token, the story doesn’t imply that what Gage claims is necessarily true. Nor was it meant to be an investigation on any of the cases mentioned. I think if you check the stories on the Gang lawsuit by ABC local News, KTLA, the LA Times, KPCC, and the rest, you’ll find the same approach.
That doesn’t indicate a bias against law enforcement.
Have a good weekend.
@The Truth…..very well said comments, however, lets not get on those that present the information. If they are biased or not is not a concern as long as they present truthful and complete information.
Thanks “The Truth”. I don’t agree with your assessment, but at least you were on point and and did not complain once about not being promoted, drone on about internal sheriff politics, or start the next election campaign for your favorite sheriff candidate.
The Department has been the target of lawsuits for likely over 100 years and will be for another 100. The issue here is NOT the validity of the lawsuit, BUT the fact that this attorney has made the nexus between the Undersheriff’s past acts and actions and a [perceived?] lack of management control and responsibility toward fixing the problem.
Witness L.A. showed the Central Jail deputies throwing their signs adjacent to the 1980’s Carson deputies (which included Paul and Cecil)doing the same thing. The dots connect here to at least suggest that the Department’s most senior executives are part of this culture and are incapable of fixing the issues – because they exhibit (or at least did) the exact same behavior.
Just those two photos together make it virtually impossible for the Department to get back on track (and have any credibility) as long as those two individuals remain in their positions.
To the Truth Says:
We couldn’t agree more! The department is moving in the right direction and is making the necessary changes. Undersheriff Tanaka has been instrumental in making the LASD a better police agency that serve’s the community. In time, this will be proven. There is ALOT of support (Majority of the department & community)for the Sheriff and Mr. Tanaka. Anyone who says different is living in a fantasy land with a 12 man army. (We all know who you are)
Word to the 12…. If you are not interested in making LASD a better place, GET OUT NOW!! The Sheriff and Undersheriff will not tolerate complacency and poor work ethics. Get on the bus and help start fixing this department. Celesete, thanks for this comment board. Keep up the great work. We hope that you could also be involved in making the LASD a better agency in the future. The Sheriff and Undersheriff are here to stay!! 🙂
Go TEAM LASD!!!!!!!!!
Regarding the lawsuit. I worked AV for a lot of years and took a lot of people to jail. I got into as many (or more) fights with stupid, stoned white guys as I did with any other race (more, actually, now that I think about it). AV has a very high unemployment level, and decent paying jobs are scarce. The Deputies go out the gate 5 calls down and it never stops. In each of the listed incidents, the Deputies reacted to the suspects’ actions. They appear to be justified in what they did (if they weren’t, IAB would have nailed them – Tanaka has no love for AV, so nobody up there gets protected by brass, unless they moved up from a Region 2 Station).
The Department usually ignores AV, and their perception is that AV is a separate county from Los Angeles. It takes too long to drive up and see what’s going on there. The personnel up there actually follow the Manual of Policy and Procedures better than most, because that is all they have to go by. I really don’t see this suit going very far. (I could be wrong; juries will do whatever they want, and a good lawyer can be pretty persuasive).
Change is good, you give the term “living in a fantasy land” a whole new meaning.
Keep smoking whatever it is you are on, you will need it…
These allegations have nothing to do with race or cigar smoking. Look at the facts of each case objectively and all you see is deputies doing their sworn duty by confronting uncooperative criminals who eventually forced their hand. These criminals thought they were bad asses or were too high or drunk to realize they were going to lose the fight . This article doesn’t even mention the race of the deputies involved. Any bets some were so-called minorities themselves? They (the criminals) alone, chose their fate regardless of what race they are or were.
Bradley Gage is a POS blood sucking scumbag and anyone who believes that these deputies who are being victimized by this ridiculous frivolous bullshit lawsuit were somehow influenced by Tanaka and his band of cigar smoking butt boys must be smoking crack themselves.
I love how this article and some comments here try to minimize the actions of the criminals, leave out all the facts that led up to justified uses of force, prior criminal histories and gang affiliations. Then it tries to make the deputies sound like some kind of robots programmed by Tanaka, a minority himself, to go out and randomly beat up other minorities. It”s insane and what’s more insane is that people are buying into this crap.
So many LASD members have been airing the departments dirty laundry on Witness LA, yet look at the anti-deputy bias shown here. I was ok with them at first going after the brass, but now they are
targeting hard working, righteous deputies. Hasn’t WLA figured out by now that good cops (the 99 per cent) aren’t influenced by the corruption and politics of management? AV station has nothing to do with the Region 2 cigar club circle jerk and neither does most of the department. The non-smokers, the real leaders and majority of LASD deputies are guided by their moral compasses and the law. They pdo not blindly follow anyone.
“Hasn’t WLA figured out by now that good cops (the 99 per cent) aren’t influenced by the corruption and politics of management? AV station has nothing to do with the Region 2 cigar club circle jerk and neither does most of the department. The non-smokers, the real leaders and majority of LASD deputies are guided by their moral compasses and the law. They pdo not blindly follow anyone.”
Point taken.
The reason WLA got involved in the story in the first place was because inmates are getting beat. This website never tried to hide their agenda in the least. It is very sympathetic to the ACLU and the lawsuits they bring against LE agencies.
