10 RELIEVED OF DUTY IN ONE DAY
On Saturday night, Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell announced that ten department members working in the county’s jail system had been relieved of duty pending an investigation of a report of “troubling” inmate abuse that allegedly occurred last month.
It seems that this past Thursday McDonnell was informed of a complaint resulting from the alleged incident, which began on June 19 at the LA County jail system’s Inmate Reception Center (IRC), where an inmate was handcuffed in a cell for approximately 32 hours without being provided food or liquid—save “a cup of water,” said McDonnell in a statement released Saturday night. (The inmate reportedly had eaten on his initial arrival at the jail.)
The inmate had allegedly assaulted a female guard during a force incident, after which he required medical attention. Then the inmate was handcuffed and restrained for a period amounting to a full day and night, and then another half day, without food.
By this past Friday (July 10), McDonnell had clearly learned enough about the alleged incident to decide that it warranted swift action. Thus by the end of the day, his staff had relieved ten jail employees of duty, “including supervisors,” while still others were reassigned to other duties pending further investigation.
Those relieved of duty include two lieutenants, one sergeant, one senior deputy, four regular deputies and two custody assistants—an unusual number to be ROD for a single incident. One could guess that messages were being sent.
INVITATIONS TO INVESTIGATE
McDonnell said the matter is being investigated by the department’s Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau (ICIB), and its Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB). In addition, he and his staff have notified Max Hunstman, the LASD Inspector General—and the FBI, which still is engaged in its long-ongoing investigation into brutality and corruption in the LASD, a federal investigation that, in May of this year, resulted in the indictment of the former undersheriff, Paul Tanaka, and the former captain of the department’s criminal investigative unit, Tom Carey.
The same ongoing federal investigation resulted in the conviction, late last month, of one sergeant and two deputies, for brutally assaulting a handcuffed man in a 2011 incident in the Men’s Central Jail visiting center, then falsifying felony charges against the man, in order to justify the assault.
This fall, two more department members will be tried by the feds for other alleged instances of abuse in the jails, and for allegedly training newer jail deputies in methods designed to “teach” certain inmates “a lesson,” and then how to cover up said lessons.
According to a massive class action lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Southern California—Rosas v. Baca—that was given its final stamp of judicial approval in April, the incidents of abuse of inmates and others that resulted in federal indictments were representative of a pattern of abuse that was allowed to occur all-but unchecked under former sheriff Lee Baca and his former undersheriff, Tanaka.
THEN & NOW
McDonnell— who served on the Citizens Commission on Jail Violence, and thus was one of those responsible for the CCJV’s scathing report on jail abuse and misconduct that was issued in September 2012—seems determined to set a very different standard of response. Even his notifying of the FBI is a world away from the reaction of the previous administration, which—as we now are painfully aware—went to extravagant lengths to try to keep the feds from examining wrongdoing inside LA County’s jail system, in a manner outside the LASD’s control.
“The investigation into this incident is ongoing and will be thorough,” said McDonnell about the June 2015 incident, in a statement released Saturday night. “It will not only focus on employee actions, but also on corrective policies and procedures,”
McDonnell added that he was “… deeply committed to providing the highest levels of constitutional care to those in our charge.” He added that he will “quickly address and remedy any conduct, policies or practices that do not meet this expectation…”
NOTE: This story was updated on 7/12 at 12:20 pm.
If these allegations are true, why is this still happening in the jails? Deeply demoralized workforce in the custody division aside, when will we see changes in the executive ranks (chief, commander, captains), and when will we no longer see Tanaka-aligned personnel being promoted into management and command positions? Status quo is not serving Sheriff McDonald well.
Oops! “McDonnell”
#1: “…We no longer see Tanaka-aligned personnel being promoted into management and command positions….”
Be that as it may they seem powerless to affect McDonnell’s decisions. When was the last time you saw two Lieutenants & a Sergeant rolled up from one incident?
It looks like McDonnell is very much in command of the ship.
Amen to that. McDonnell has the same management team in place that oversaw Pandora’s box, repeated acts of inmate abuse, corruption, and retaliation against those who tried to address the problems. Is it no surprise problems continue to persist?
