In the process of discussing the kerfuffle around Assistant Sheriff Rothans and the stolen car he inadventantly bought from his pal at one of the department’s contracted tow companies (see story below), WitnessLA has learned that Sheriff Jim McDonnell is in the process of making significant changes in the way that the LASD awards its tow contracts.
This is very welcome news.
From at least the time of former undersheriff Larry Waldie forward, there has been back room talk about corruption leaking into the awarding of the sheriff’s department’s lucrative tow contracts. These are the contracts given out to companies that tow and store the vehicles that the LASD has, for one reason or another, impounded. Since at least 1999, the much sought after contracts have been awarded by the department, based on a system outlined in an MOU with the county’s board of supervisors.
The MOU states that the actual selection of the recipients of the various regional contracts is overseen by the LASD’s Major Crimes Bureau—but with each station captain having the primary say-so over which tow company (or companies) gets the final nod in each geographic area.
This system has been sensible in some ways, since presumably the regional commanding officers are more likely to know the local players better than most.
But there has also been a serious downside in that the arrangement also opens itself up to the possibility of sub rosa pay-to-play arrangements.
This is not to say that the majority of station captains have not made their selections based on merit—doing their best to hand out contracts fairly and without bias or personal interest. (And we are in no way suggesting that Assistant Sheriff Rothans was anything but ethical in his contract dealings when he was captain at Pico-Rivera. He may very well be clean as a whistle—despite his recent foray into what has the appearance of impropriety.)
But in too many cases, if years worth of stories are to be believed, the contracts have been tied to monetary kickbacks that, in some instances in past years, have been rumored to be sanctioned at higher levels in the department.
All this is very hard to prove, of course. Based four years of our own digging into the matter, we’ve found many of the accounts we’ve encountered to be extremely credible, but difficult to nail beyond doubt. For one thing, the tow companies allegedly involved have thus far declined to come on the record, even those who reportedly hate being asked to pay-to-play. They have too much to lose.
We know that many have gone to the feds with what they know, but since there have been no indictments, we assume the FBI has not gotten what they need either.
Apparently Sheriff McDonnell has also heard the stories and found them convincing. As a consequence, we have learned, the method by which the LASD tow contracts have been handed out in the past….is about to change.
Radically.
Instead of the choices being made at the station level, according to department spokesman, Keith Swensson, the selections under the new system will be made by three chiefs who have no direct connection with the individual stations. Sheriff McDonnell will be the final decision maker.
“The captains will have no input whatsoever,” said Swensson. The point, he said, is to avoid corruption. (And the appearance of corruption, which can also be corrosive.)
A new MOU should be going to the Supes soon for their approval, Swensson said.
This, as we mentioned above, is very good news.
Progress.
It will be very interesting to see if Sheriff McDonnell actually rises to the occasion and investigates this situation. Clearly there are several issues that give the appearance of impropriety – let’s see how they wiggle out of this one. #endcorruptionnow
Very smart move on the Sheriff’s part and a long time in coming.It isn’t the selection process so much as it is
once they’re in when the pay to play begins. Fine wining and dining, gifts, golf trips, prizes for events, fine cigars and booze. All to secure their contracts, more tows and sweeten the deal with a few DUI checkpoints.
What about city tow fees? Talk about a racket.
Here is a Anti-Corruption Policy suggestion: fire the executives who have a history of doing it.
Sheriff McD was on the jail violence commission. He knows who these folks are, and he is now just playing dumb.
Leadership requires action. This policy is froth for the media and nothing more than empty carbs. LASD is beyond a joke and the folks up top just hang on for the $$$ and pensions.
C’mon Now, these guys sound like Hillary Clinton, “Oh, gee, I wasn’t aware of the policy …” and McD looking at the tow contracts right away instead of dealing with his problem child … kinda like Hilary blaming the gun instead of the shooter. Here is some advice to McD and Huntsman: You have a bird in the hand, caught red-handed with his pants down. If you want any credibility or respect from the troops, you must make an example and FIRE him immediately. I’m sure Huntsman can work up an easy criminal case to present to the Public Integrity Unit. If you don’t your legacy will be the same as Baca and that joke called OIR. As far as Rothans, run, don’t walk to LACERA and save your pension just in case Huntsman has the balls to file on you. Next, show that you have a smidgeon of integrity and publicly apologize to the citizens and deputies you let down for being a hypocritical piece of shit and tarnishing our sacred badge. Then don’t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.
Soon to be capt. McWaid owns a few cars from tow yards and also investigated a criminal case with ICIB Sgt. Hershey which he squashed and made it go away. The Century detectives still have their job. Just another Tanaka mole.