Because there is a bunch of bullshit going on in the LASD, and many employees are pissed off about it, some readers-contributors may have forgotten (or not initially realized)WHY all this has come to light in the first place.
It’s because WLA is among the “watchdogs” who are “concerned” about the many uses of force that take place in these institutions.
All of the Baca/Tanaka shit is a secondary issue to WLA, make no mistake about it.
Note that I’m not saying it’s a non-issue, simply that it’s secondary to their primary reporting.
They don’t try to hide it. Just do a little homework and read the threads from the past.
The outlook held by Celeste/WLA does not render the things that are being reported about Baca or Tanaka false.
Those are two separate issues folks.
LATBG Says:
March 11th, 2012 at 9:44 am
“Change is good, you give the term “living in a fantasy land” a whole new meaning.
Keep smoking whatever it is you are on, you will need it…”
I don’t smoke, but thank you! We have room in the bus if you’de like to join us in fixing the department. If not, than that’s ok too. Inclusiveness and problem solving is what we’re all about. You may not like the facts, but we are here to stay! Let’s be productive!!
Hard work and accountability is what we’re all about!
Go Team LASD!! 🙂
Celeste, I have to agree that publishing this sort of article would tend to alienate the 99% of cops who support WitnessLA’s exposition of corruption among the LASD executives. While the article on a lawsuit itself might be unbiased, the basis of the lawsuit that the article is about is riddled with anti-police sentiment, none of which is countered with any other viewpoint. Thanks to “The Truth” for shedding much needed light on the other side of the story. It’s a shame that the casual reader who stumbles upon this article probably won’t read all the comments to get the whole picture. Even if they did, they would probably assume we were all conspiring, POS racist defendants in the lawsuit.
On an unrelated note… I’m probably late to the party on this one, but witnessla.com is now a blocked site on department computers at my unit of assignment… I guess the last thing they want is to pay us to learn how the department really works.
Time to quote you, Change is good:
“Undersheriff Tanaka has been instrumental in making the LASD a better police agency that serve’s the community. In time, this will be proven. There is ALOT of support (Majority of the department & community)for the Sheriff and Mr. Tanaka.”
Exactly how did you come to the conclusion there is “alot” of support? By counting all the heads in the cigar club? If you believe yourself to be a hard worker and interested in fixing the department I commend you. Unfortunately for your cheerleading crowd, your heroes are the ones responsible for ruining the department in the first place.
Since the dynamic duo of Baca and Tanaka has been in charge, we’ve witnessed a breathtaking display of corruption that has transcended the ranks – and likely to cause damage for years to come. I too, share your enthusiasm for accountability but it’s not the kind you have in mind. You’re trying to paper over the role those two played in destroying the department, and pretend they are the ones “fixing” it? Did I miss something here?
Accountability starts with respect for the rule of law. That means we put the bad guys in jail if they broke the law, starting with Baca and Tanaka. Then we work our way down the chain of command to all the willing underlings who did all their illegal biddings in order to climb up the ladder. The sad thing is this crowd is fairly substantial, and may grow as the noose tightens around their necks.
The 99% of the department has been hard working all along, doing their job honestly day in and day out, supporting the community and contributing to the betterment of society. The 1% needs to leave in shame, preferably quietly. If they don’t do so willingly, we will show them the door in 2014.
As for the public: “I don’t agree with your assessment, but at least you were on point and and did not complain once about not being promoted, drone on about internal sheriff politics, or start the next election campaign for your favorite sheriff candidate.” The theme that keeps repeating itself througout these posts does relate to internal politics, but it has bearing on your “public.” This is about a fight for the integrity of the entire criminal justice system in LA county. This is about command and control within the department, and ensuring we all live by one set of rules, and everyone is held to the same standard. That includes the average Joe on the street, your neighborhood patrol deputy, and yes, Baca himself.
One cannot enforce the rule of law without respect for the rule of law.
Back on the Yard, I hear what you’re saying. To be frank, with rare exceptions, I usually skip these kind of press conferences as one doesn’t do much more than simply repeat what is said—which, by definition, is one-sided.
I don’t like press conferences in general—of any kind—because they produce a kind of mass reporting, which is the opposite of thoughtful reporting. (Some reporters love ’em. They show up. They record what happens. They get one opposing quote for “balance.” And then out goes the story. No extra work or thought needed.)
In any case, for a variety of reasons I went to this one. That in no way means that I buy everything that was presented. Without days and days more investigation, I have no way of knowing what crucial facts are left out of a lawyer’s presentation, and what is righteous. And even then I’d probably have only part of the story. To report on any one of those cases properly, could take weeks. (As those of you in law enforcement can attest.) And, for WLA, that time is better spent looking into the underlying problems in the department on which we are presently focused.
Yet I can see why a lot of LASD folks who read the post are upset.
Okay, I am now officially retreating from the comments section.
LATBG, what an excellent post. I think your comments are exactly what the “99%” feel.
This is why I suggested ALADS and PPOA develop a resolution or poll of No Confidence specifically for Baca and Tanaka. Let the public and the media see how the 99% feel about the corrupt leadership of LASD. Let Baghdad Bob Whitmore spin that one.