Come on now, this is Leadership 101 stuff. If your management team screws up repeatedly, relieving of duty ten subordinate personnel does not address systemic dysfunction at the top. You have to go a lot higher and rid custody division of all the Tanaka clones, coin holders, bootlickers, and their cheerleaders who want to grow up and be just like their heroes. A metastases of cancer does not allow for the host body to heal, the cancer has to be eradicated completely.
Problems still exist because they don’t revolve around just the Lt., Sgt., and Dep level.
One day a leader will recognize that and do what’s necessary. Instead, our new sheriff made new friends with old characters including donors, political influencers, and insiders.
Folks, Jim McDonnell attends political events w Baca as of a dinner for DA Lacey a few back….
New Sheriff but the same problems. It’s because there is nexus to the 4th floor.
ROD behind some POS inmate assaulting one of our own? Gimme a break. Like many close to leaving, I’ve had enough. That inmate should get the tune up he deserves and that’s that.
The criteria to ROD an employee is if the allegations against the employee(s) are serious enough that IF proven to be true, the punishment would be either Discharge or Demotion. So that deals with either criminal allegations or administrative allegations. In addition, there normally needs to be a preliminary finding that will connect the employee(s) with culpability beyond just an allegation, no one should be ROD due to a humbug allegation, there has to be something to it. Although I’m retired, I am still very much in-tune. Although I have no inside info, as this is a breaking story, I would like to know who the players are and their background and loyalty compass. This sounds like at the surface, the Lieutenants and Sergeants knew, or should have known this thug had been placed in irons for an extended period of time and did nothing about it. “I dint know” is not going to fly because either the Deps and Sr. did NOT tell their sergeants and lieutenants what had happened and if so, the sergeants and lieutenants should have seen this guy during their shift inspections OR they were notified and bought into the extended period of lockdown time. So at the surface, I would say at the surface, McDonnell is doing the right thing with the investigation and ROD. This will have to play itself out with a thorough and unbiased investigation, no sacrificial lambs.
Another question, how did the IRC Captain and Division handle this? If it was above board, no happy face, no foot dragging, then good for them. This is not a “Sheriff’s decision,” but rather a routine Divisional decision. But I understand the political and media spin to this from the Sheriff and don’t really have a problem with his stance, I actually thinks it is what he should be doing, setting the tone. This NEVER would have come to light with Tanaka driving the train, in fact, he would have disciplined anyone responsible for taking appropriate action and ICIB and IAB would have gone right along with the coverup charade.
I agree with LATBG and Jack Dawson, McDonnell has kept the same chameleon clowns in the very same positions which means, Tanaka still pulls the strings as evidenced by the long list of promotions since McDonnell arrived that have been “Tanaka approved.” A huge, huge disappointment in McDonnell on that front, he should have cleaned house on day one, LASD would have been much better for it.
LATBG: You are totally correct, however even chemotherapy takes time to effectively eradicate.
I believe McDonnell has a plan unbeknownst to us, with a “slow but sure” weeding process.
No excuses for him, but I believe time is on his side within his term.
I see the new Sheriff is trying to hold firm and keep promises made during his campaing and abide by those required of him upon taking office. I don’t understand why these department members were so quickly removed/re-assigned fro their duties. Is due process lost when it comes to law enforcement? Not to excuse the alleged “mis-treatment” of the criminal but does anyone care that a female deputy was assaulted? Can we get any details about that? Is she okay? Do any of the executive members on the department even care. I know the blood thirsty media and public don’t since it does not fit into the going narrative of lawenforcement behaving badly. A Sad …Sad Day Indeed.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Dear #9 Sad, I too want to know more about the precipitating event. Couldn’t get it last night when I posted, but as soon as I have some solid info on that I’ll give everyone an update.
Just checked again at 5 p.m. and the only update is that there’s no official news on what actually happened to the female deputy, whether she was injured or not, and what kind of assault we are talking about.
Pathetic!!!
Why are you guys still out there working? Are you kidding me. Let the jails, and the cities we patrol implode. The puppet for the Media, Fed’s and B.O.S, has shown his true Blue colors.
@9&12, regardless of a male or female, there is a time and place to take care of business. Once the hooks are on, it’s over. If you think in 2015 payback is every hour on the hour, you’ve in the clouds waiting to get fired. For the brass to ROD 10 folks wasn’t done on a whim. Having worked IAB, (and before you start talking smack I proudly have exonerated many an employee based on fair investigations,) there had to be something quite serious in the allegations and initial review. I just want facts, we should all want facts, not spin, rumors or innuendos. This will come out in the wash. And yes, I certainly hope the deputy is alright and they prosecute the thug for whatever good that will do anymore.