“Instead of the choices being made at the station level, according to department spokesman, Keith Swensson, the selections under the new system will be made by three chiefs who have no direct connection with the individual stations. Sheriff McDonnell will be the final decision maker.”
Chiefs who were at one time station captains themselves, and most likely contributed to the above.
How many Captains and above had opportunities to get deals on cars at contract tow companies and said, no thanks. I suspect most said no. I also suspect some said yes, just like A/S Rothans.
McDonnell will make a lot of fanfare now that he found a low-hanging fruit with a simple solution, and he will milk it to give the impression that he is a reformer. Back on the ranch, however, it is an entirely different story. The cancers that were the twin pillars of evil, Baca and Tanaka, continue to expand their circle of corruption with a new generation of supervisors, managers, and executives, all cut from the same cloth as their political patrons.
Let’s check out the latest from EPC, 20 promotions between commander and captain: The majority were involved in pay to play, heck a few of them were cashiers and doormen. We have many cigar coin holders, including those with single-digit numbers, and many had the unique inability to pass written lieutenant tests without “help,” including one whose claim to fame is falling asleep routinely at EPC. An abundance of executive and chief’s aides, who according to the Rothans of the world represent the cream of the crop of the department. Ass kissing apparently pays well, hard police work on the line, not so much.
Then we have the crowd who excelled in areas that can only make you shake your head in amazement. Personnel Administration, the bullpen of Tanaka, continues to deliver long after his unceremonious exit. Home improvement projects, particularly those involving executives, is a good career move, along with camping, apparently. Then you have the tattooed crowd, who continue to sport the ink and attract lawsuits like ants to a picnic.
Promotions are just one part of the problem, as it sets the tone for what the department values. The other side is discipline, which appears to be concentrated on those who do not pay to play, and get routinely fired by the Rothans of the world just to make the sheriff look better to the media. Appointing Karen Mannis to oversee Professional Standards is the equivalent of appointing Joseph Mengele to the Medical Review Board.
This message is for you, Sheriff McDonnell. You should reward and punish based on merit, which is not an elusive concept. Firing people without cause and forcing them to fight to get their job back is unethical and immoral. The values you have communicated to the troops so far are not in the best interests of the organization or the community. I thought we were going to end the cult of personal loyalty, but that sucker is alive and well. You are losing your audience of veteran department members, the ones with all the experience and technical know-how to make the department run.
Are you gunning to be a one term sheriff? Please tell me you are not going to waste the voters’ time by delaying much needed reform to the next sheriff.
Sheriff McDonnell is full of s—. Sheriff Tanaka should be in charge to fix things.
@288, Huh! Yeah that will fix it…….for you!
@LATBG, excellent post, it zeros in like a laser. McDonnell is not a stupid man, but he is being made a fool. I suspect the Times and WLA is just starting. As said before, nothing has changed and it is because the sheriff came into an organization that was filled with corruption at the lieutenant and above ranks by Tanaka drones, marching to the little man’s drum beat, armed with a great deal of campaign rhetoric and promises of reform. McDonnell thought, or more likely, was advised, the organization could not handle a massive shakeup, a house cleaning, a task force strength IA investigation, for cause, of those involved in serious scandal and coverup. Boss, the organization could handle it, we were expecting it, begging for it, but it never came. Instead, he promoted them and played nice and what did he gain? Department-wide distrust, disappointment, disaster, self-serving council and embarrassment. I say again, look at who you have as an XO and COS, they are not bad or evil men, far from it. But they are tired retreads, you need fresh leaders with backbone. Look at your EPC and your commanders (most of them, not all,) what did you really expect? We thought we gained a leader, but what we received was just another politician. The Sheriff can only be as good as his Command Staff, they are obligated to give it to him straight with honest recommendations then let him decide. I suspect when pre-EPC meetings are held, particularly when it comes to personnel issues like promotions and transfers, one of the henchmen leans back and blows a smoke ring from his/her cigar and states, “This is what Paul wants done,” and there is dead silence while everyone picks up a pen and starts to write.
LACERA is looking better by the day.
You want to see corruption, check into how much it costs a tow company just to get their name in the hat for a contract. Many of the cities in LA County do this. Then review how much each city charges per vehicle when stored/impounded. Each one has a different price. The county’s price is a deal. I also don’t think 3 Chiefs should be making the decisions. They all have connections or history with the tow yards. I could think of a couple executives that recently ran for sheriff.
Paul may have been a Napoleon, along with a lot more to be said. He did have BALLS and ran the department as he saw fit, like a true gangster. (Not saying it was right) You can’t take that away from him. Also he gave orders and held folks accountable. Just making comparisons. Even crazy ass Sadaam Hussein kept the other crazies in check.