It would be nice if WLA could do something on their site, although it would be hard to control against the Cigar Club crowd who would vote 10 times each. I truly hope ALADS and PPOA can take a leadership role for once and let the membership speak out on what has happened to our beloved department. They do an assessment for management, but there needs to be an employee-wide assessment of both Tanaka and Baca.
“Back on the Yard Says – witness la.com is now a blocked site on department computers at my unit of assignment” Why would you think taxpayers should pay you be on the internet while at work. Doesn’t your outrageous pay and pension buy us at least 8 hours a day of work without surfing the internet?
“LATBG Says -This is about a fight for the integrity of the entire criminal justice system.” The story was about sheriffs brutalizing poor residents. No one is buying into your saving any justice system when the majority of cops respond to the story with internal union issues, smoking clubs and why you should have been promoted first. The comments that said you didn’t beat anyone are understandable and relate to the story.
“The public Says” Why would you think taxpayers should pay you to be on the internet while at work? Doesn’t your pay and pension buy us atleast 8 hours a day of work without surfing the internet? Are you serious? Not all cops work a patrol car. Some alot work in offices. All are entitled to breaks and lunch or dinner depending on the shift. All risk their lives doing the job. The pay for what they do is NOT outrageous! They work for their pension. You have no personal knowledge to know if “Back on the yard” was on break or using his own pc.
Mr. “The Public”….may I suggest you strap on a Sam Browne, and get in a black and white, and SEE FOR YOURSELF, what “the job” is all about. Until you do that, I will regard your comments as BS, and the ACLU talking. Put your money where your big mouth is!! All it takes is a call to a station to request a “ride along”….WELL???? What are you waiting for???
Thank you Connecting the dots. Well said! This wonderful pension you speak about “Public” is yours for the taking as well. All you have to do is risk your life, get yelled at for no particular reason but offer help anyway, work crappy hours and rarely get a thank you and you can have the pension too. We’re accepting applications daily. Good luck.
Well, let me say Thank You! And, Public is clueless as to what it takes to do the job…
“The Public” – I don’t work a patrol car anymore, and I get a break during my shift, just like you should by law. I can’t leave my facility during my break, so every once in a while, I might take 30 minutes to read a newspaper, or in the case of witnessla.com, an online news publication. Nothing wrong with that.
My point was that the department chooses to leave some unproductive and time wasting sites like YouTube and Facebook fully accessible, while censoring a news outlet.
Like someone else said, you are more than welcome to do my job if you think its so luxurious. I would love to see you make the cut. Maybe you can take my place so I can go to a shift that doesn’t keep me up all night and force me to sleep during the day. Until then, you would do well not to speak of that which you do not know.
LATBG, I just perused this site and found that you apparently post one rant after another here. Geez, how many postings can one dope put on one site? Do you spend your glassy eyed days just sitting at the computer in your robe and slippers? I suppose you will continue with your repeated, personal, fanciful attacks on the Sheriff and Tanaka, eagerly awaiting the next “story.” But the LA County Sheriff’s Department actually has a worldwide reputation for excellence, which they have been instrumental in fostering.
I also love how the AV guys all of a sudden don’t like it when the story is about them. Of course it was all fun and games while others were being personally attacked and demeaned on the site, but whoa, time out, now its untrue? What kind of site do you think your in bed with? Even in Common Sense’s diatribe, he can’t resist jumping on the bandwagon to make personal and offensive remarks about Tanaka and Region II. Great example of group think. But doesn’t show a whole lot of character. Why attack any other “hard working” members of your own Department? Maybe you’ve just been one more dupe listening to the rants of the likes of LTBG? Could it be that Baca and Tanaka have actually fostered a pro-working environment for years and the whole attack on this site is spearheaded by the real unethical people, who have clear ulterior motives? Just reading how they fawn over each other’s posts is enough to convince me of that.
The Public makes an excellent point. 99% of the postings on this site are an advertisement for pension reform.
“The Public” – I don’t work a patrol car anymore, and I get a break during my shift, just like you should by law. I can’t leave my facility during my break, so every once in a while, I might take 30 minutes to read a newspaper, or in the case of witnessla.com, an online news publication. Nothing wrong with that.
My point was that the department chooses to leave some unproductive and time wasting sites like YouTube and Facebook fully accessible, while censoring a news outlet.
Like someone else said, you are more than welcome to do my job if you think its so luxurious. The department is hiring. I would love to see you make the cut. Maybe you can take my place so I can go to a shift that doesn’t keep me up all night and force me to sleep during the day. Until then, you would do well not to speak of that which you do not know.
Connecting the Dopes says:
“LATBG, I just perused this site and found that you apparently post one rant after another here. Geez, how many postings can one dope put on one site? Do you spend your glassy eyed days just sitting at the computer in your robe and slippers? I suppose you will continue with your repeated, personal, fanciful attacks on the Sheriff and Tanaka, eagerly awaiting the next “story.” But the LA County Sheriff’s Department actually has a worldwide reputation for excellence, which they have been instrumental in fostering.”