Here’s my issue. Had Tanaka been elected and was the Sheriff, and this same incident had occurred, with the same outcome, the haters and press would be saying corruption thrives within the Sheriff’s Dept. “Had only McDonnell been elected none of this would have occurred.” yada! yada! yada! Breaking news!!! It’s gonna occur! The attitude of the criminals on the street and in the jails is unprecedented. We have lost control. And we will NEVER regain control because of the hatred, and negativity towards law enforcement.
@ They Say. Your assessment along with your comments shuts down those with itching ears and running mouths. The “waaay back when” scenarios just doesn’t cut it today or tomorrow.
@#13: I don’t want to challenge your experience or know anything about this particular case, or the other articles about striking handcuffed prisoners, but I must respectfully disagree with your your comment “once the hooks are on, it’s over.” As a student and practitioner of various martial arts, I must tell you that the human body consists of many personal weapons, this includes head (head butts), mouth (biting), shoulders (striking), elbows (strikes),arms, forearms, hands and fingers (strikes, pushing, chokes, joint submissions, take-downs, grappling), hips (striking, pushing), legs, knees, shins, feet (striking, tripping, take-downs, joint submissions, chokes). The hands are are the most versatile of personal weapons, but head butts, kicks and knee strikes are arguably more powerful and devastating than hand strikes. Besides striking, the legs and feet alone can effectively be used to take down and submit an opponent. Bites can be extremely painful and cause serious infections. Handcuffing alone in no way renders a combative suspect defenseless. The fight is never over until it’s over.
Bring back Baca. You’re killing us.
So…. I’m just sitting here watching the world go round….. Bah da dum…..
But seriously…. I’ve been waiting for the first glimpse of McDonnell’s plan(s)…. I keep hearing rumors he’s gonna roll it out next month….. And again next month…. And again next month at fiscal….
Seems to me….. This move with bringing back Chief Tom Angel from Burbank PD is the first REAL move I’ve seen McDonnell make on the board. Time will tell obviously…. If we have a friends of Tom Angel promotion party…. Allah John Scott … Neal Tyler… It’s good to be his friend… I don’t need to have developed any skills or done any REAL time AND WORK IN THE BOX…. Then that will really SUCK…
But….. Thoughts????
I urge all Patrol Deps and Investigators to shut down. Let’s the animals have the RD for a while. See what ole Jim Mac does when things really go to crap with no backing from the line. Maybe then, he’ll get it.
I urge all Patrol Deputies to keep working hard and take the criminals off the street. Custody is Custody, and with all the brilliant minds on the 8th floor I am sure someday they will figure it out. While one Chief is working out and the other is smoking cigars. Anyhow, work hard and fill every bed. Our families depend on it.
@#14 SID .. “The attitude of the criminals on the street and in the jails is unprecedented. We have lost control. And we will NEVER regain control because of the hatred, and negativity towards law enforcement.”
****************
I heard the criminals are taking over from many fear mongers going back to the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and etc…..
It may be time to retire to a quiet Montana town where you will be safe from today’s Helter-Skelter.
#6 #14, This blog has become the epitome of leftist liberal ideology. Contributing posters claim they are Deputies… I for a while believed they were, however disgruntled. However, I have been seeing more and more outlandish stories such as this and still, these so called Deputies try to place blame on either Tanaka, Baca,, so on. He is a friggin criminal. He headbutted a deputy for crying out loud.
Still waiting for stories about the acquitted deputies WLA… I suppose you’ll delete this post also like you have with my others when I call you out. As long as it fits your agenda.
@ FX What a great call!
The fear mongers should turn in their badge for a “Scarecrow or a Cowardly Lion” costume and take their scared asses back to Oz.