Not a Paul fan, but I recognize leaders, be it Good or Bad, Force or Fear. I only say that because I’m looking at a puppet Sheriff, who was to bring healing balm to a severely wounded department. What a disappointment. More of a substitute than a replacement.
I heard a story of MR. V influencing an LASD executive to promote a Deputy to Sergeant. I have no reason to doubt this took place.
Oops wrong Mr. V, not Vernola, it was Vovos.
I was forewarned about Jim from close friends at Long Beach Police Department. Sad to see and say that they were right.
Jeff Steck, (prior to McDonnell’s election win as Sheriff), was running to several custody facilities (patrol stations know better) declaring McDonnell as the best thing to turn LASD around to a becoming a credible department.
Funny how Steck is a lateral from Riverside Sheriff Department and doesn’t know “Jack” about LASD. Less than 30 days and he’ll be history on ALADS Board of Directors.
Nancy, you must be looking at the Abner-Mannis-Ault, Paul Tanaka Batphone Bail Schedule which states on Page 1, “The rules do not apply to Coin Holders, Donors, OGCF Vikings and Executives.”
@16, It’s safe to say the majority thought an outsider like Mcdonnell would be the best choice to turn the department around. He was the ONLY candidate that could defeat Tanaka. For that I can not fault Jeff Steck or Brian Moriguchi for supporting Mcdonnell. No one expected Mcdonnell would promote tattooed Tanaka insiders.
Just because Steck is a lateral doesn’t mean he knows nothing of the LASD. He has been on the department for over 16 years. He was pulled from Riverside by LASD because he was an expert in his military career. He ended up being screwed by the department in a huge way. He’s been on long enough to see the culture of corruption. Its safe to say anyone with 10 or more years on has seen the corrupton first hand. I myself was once directed to collect “donations” from local businesses, including our contracted tow company. Walking a manila envelope full of money into my ops office felt like a mob tax collector.
As for me, I’m supporting Steck, Hernandez, Gaisford and Rios for ALADS board. They want to change ans strengthen ALADS. I don’t need family picnics or an attorney that’s in bed with the department. We need a union that the deparment execs fear the next time they lie to build a case.
Steck screwed himself when he came over from Riverside. He wanted to go to the front of the line, without going to work custody and patrol. He attempted a coup, which failed miserably. This attempted coup continues by his authority at ALADS. He is a straight liar, and I will not vote for him. I would rather vote for Hot Rodd than give Steck another term to screw over Deputies.
Frank, sorry to burst your bubble, but anyone could have beat Tanaka in a runoff, even Donald Duck. There was a hard ceiling to Tanaka support, so he never would have cobbled together enough brain-dead supporters to win a majority. That figure was set at 15-20 percent, a number he never moved from in both elections.
What Tanaka’s presence in the runoff did was to leave McDonnell’s candidacy untested, with many questions unanswered until now – and the results are not pretty.
Hey Frank……Pour the kool-aid down the drain and burn your pom poms. Steck a expert in his military career? I’m sure he’ll tell his boyhood friends in Ohio that he’s an expert at LASD. Lol Here’s a gold nugget for you. STECK is part of the corruption at ALADS. He bowed to Hayhurst like a humble child. Deputies are tired of his lies and sneaky ways. No balls at all even as he was deciding vote to boot Floyd out. What a COWARD.
# 19. Spot On!…. Hopefully Frank can digest facts. Just the fact that he already named four as a majority already speaks of another attempted to coup to be led by Steck. Steck is not respected by line personnel. He lies without batting a eye. Unfortunately ALADS continues to exist due to the apathy of deputies.
@19. Congratulations Puffy. You are the winner on TO EXPOSE THE TRUTH. The current free fall of finances continue as the treasurer (Rios) knows the truth but also has his his hands tied. No one outside of the Alads Board of Directors is aware that ALADS has ( and continues )spent over $800.000.00 in legal fees in the civil case against former Alads President Armando Macias. I’m also sure that Rios is aware of the $830.00 Auto Allowance (complete with unlimited fuel card) for the President &V.P. addition to charge cards for all Board members. It is no secret that Steck and his V.P. also has an additional retirement while serving in their capacity. Who do think is paying for this? No ,not the County of Los Angeles but every deputy under the rank of Sergeant in the Sheriff’s Dept.
I don’t know how this became about ALADS, but here’s a “gold nugget” for you…Maybe someone should ask Hot Rodd about how he and two other clowns got together in August, had a cozy little dinner with Dean Galarneau and gave him a $2,000 ring paid for by ALADS members. Who knew these guys were using union dues to buy themselves expensive jewelry? ALADS Directors aren’t allowed to get paid, so I guess they found a way to pay themselves. Gotta wonder how expensive Floyd “Mr. Maserati” Hayhurst’s ring was.