Rather than question the motives of this individual, who demonstrates a remarkable detachment from reality, let’s focus on the issues at hand. This is a democracy after all, and an open dialogue is a requirement for a healthy relationship between government and the people. Elected and appointed leaders are subject to criticism when warranted, and the dynamic duo have provided plenty of fodder for all. If that makes you uncomfortable, too bad.
Both Baca and Tanaka are merely reaping what they have sown for years. In the end the truth will prevail, much to your group’s detriment.
Hey Public,
Come and get yours. Or send your kids to get theirs. All you/they have to do is:
Make it thru the academy.
Then your first 2-5 years, work in the cesspool that is the LA County Jail system. Doing shift work of course with rotating days off. You’ll get Fri/Sat or Sun/Mon off every third month, but hardly ever will you get a Sat/Sun off. If you’re married, and you work EM’s (graveyard) you get to sleep a whole two nights a week with your wife. Miss most of the family gatherings for holidays (you’ve got to sleep sometime)….If you work PM’s, (swing) you get to miss your kids parent/teacher conferences, Little League ballgames, etc. etc.
Then you go to patrol. You won’t get to a day shift job for at least two more years (at some stations it’s at least 5 years). You get to miss all that same stuff because you’re working PM’s or EM’s again. And if you’re a good cop doing the job, you get to spend a lot of your days off in court.
Most spouses eventually get tired of “raising the kids alone”, and they get lonely. So we have a divorce rate much higher than the average person. If you’re not married, good luck trying to find a decent social life while on the job.
NOTICE I’M NOT MENTIONING IN EVERY OTHER SENTENCE ABOUT THE RISKING YOUR LIFE THING?….lol….that’s the easy part lol….
Eventually most cops end up divorced paying alimony and child support. So they aren’t living real high on the hog while they’re in their late 20’s to mid 30’s on the job.
So then after 5 years or so they make detective or get to a specialized unit. Maybe they even get to work a 9-5 like the rest of society for a while and get set days (weekends off for most station dics). Many don’t get these perks even at a specialized unit with a Bonus position.
Then, if they get promoted to Sgt., for most it starts all over again with the shift work, rotating days off, back at the cesspool called the LA County Jail.
Oh, I forgot to mention how you’re going to have to live on a daily basis with the knowledge that there will be activist groups/politicians trying to make sure that you are sent to prison if you use bad judgement or go overboard doing your duty.
All you gots to do Mr. Public is do that shit above (and there’s plenty I’ve left out) for 25-30 years to get yours.
That’s right. All you’ve got do is sign up for a career that has a very negative impact on your family.
Want some? Come get some. It’s your’s and anybody else’s who can pass the test/make it thru the academy and have the guts/stamina to stick it out.
The retirement is the reward at the end of the road after a life spent serving the public AND MAKING THE SACRIFICES necessary to do it. And then many of them have the same attitude that you do. Total ungratefulness.
Hey pal, you can have yours. So can your kids. Send em on down to take the test.
No? Not willing to make that commitment/sacrifice?
You could have had yours and so could anybody else. We all make our conscious decisions/choices.
When you think about the 55 yr. old retired cop with his/her great retirement package you become angry or (jealous????).
But you totally overlook what it took to get there.
Come on. Come get some. It’s there for the taking.
Well said Come and get some…
I see LATBG must’ve just tripped over his cats rushing to his computer to resume his serial blogging. That was a great blog “Connecting the Dopes.” I admit I checked out this site again to check out the “Jerry Springer” type blogs. I’m sure my comments will be edited out again. I see it’s o.k. to accuse sheriff’s department personnel of crimes without evidence on these blogs, but don’t dare accuse one of being a cat loving serial blogger. I mean common, check out his endless blogs regarding the sheriff’s department. The repetitive banter sounds a little 918. Especially the earlier blogs condemning all Region II personnel. Whatever your stance on the subject is, you are entitled to your opinion (unless you disagree with the editor at times). However, you crossed the line long ago, even with your previous blog name of Laughing at Region II. Changing your blog name does not dilute your endless, repetitve, sometimes region bashing banter.
Hey Public,
Have you figured it out yet?
There’s a reason cops in big cities make what you consider big bucks and there’s a reason they get nice retirement packages.
You get what you pay for. Try paying them less and lessening their retirement packages. Lower the hiring standards while you’re at it, because you’re not going to hire the very best candidates if you pay them less and shrink their retirements.
Then, when we only get the cops that the private sector or LA DWP wouldn’t hire, you’ll have plenty more than you do now to complain about cops on these social justice websites.
If you want “professional”, ethical people who make a career of law enforcement, you better be ready to pay them to make the sacrifices they do.
Or NOT!!!
But if you make it less attractive to the better candidates to make these sacrifices, then stand by for a lot of bedlam.
And don’t whine when the OBVIOUS results come home to roost.
Again, you can have the job. Why don’t you get on the gravy train? There’s a reason you chose/choose not to do so.
Why not? Go on down and sign up.
“Back on the Yard Says: – I don’t work a patrol car anymore, and I get a break during my shift, I might take 30 minutes to read witnessla.com, an online news publication. Nothing wrong with that.”
There is a lot wrong with that. You are on my taxpayer funded computer using my taxpayer funded internet. That is inappropriate. If you were in the private sector at work on a site that maligns the execs of your company you would be fired. No one would block the site. You would be out of a job. You have been on the public dole so long you don’t even realize what you are doing. Wait until you get home and look at anything you want on the internet.