The Los Angeles Times’ July 12th article quoted Sheriff McDonnell to say, “I don’t know how this could go on for this period of time, him not being checked on. Where is the breakdown? We’re looking at the system to see how did this possibly occur.” Sheriff, who are your executive staff overseeing IRC? Is it A/S McDonald? Chief Parra? Who are the commanders, the captain, the lieutenants and sergeants? Were any of them promoted to their ranks by former A/S and U/S Tanaka? Remember hearing testimony at the CCJV meetings, where many LASD personnel testified about command personnel, managers and supervisors hand-selected by Tanaka, who emphasized the “difficult job” jail personnel had, and to support them in their “working the gray” as they did their difficult job? Remember a hand-picked captain at MCJ who showed no concern about use-of-force packages, which caused 160 of them to sit dormant and/or lost? Isn’t that the same MCJ captain who presided over TWO MCJ Holiday/Christmas parties where jail personnel administered beat-downs of other LASD personnel (one resulting in a female CRDF C/A sustaining a broken jaw)? Remember the hand-selected lieutenants who were placed at MCJ to support that captain, all the while use-of-force stats increased noticeably?
Sir, the “breakdown” evolved over a 15 year period, under the watch of Baca and Tanaka — they created a monster of an organizational culture by rewarding loyalty over experience, ability and integrity. The two top bozos may be gone and/or indicted, but their cigar club coin holding minions are still working, but for you now! Are you really at a loss as to how this sort of thing can still be happening? You can start with identifying folks who only did a year or two at each rank as they sailed on up the ladder, or perhaps individuals who worked an assignment for a few months before transferring to another plum spot, and then another, before another undeserved promotion. Yes, many have fled, but the vast majority are still in place. If U/S Tyler can’t point out the coin holders, find someone you can trust who can.
With Morejon as the new IRC captain will things change there? I don’t really know him.
@24, Part, outstanding post. You have identified the problem then, and now. The same Tanaka brass are sitting in the same Tanaka chessboard positions. The same Tanaka appointees who carried his water, collected money for him and fully supported his program and criminal enterprise are in the same seats. Either Tyler convinced the Sheriff that the best thing to do on day one was to give everyone the “clean slate, fresh start” speech, which is poor advise, or, the Sheriff doesn’t have the stomach to do what is best for the Department and that was to clean house. Instead, Tanaka loyalists continue to be promoted and some on the line think it’s Code 14, business as usual. I’m sure the 8th Floor is scrambling to add new positions on the schedule, new dedicated tems, whose sole job is to make sure inmates are not shackled for 31 hours. “We’re on it boss, I laid the law down and their shaking in their boots.” It’s always the same response, new policies, “additional training” same sorry excuse and corse of correction. Sheriff, you best get on with “reforming LASD like you preached during your campaign. The honeymoon is over, enough with your politics. Unscrew what Baca and Tanaka screwed up and start cleaning house from the top, down, starting with Tyler and the 8th Floor and work your way down until the job you were elected to do is done. Those folks at IRC did what they did because they didn’t fear anything or anyone.
Celeste, I hope McDonnell is reading these stories and comments. Perhaps it’s time for the Feds to take over, a of it.
22 You complain about this blog, yet you whine, whimper and rant. Try any local newspaper editorial section and hope they read your high school sniffling. There are many start- up blogs via the Internet…..try it.
Any update on ALADS latest Alumni arrest. Ironic that, he also was a coin holder. No names please……..just an update.
28. Mr. Maserati was hooked up by Ontario P.D. in San Bernardino County. Retention of CCW questionable.
They Say — Unfortunately, you’re so right. The CYA habit of modifying policy and creating some magic training is no realistic solution for what’s been going on the last 15 years (and still is). I like the executive “clean sweep” concept, Tyler on down. Neal Tyler is a nice man, smart, hard working, knee deep in paper (draft, review, meet, re-write, repeat 13 times, and STILL be worried he missed something on a memo). I don’t think he did well with Tanaka, rather navigated as best he knew how, in a wonky way, policy way. Though not so much aligned with Tanaka, Neal is in the quagmire of his own making — he’s a super bureaucrat thinking he’s doing the Lord’s work but actually clogging the line with extreme bureaucratic behavior. He sheparded the likes of non-people person stand-outs such as Mannis and Silverspare. All three wear their staff out, frustrating them to no end. They each miss big picture stuff because they’re severe bureaucrats and pleasing their bosses is their highest priority in life. McDonnell may be impressed with Neal’s gentle way, his wonkyness and perhaps, may not be focused on identifying the malevolent core of coin holders running his divisions, stations and bureaus. Deputies and C/A’s need strong, high integrity leadership, not the slew of remaining cigar club members. Sheriff McDonnell?