Think I’m making this up? Ask any ALADS Rep. Apparently they were all shocked at their last meeting when this came up.
@Reality Check: Don’t just throw out blind accusations in an attempt to sway people from voting for someone you obviously do not like. Give us facts so we can all be informed. Please clarify your statement “Just the fact he already named four as a majority..” Is there something we need to know before we vote?
@Puffy: Sounds like you have a personal issue with Steck and maybe facts, so lets hear them. I don’t know Steck personally, but have talked to him more than a few times. I can say he comes off as genuinely caring about Deps and ALADS. However, I was told, by someone in the know, that Steck was recruited from Riverside, for his knowledge of flying helicopters, he was made promises and then kicked to the curb once they were done with him. Hard to believe based on how well the department treats it’s Deps.
I’ll tell both of you this, if you guys were to go to the ALADS meetings you would probably realize that Steck is the least of ALADS’ problems. I started going so that I could have a more informed opinion. You guys should do the same.
And, don’t tell me you already do attend, because another opinion I have is that very few members care to get involved (based on the attendance), the ones who do show up are “generally” receptive to the direction ALADS is heading and the ones who aren’t appear to have their own (or someone elses) agenda and continually get shut down by those in attendance.
And, I’ll add this: this story is/was about the “sins of an executive.” No wonder this Department abuses their Deps. We are so blinded by personal feelings that we start attacking each other, while this story slowly fades into the night. This is the same mind set that breeds the type of supervisors we have, currently. Dog eat dog! Sad!
Huh, come on, conduct your own investigation. You won’t believe me, whatever I tell you. When you get Jeff in the box, make your first question, “Jeff, as President of ALADS, how much union (Deputy’s) money have you spent trying to get YOUR (Commander Steck) Pilot bonus pay?”
Like I said before, all he had to do was wait in line. But he wanted to go ahead of Deputies that had done their time in Custody and Patrol. That’s all I got for ya today Huh. See ya Wednesday.
Someone needs to make ALADS about the Deputies, as a whole, not about themselves. And Huh, how will you recognize me…I’ll be the one in the Audi.
@ 23. How true that is. Right now I just passing the MCJ mobile shooting range and guess who has a “vote for me flyer” none other than Galarneau and Rodd.
The attendance at Alads Rep meetings show just how much deputies cares.
And you wonder why the largest Sheriff’s Department has two (2) deputy associations. Alads mirrors ALADS beginning with the crooked & corrupt Richard Shinee and Bud Treece. I’m preaching to to a few. The sleeping deputies have to wake up and do their due diligence.
Huh…..to each his own. Free speech is the name of the game and opinions vary. Leave it at that.
Whoever wins needs to bring the Deputies together. That is what ALADS is all about. Not their own personal agenda. This Sheriff and his BS Command staff does not have our backs. It is obvious he does not care about thorough investigations. He only cares about public opinion. Most of the public realize what a tough job we have and they know a crook is a lying thug in jail or out. Yet Line Staff gets relieved and the witch hunt is on immediately. We need a union that has our back, and does not roll over for political reasons.
Agreed @Really Now. You’re preaching to the choir. Representation for legal assistance is voted upon by a board (who may or may not like you. Remember Deputy Sexton?) Sad to say if you call those clowns on their B.S. they will gang up and try to shush you. ALADS is the same ol’ shit. It’s gonna take a pair to stand up and follow thru. Remember Macias? He had a big mouth but he was on target calling out Shinee, Bud Treece and soon to be convicted felon(273.5) Floyd Hayhurst. The latest contract along with the department is sinking to never before lows. Deputies enforce laws. They in of themselves cannot go toe to toe with any entity such as the County of Los Angeles. The last two contracts prove it. It’s a travesty and a disservice. Steck will feel it next month at WHD.
Re: 24. This is how this works.The ALADS Board consists of 7 deputies,with elections every year. One year 3 are voted in, the next year (now) are 4 positions. Every position is for 2 years.The board has always been split (us vs them). The majority of seven is four. By naming his 4 (including Steck) automatically (should those four succeed) will dictate the upper hand of votes. You already know that Steck was asked to step down and he refused, the other week. Obviously you are not privy to the inner circle. 1+1 = 2. His pompous attitude was checked as he bailed from Compton Station and retreated to West Hollywood Station. Professionally I would not want to work with him as he is a backstabbing liar. Ask Armando Macias and Floyd Hayhurst. Snookered I say.