Come and get some – It only requires a GED to come get some. And if I believe some of the postings you can buy a promotion for a $100.00 campaign contribution. Sorry, but that is not exactly an elite organization to aspire to.
So then an educated stellar individual such as yourself should shine brightly among all the GED deputies and move right on up through the ranks, thereby making a lot of money and retiring with a nice compensation package.
Go on down and get on what you THINK is the Gravy Train.
You’ll soon find out otherwise. All you gotta do is sign up. The LASD NEEDS educated, motivated, ethical professionals such as yourself.
And by the way, how many sergeants and above are on the LASD? How many are listed as Tanaka campaign contributors?
Come on. You’re into social justice or you wouldn’t be reading this website, right? Are you going to stereotype the 99% of the hard working honest cops on the LASD because of what 1% does?
Sounds like you need a little sensitivity training to learn not to stereotype/catagorize groups of people for the actions of a very small percentage of their population.
“In the end the truth will prevail!” Well said!
Tanaka and the Sheriff are fixing the department after years of poor leadership. Now, finally, with the Sheriff and Tanaka at the helm, people will be held accountable. It’s time to fix the LASD once in for all. The Sheriff and Undersheriff Tanaka will soon make this department great again. In time, this will be proven!
Be patient my friends…. The truth will prevail!
Is that you Captain?
To “Finally says,” Dude, your comments are meant to be provocative, intentionally controversial and manipulative with the intention of instigating an argument.
Join a lonely hearts club if you want attention. This site is for serious conversation with adults, try a chat room for midget minds.
BTW… it’s once and for all!
#46
Let us make sure we hear you loud and clear. Your opinion is that the prior administration were poor leaders. You felt it was time for a change in leadership.
That was YOUR OPINION.
Now go ahead and tell us how those that do not support Baca and Tanaka for the very same reason IN THEIR OPINION are disloyal, disgruntled, etc.
Priceless.
#50
We’re sorry you feel that way. Hopefully things get better for you. Trust me, LASD is on the road to recovery.
#49
You’re right. lol
LASD is on the road to recovery.
What does the LASD need to recover from?
Hmmm. Freudian slip? Baca has been sheriff for 13 years. Anything the LASD is recovering from was suffered on his watch. If not, if it’s Block’s fault, do you mean to tell us that after 13 years on the job Baca still hasn’t gotten the problem fixed? Gotcha.
As I previously mentioned in my posting (#79) under Part 4 of Dangerous Jails, and (#5) under Tanaka’s donations for 2009, the dots would connect and they have once again. If you want to further fill in the crossword puzzle and check those who have paid to promote and or received coveted jobs, check out all of the following names that appeared on the Executive Staff Meeting email group in December of 2011.
Abrams, Bernice
Adams,Jeff
Antuna, Chuck
Arriaga, Michael
Becker, Linda
Becker, Paul
Benedict, John
Betkey, David,
Bissman, Sue
Blackwell, Gary,
Brackpool, Chris
Burson, Matthew
Castellano, Allen
Choi, Roland
Cruz, Daniel
Davoren, Patrick,
Demello, Jack
Dendo, Matt
Dolson, David,
Duffy, Vance
Escamillas, Arthur,
Ewing, Troy
Fedele, Dan
Fennell Jr., Joseph
Ferguson, Angus
Fetteroll, Douglas
Gautt, Reginald
Goldman, Buddy
Gonzales, Joe
Gonzalez, Anselmo
Gooden, Joseph
Goran, Kevin
Guilbault, Robert
Guyovich, Christy
Harris, Duane
Hebert, Kevin
Hellmold, James
Jauch, Steve
Jordan, Jack
Kepley, John
Ladenheim, Merrill
Leavins, Stephen
Lopez, James
Lucia, Anthony
Maradiaga, Richard
Martin, Thomas
Meeder, Brian
Meyer, Andrew
Milliman, Timothy
Nee, Christopher
Nicassio, Joseph
Ortiz, Albert
Peacock, Robert
Rhambo, Cecil
Rifkin, Robert
Ritenour, James
Rodriguez, Matthew
Skrnich, Steve
Smith, David
Stephen, Joseph
Stover, Randal
Sutton, Wesley
Tanaka, Paul
Tenney, Steve
Thatcher, Michael
Thornton, James
Tokar, Paula
Tubbs, Robert
Vera, Eliezer
Washington, Marvin
Waters, David
Wheat, Robert
White, Michael
Yokoyama, Hiroshi
Yoshinaga, Paul
This listing, which has been in place for years and has included numerous personnel who were at the deputy, sergeant, and lieutenant level, was mysteriously taken out of the Department Outlook email system several weeks ago when this investigation began by WitnessLA and when the Los Angeles Times inquired about this email grouping.
Ironically, you will find almost all of those names match the campaign donors, cigar club and coin members, and the huge majority have been the repetitive promotional recipients and coveted job assignment recipients in the past years. It should also be noted how many in that email group of 75-80 people were not real executive’s. At least not yet, give them a few weeks or months. Why was this email grouping quickly taken down after all of these years? What were they hiding? What was the purpose of this list? Think about those who you know on this list and how fast they have promoted over the years, how long and what type of coveted positions they have had, and what type of performance, merit, and ethics they have displayed. With rare exception, a pretty scary thought isn’t it?