@ Fly……….Many deputies in the know have cracked faces due to smiles, grins and high fives. I even saw midgets doing somersaults on the 101 fwy.Someone swore that it snowed in Antelope Valley today. Damn!
Well said InerestedParty!!!!
I saw a video of the sheriff at Crdf. We have to waste our briefing time watching him talk about what. However I found it interesting him saying we have to own the problem and put it out there before the media runs with it. So your saying you can investigate an allegation in two days and relieve personnel, but take two years for them to possibly get their career back on track. Joke. We have all these rules because of your top staff/command policing style back in the days. Yet they are the ones quick to burn a deputy. What a joke. Morale is gone for now. Family is within the ranks. You stand alone right now.
I’m not disgruntled, I’m discouraged. I don’t feel the support for “the backbone of the department” I am going to continue to work because I was trained that way. I’m not going to let an LAPD transport change that. Like others have said change starts at the top. Oh and thanks for your support sheriff. #notanotherraise
LASD’s solution to inmate allegations:
1.Relieve everyone of duty who was in the immediate area. Even the poor CA who has nothing to do with anything gets relieved of duty. This tactic is used to punish the CA for “covering up” for their fellow deputies because according to the department everyone (minus the southside multi felon gang member) is lying until YOU prove your innocence. This of course doesn’t happen if you are related to or blowing someone of importance.
2.Send their hit men (IA, ICIB) to get statements before the accused deputies/CA’s can get a hold of a rep. Investigators will trick new deputies who don’t know any better with statements like, “This investigation is just a formality, just give us your side so we can wrap this up get you back to work without any issues. You are NOT a subject in this investigation you are just a witness”. They will only interview witnesses who favor their agenda (which is usually discharge).
3.IA will then take their findings to their bosses who will then in turn take it to OIR. OIR will then recommend discharge (as usual) citing that the investigation concluded that a deputy refused to give an inmate an extra roll of toilet paper because he spit, kicked, and broke another deputies’ nose. Your division chief will concur with OIR because they are spineless pushovers who are afraid of OIR. Regardless of all the rhetoric your Chiefs and Commanders spew about “family oriented department” they only care about what’s good for PR and their next promotion. OIR and your Chief don’t care if you have a mortgage, bills, or even a dying kid in the hospital in need of insurance. These people are stone cold and will throw you out like yesterdays trash.
4. Lastly the brass will ponder why morale is so low, why they are under staffed, and why work productivity has halted. It amazes me how much mental fortitude the grunts of LASD need to be able to put up with this kind of abuse from the department. I have so much respect for the working bees of LASD who have to go into work knowing that an inmate pointing the finger may be a career killer. My advice is to lateral or do the bare minimum. The less proactive you are the less you open yourself for liability. Lay low, collect a paycheck, and make it home to your families safely. You know its time to jump ship when your supervisors run to a 415 dep involved and the first question they ask is, “is the inmate ok”?….. stay safe people.
I have come to realization that it seems to be more the norm than exception, that the leaders of government organizations are not very intelligent. What I mean is, they lack real vision or foresight and instead rely too much on their old war stories and past experiences. They rely on the instant crediblity afforded them by “what I did back in the day” or “I have over 20 years experience….”. This way of thinking in any organization prevents the type of creative problem solving and proactive “what if” analysis that insures “you are always several steps ahead of the competition.” I think LASD has fallen into a deep, deep….deep cycle of being “over-reactive”, “bend over and take it” and offer up “blood sacrifices” in order to appear responsive and tranparent to past and current perceived law enforcement wrong doings. I understand the long standing philospy that expereinced leaders are typically chosen from within the ranks of the parent organization or outside the ranks of organizations that does similiar business, however maybe there’s time for a paradigm shift. Maybe a Silicone Valley whiz kid could manage a public organization and bring the vision, passion, inventiveness, competitive spirit, “lets get ahead of the pack” philospy that many organizations are lacking. Being over-reactive is typically frowned upon in law enforcement and continues to get people fired, sued and judged by the court of public opinion when it relates to incident involving the public…..to bad the same standard is typicalaly not held within most organizations in term of how they treat their people.
Like it or get out….This seems to be the message from the Sheriff (and I hope you get out rather than like it)
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