Say folks, can I suggest we stay on topic and save the ALADS issues for another thread and another time. I have good reason to believe McDonnell has personally been reviewing the two stories on Rothans and particularly our comments about the vast unhappiness with his (McDonnell’s) failure to deal with and continued promotion of Tanaka loyalists. I’m not high enough on the food chain to definitively say how much information is being filtered to him, but knowing all the players and based on his promotion and intent to promote track record, he’s being treated like Baca. Preciate it.
I asked President Steck for help on a matter involving another Deputy and a matter regarding Management practices. He never called me back. I asked the Outreach Rep what was up? She said Jeff is a pretty busy man. We don’t use ALADS for grievances anymore. We handle them ourselves. He seems to be afraid to show his face at our unit. I wonder why.
Sorry IIB, that’s my last off-topic comment. I promise.
@ 11-Boy: I appreciate your post, as I’m sure you saw my #25 post, but it’s hard to sit back and not say anything when people with their own agendas, clouded by personal feelings, get on here and try to misguide the members.
Provide another forum and I’m sure we’ll be glad to talk about it there. Or, here’s a novel idea, why don’t more members start showing up to the meetings and speak out in person. I have been going to most of the meetings and all I see are people who are “ok” with the direction Steck is taking things. This isn’t a personality contest! I don’t have to like him, but if he’s pushing to get ALADS back to caring about the members, I’m all for it.
That being said, @Reality Check: thanks for enlightening me with all your inner knowledge and math 101, now can you enlighten all of us with your knowledge of what the “opposing faction” to Jeff Steck (current majority)has done to fix ALADS. Because, of what I’ve seen they are all puppets for a puppeteer who does not have the Deputies/members best interest in mind.
Why would anyone fear that those guys lose the majority vote, if those guys have done nothing to help the members or strengthen ALADS. Unless of course, “you” are one of those guys!
Hey 11-Boy! Here’s some news for you. Vast unhappiness is also with ALADS
#33, either you are a smart contrarian or you have a dog in the ALADs political fight. Regardless, there are several examples of failures to act and incompetence in that organization.
Dick Shinee is cherry picking the issues and running the show through his puppet board of directors.
You guys are spending money as we speak to isolate a deputy who voiced a claim for legal fees, you guys bury your heads in the sands on the current state of affairs with regards to moral and discipline, and our negotiations are a train wreck.
That doesn’t count the three ring circus going on with missing money and former ALADs executives.
Meanwhile Rothans is enjoying not being mentioned for acting extremely ignorantly and unethically. Thus, he is a perfect Assistant Sheriff for the Jim McD LASD.
FYI Jack…..there is more than one Deputy that ALADS is trying to isolate for requesting legal fees.
The quiet mouths on the ALADS Board are just as guilty.
Slowly but surely the pendelum is swinging. The cheerleaders at ALADS are either blind or totally stupid.
If you have not heard, Rothans submitted for retirement. GOOD RIDDANCE.. Jim this is your chance to start finessing the rest of them. If you have not figured it out, the majority of this department is a bunch of hardworking dedicated men and women. Please do not fill Rothans spot with another Tanakite.
@ Jack Dawson: Other than viewing me as a contrarian, your post is very accurate, even to the point of naming the Puppeteer. And, please do not reference me as “you guys” when talking about spending. I can assure you that I am not in a position that “allows” me to spend the membership’s money.
That being said, I would encourage all Deputies who read and/or contribute to this blog to do your own research and vote for the candidate(s) who you think will do the best job, based on what you learn about them, from people who truly know them.
Now, back to Rothans. Can anyone verify the rumor that he supposedly went off, injured, shortly after the story broke.
@38. No need for a recruiter or spokesman to encourage members to vote. With the current line up, the only one to maybe deserve a vote is the one to go against the grain and past practices of “fitting in” No Chia pets or robots.
Until any of them hit one specific attainable goal. It’s not worth it. The man who’s in charge of the book$ would be a good shot to be transparent about the moolah. Our Money Matters. Rios…..Feel free to answer.
Is it possible to replace Rothans with a non-Tanaka exec? All the current execs came up playing by the same unethical rules. That’s all they know. Those rules were inplace long before Tanaka rose to power, he just mastered them to his benefit.
Sheriff Mcdonnell, your Deputies are watching. Send the right message.
Steck has his faults, but being one of Shinee’s puppets isn’t one of them. And I get the impression that some of the criticism we are seeing here is being posted by the puppets themselves.
Deps need to figure out who’s who down there, and, as John Q Deputy pointed out, vote for the people who will think independently and be willing to go against the grain.