Also, who were three of the five individuals in late February and early March asked to interview for the Captain opening at Altadena Station due to the retirement of Captain Steve Mclean, another huge donor, supporter, and host of past fundraisers at his home for Tanaka and Baca? If you guessed Linda Becker, John Benedict, and Reginald Gautt you were correct. Ironically, they are all on the above Executive Staff Meeting email grouping. Now, if you know their work ethic and performance, along with how long they have been in certain positions and their tenure, and how fast they have promoted, you see the solid connection. Once again those not in the car are left out and passed over for those with less tenure, less experience, etc. etc. UNBELIEVABLE!! A fourth (Jason Wolak) has not appeared on the two donation lists that have been published so far, but he is known to be recently “in the car.” The fifth, Michael Bornman, has been rolled up so many times as a Lieutenant (for example, remember the Robert Downey Jr. caper), he should never be given a chance to be a Captain. He has had more lives than any cat I know. Great selections, don’t you think?
Here is some more interesting tidbits. In January of this year, Commander Joe Hartshorne was heard making the following comments in the hallway of a station in front of several personnel after he interviewed recently relieved of duty Captain Dan Cruz. Commander Hartshorne was heard by several personnel as defending himself by stating “that he was neutral and not involved in Department politics, that he was not “in the car”, did not smoke cigars, never has donated to any campaigns, and doesn’t own a coin.” Well, just a few short weeks later guess who showed up on the 2009 donation list (posted by WitnessLA) for Undersheriff Paul Tanaka’s Gardena City Council campaign contributions? Yes, that same Commander Hartshorne. How’s that for honesty, ethics, and trustworthiness as the Commander in charge of the Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau and previously Internal Affairs Bureau. Wow, totally incredible. What a snake.
Here’s another tidbit. At the February 22, 2012, Executive Planning Council Meeting, which was chaired by Undersheriff Tanaka, the last bullet highlighting the meeting’s agenda was the following: “Mr. Tanaka advised EPC that Captains should be having discussions at briefing of “Right and Wrong.” Any inclination to cross the line should not be tolerated. We should be reminding our personnel what a great job they have and that it’s a privilege to work for this Department. Mr. Cavanaugh advised that lieutenants and sergeants also have a responsibility to monitor personnel, be proactive, and take appropriate action.”
REALLY? Wow, where do I start with this gem. Shouldn’t leaders exhibit these values and ethics and practice what they preach before they make such a request? It’s called leading by example. Yeah, it’s been a great privilege to be treated unfairly the last 12 years, to have to follow a set of rules while others don’t have to follow the same set of rules, and to bust your tail when others with inferior experience, performance, tenure, education, etc. are given preferential treatment, coveted positions, and undeserved promotions over you. Also, as we have seen by several of the previous comments in the last few weeks, being proactive and taking appropriate action is fine as long as it’s not against anybody in Tanaka’s car, because if you do you will be transferred at midnight, ridiculed, or dealt with in some other negative fashion. Yeah folks, keep paying those union dues and swallowing the double standards that exist. Remember, it’s a privilege.
As I previously mentioned in my posting (#79) under Part 4 of Dangerous Jails, and (#5) under Tanaka’s donations for 2009, the dots would connect and they have once again. If you want to further fill in the crossword puzzle and check those who have paid to promote and or received coveted jobs, check out all of the following names that appeared on the Executive Staff Meeting email group in December of 2011.
Abrams, Bernice
Adams,Jeff
Antuna, Chuck
Arriaga, Michael
Becker, Linda
Becker, Paul
Benedict, John
Betkey, David,
Bissman, Sue
Blackwell, Gary,
Brackpool, Chris
Burson, Matthew
Castellano, Allen
Choi, Roland
Cruz, Daniel
Davoren, Patrick,
Demello, Jack
Dendo, Matt
Dolson, David,
Duffy, Vance
Escamillas, Arthur,
Ewing, Troy
Fedele, Dan
Fennell Jr., Joseph
Ferguson, Angus
Fetteroll, Douglas
Gautt, Reginald
Goldman, Buddy
Gonzales, Joe
Gonzalez, Anselmo
Gooden, Joseph
Goran, Kevin
Guilbault, Robert
Guyovich, Christy
Harris, Duane
Hebert, Kevin
Hellmold, James
Jauch, Steve
Jordan, Jack
Kepley, John
Ladenheim, Merrill
Leavins, Stephen
Lopez, James
Lucia, Anthony
Maradiaga, Richard
Martin, Thomas
Meeder, Brian
Meyer, Andrew
Milliman, Timothy
Nee, Christopher
Nicassio, Joseph
Ortiz, Albert
Peacock, Robert
Rhambo, Cecil
Rifkin, Robert
Ritenour, James
Rodriguez, Matthew
Skrnich, Steve
Smith, David
Stephen, Joseph
Stover, Randal
Sutton, Wesley
Tanaka, Paul
Tenney, Steve
Thatcher, Michael
Thornton, James
Tokar, Paula
Tubbs, Robert
Vera, Eliezer
Washington, Marvin
Waters, David
Wheat, Robert
White, Michael
Yokoyama, Hiroshi
Yoshinaga, Paul
This listing, which has been in place for years and has included numerous personnel who were at the deputy, sergeant, and lieutenant level, was mysteriously taken out of the Department Outlook email system several weeks ago when this investigation began by WitnessLA and when the Los Angeles Times inquired about this email grouping. Ironically, you will find almost all of those names match the campaign donors, cigar club and coin members, and the huge majority have been the repetitive promotional recipients and coveted job assignment recipients in the past years. It should also be noted how many in that email group of 75-80 people were not real executive’s. At least not yet, give them a few weeks or months. Why was this email grouping quickly taken down after all of these years? What were they hiding? What was the purpose of this list? Think about those who you know on this list and how fast they have promoted over the years, how long and what type of coveted positions they have had, and what type of performance, merit, and ethics they have displayed. With rare exception, a pretty scary thought isn’t it?
Also, who were three of the five individuals in late February and early March asked to interview for the Captain opening at Altadena Station due to the retirement of Captain Steve Mclean, another huge donor, supporter, and host of past fundraisers at his home for Tanaka and Baca? If you guessed Linda Becker, John Benedict, and Reginald Gautt you were correct. Ironically, they are all on the above Executive Staff Meeting email grouping. Now, if you know their work ethic and performance, along with how long they have been in certain positions and their tenure, and how fast they have promoted, you see the solid connection. Once again those not in the car are left out and passed over for those with less tenure, less experience, etc. etc. UNBELIEVABLE!! A fourth (Jason Wolak) has not appeared on the two donation lists that have been published so far, but he is known to be recently “in the car.” The fifth, Michael Bornman, has been rolled up so many times as a Lieutenant (for example, remember the Robert Downey Jr. caper), he should never be given a chance to be a Captain. He has had more lives than any cat I know. Great selections, don’t you think?
Here is some more interesting tidbits. In January of this year, Commander Joe Hartshorne was heard making the following comments in the hallway of a station in front of several personnel after he interviewed recently relieved of duty Captain Dan Cruz. Commander Hartshorne was heard by several personnel as defending himself by stating “that he was neutral and not involved in Department politics, that he was not “in the car”, did not smoke cigars, never has donated to any campaigns, and doesn’t own a coin.” Well, just a few short weeks later guess who showed up on the 2009 donation list (posted by WitnessLA) for Undersheriff Paul Tanaka’s Gardena City Council campaign contributions. Yes, that same Commander Hartshorne. How’s that for honesty, ethics, and trustworthiness as the Commander in charge of the Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau and previously Internal Affairs Bureau. Wow, totally incredible. What a snake.
Here’s another tidbit. At the February 22, 2012, Executive Planning Council Meeting, which was chaired by Undersheriff Tanaka, the last bullet highlighting the meeting’s agenda was the following: “Mr. Tanaka advised EPC that Captains should be having discussions at briefing of “Right and Wrong.” Any inclination to cross the line should not be tolerated. We should be reminding our personnel what a great job they have and that it’s a privilege to work for this Department. Mr. Cavanaugh advised that lieutenants and sergeants also have a responsibility to monitor personnel, be proactive, and take appropriate action.”
REALLY? Wow, where do I start with this gem. Shouldn’t leaders exhibit these values and ethics and practice what they preach before they make such a request? It’s called leading by example. Yeah, it’s been a great privilege to be treated unfairly the last 12 years, to have to follow a set of rules while others don’t have to follow the same set of rules, and to bust your tail when others with inferior experience, performance, tenure, education, etc. are given preferential treatment, coveted positions, and undeserved promotions over you. Also, as we have seen by several of the previous comments in the last few weeks, being proactive and taking appropriate action is fine as long as it’s not against anybody in Tanaka’s car, because if you do you will be transferred at midnight, ridiculed, or dealt with in some other negative fashion. Yeah folks, keep paying those union dues and swallowing the double standards that exist. Remember, it’s a privilege.
“Now, finally, with the Sheriff and Tanaka at the helm people will be held accountable”.
“Trust me, LASD is on the road to recovery”.
Mr. Finally how long is it going to take to recover? Another 13 years?
Trust you?
Trust me when I say you need to exercise your right to remain silent. You’re not helping the sheriff’s cause!
Finally when you refer to “We’re” are you referring to all of you in the cigar club?
To:54 “Trust me when I say you need to exercise your right to remain silent. You’re not helping the sheriff’s cause!”
Yes we are helping the Sheriff’s cause and it’s going to be a great thing for our department. The Sheriff and Undersheriff Tanaka are a great team. This will be proven soon and there are great things to come!
Thank you to the department members who are supporting the cause and making people accountable. We’re all in this together.
Go LASD!!
Accountability seems to be the big issue with those supporting Sheriff Baca and US Tanaka. Perhaps commentor 46 can find it in himself or herself to be accountable for that statement and explain it to us.
I will break down the statements one at a time.
Your statement:
“Tanaka and the Sheriff are fixing the department after years of poor leadership”.
My questions:
1. Why did you refer to Tanaka before Sheriff Baca?
2. What problems are they fixing? Can you be more specific?
3. How many years of poor leadership are you speaking of?
Your statement:
“Now, finally , with the Sheriff and Tanaka at the helm, people will be held accountable”
My questions:
1. Please explain your use of the word “finally” to us.
2. Are you inferring that for the last thirteen years people have not been held accountable?
Your statement:
“The Sheriff and Undersheriff Tanaka will soon make this department great again.”
My questions:
1. When did the department stop being great? Can you explain that to us?
2.If it was prior to Sheriff Baca being elected, can you explain to us why he has failed to make the LASD “great again” after thriteen years in office?
3. If the LASD ceased being “great” since Sheriff Baca has been in office don’t you feel that he should be held, uh, to use your own words, accountable?
Observation:
When you use the verbage “Now, finally” it seems that you are voicing your belief that the LASD is “finally” headed in the right direction since Tanaka has become the Undersheriff and taken over day to day operations of the department. Since the Sheriff has been in office for thirteen years, in your zeal to voice your support, saying “Now, finally” is a direct insult to the Sheriff. It infers that the Sheriff couldn’t fix the problems of the last thirteen years without Tanaka as his Undersheriff. Lee Baca has been “at the helm” for damn near three terms. “Now, finally” is not exactly flattering language when describing his stewardship.
I could be wrong. Maybe that’s not how you meant it at all. All you have to do is be accountable and explain it to us.
Go LASD!!! Become “great again”.
See what I’m saying 46? Is there another way to interpret this statement?
In any event…………GO LASD!!!
To #53: Wow! an email list! Smoking gun! …lol
On a serious note, please help in fixing the department instead of bashing people. We ALL can do this together! We wish you well and hope your concerns are alleviated in the future. We just need to keep focused for the good of the department.
I think what #46 is saying is that a superstar quarterback with great players around him can overcome poor head coaching decisions.
It seems I have attracted the fancy of “?” and “Connecting the dopes.” Sometimes the truth is painful, but based on your gushing over the dynamic duo, the two of you may want to get a room together.
This is quite entertaining, coming from “?” in Post 42:
“I mean common, check out his endless blogs regarding the sheriff’s department. The repetitive banter sounds a little 918. Especially the earlier blogs condemning all Region II personnel. Whatever your stance on the subject is, you are entitled to your opinion (unless you disagree with the editor at times). However, you crossed the line long ago, even with your previous blog name of Laughing at Region II. Changing your blog name does not dilute your endless, repetitve, sometimes region bashing banter.”
Truth be told (I know it’s a difficult concept for you) my blogs pale in comparison to others on this site, but I aim between the eyes. Try as you may, you are not going to pretend to “rally” all the department people your little group has screwed over for the last decade against the very folks who are standing up to executive corruption.
I’ve worked in all three regions, and you folks desperately blogging away on Ramona Blvd. should learn a strategic lesson: the have nots far outnumber the halves.
I dont think all deputies should be sterio typed. Ive come across ones that were professional and the compassionate and also been patted down by unprofessional rudes ones. Its a very difficult job but some take it out on everyone. Its so tragic that unarmed people were killed and my heart goes out to both sides. I would hope that people would learn from situations like this instead of becoming more hateful and racist.
The department was great and is still great. But we older
deputies were afraid of losing our careers due to doing something stupid. Back then, the department had IA sting operations IA would pose as bad guys in old beat up cars to make sure we were not violating any civil rights. Any use of force or citizens complaints were written into your employee file as substantiated or unsubstantiated but it was a permanent record and to have too many of them would be deemed as negative behavior or being a heavy. if you wished to transfer or to promote think again won`t happen. Duing those days it was hard for a Firestone or Lynwood deputy to promote unless he/she had a spotless force package record. therefore,these deputies became life time street cops. I guess now since a lynwood deputy has kissed his way up to undersheriff these guys rule. I fully understand the saying work in the grey because It is an old Lynwood and Firestone mentality. My T/O was a firestone deputy I know very well what is happening with the department region 1 narcissism
It is not our jobs ,as deputy sheriffs, to call people dirt
bags or criminals. Its only our job to arrest them and bring them to justice. The problems with deputies are that some of us think we are cops, judges, prosecutors and also persecutors . We are suppose to arrive at the scene receive the info and take the suspect to jail. Stop letting the little power you have go to your head. Remember, it only takes a GED to become a cop. If you want to be that important then become a real judge go back to school. It is troublesome that when all these hot head deputies retire that they have strokes and heart attacks just 2 years after retirement. and some looked as if they were already dead. relax and just do the job. the less you worry about who is a dirt bag the better off you will be. Homeless people also look like dirt bags but it is because they are poor and not necessarily a criminal.. I have seen easy going deputies, after retirement, and they looked very good and I have also seen the angry pissed off deputies and they looked terrible. The abusive deputy the jump out boys, 3000 boys ,and vikings will live misable lives after retirement if they don´t change because they won´t have the network of support any more for their agenda. they will become old ulgy hateful powerlist loney little men. and none of the
deputies still working will contact them because they are has beens and the good citizens in their communities and their relatives and family members will not understand their past kick ass history. they will think of them as a corrupt cops.