LOS ANGELES – The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to review its authority to fire or reassign sheriff’s deputies who have lied or misrepresented material facts in internal investigations.
Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl recommended reevaluating civil service rules and said any changes might also extend to social workers, paramedics, psychiatrists and other county employees with jobs that impact public safety.
“Civil service rules must reinforce the primary importance of public safety,” the supervisors’ motion stated. [Read it here.]
Ridley-Thomas said the question was whether the county’s disciplinary systems were effective enough.
“We have an obligation to address any gaps in a manner that is fair and transparent while, at the same time, honoring and respecting employee rights,” Ridley-Thomas said.
Inspector General Max Huntsman told the board, “Discipline can never be a substitute for training and supervision,” but added that firing dishonest deputies is essential to maintaining department morale and public trust.
Huntsman mentioned the recent conviction of former Sheriff Lee Baca for lying to federal investigators and cited failures by prior civil service commissions to fire deputies for cause.
“A deputy was not fired even after admitting to filing hundreds of false police reports,” Huntsman said.
Sheriff Jim McDonnell ran on a platform of reform, but Huntsman said the department’s system of discipline remains “dysfunctional on multiple levels,” and pointed to a shortage of internal investigators.
“The overwhelming majority of persons who work for the LASD are fair, honest and credible,” said Brian Williams, who oversees the civilian oversight commission, a watchdog for the department. “The overwhelming majority of deputies work hard under very difficult circumstances.”
Williams acknowledged that a few bad actors have the ability to “poison the entire system.”
The District Attorney’s Office keeps a “Brady list” of police officers and sheriff’s deputies who have a record of lying or acting dishonestly, according to the motion.
The list is named for the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brady v. Maryland which requires prosecutors to turn over exculpatory evidence to criminal defendants.
Changes to civil service rules could include a clarification of the county’s right to fire someone named on the Brady list.
The county might also create similar lists for employees outside the LASD.
Two social workers and two supervisors from the child welfare department are facing criminal charges of child abuse and falsifying records in the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez of Palmdale. And three probation officers are charged with assaulting teens at a Sylmar juvenile hall.
The board directed the county’s Chief Executive Officer Sachi Hamai to consult with employee unions before recommending which positions should be subject to an amended civil service rule.
The board also voted to increase pay and training for hearing officers on the county’s civil service commission.
A report is expected back in 60 days.
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Michelle Egberts says
It’s unfortunate that Sgt. Steve Owen was sacrificed. He was R. Rex Parris puppit
Shane Falco says
This has nothing to do with Rex and you’re stretching and reaching trying to tie this into some sort of “sacrifice” is pathetic.
You’re a criminal and your fellow bottom feeder criminal client killed Sgt. Owen. You’re more connected to the crime than Rex could ever be.
Rob says
This is true. The only things Rex has done has been things like getting Raymond Lee Jennings put in jail for 10 years for a crime he didn’t commit, buying his office while it was a redevelopment property, trying to slide birth tourism by the residents, sending out racist hit mailers calling an African American veteran a ‘gang candidate’, pushing through a $10 million dollar boondoggle ‘Eye in the Sky’ which is owned by his political pal, declaring ‘war’ on Section 8 and costing the taxpayers millions of dollars, using sheriff’s to follow his political enemies, fighting David Abber in a local gym, having David Grejeda arrested after he spoke up at city council meetings, approving the Quartz Hill Walmart on land that was rezone from residential to commercial after his planning commissioner who sold the property likewise voted for the zone change, wasting tax payer dollars on the failed Ecolution debacle, and wasting even more taxpayer dollar on the failed Traction Seal road paint.
Mike R. says
Have you bothered to make an effort to pay back any of those elderly people you scammed out of money?
George says
If they do this and fire them maybe the rest will turn good,but also they loose there retirement too ,they get 90 percent of there pay that’s bull. S , there is 2 to 3 percent bad officers on every department they work the worker’s comp so they don’t pay taxes ,there worse then the Italian maifa but I praise the good ones it’s a thank less job sometimes these days,
AV supporter says
All of Southern California LAPD and Sheriff’s officers have to work at Men’s Central Jail all of them have beat are assisted in beating inmates are have been witness to officers beating inmates and they will not tell on each other I am not a cop hater but they get away with more than the average Criminal
Toreano Browning says
My name is Toreano Browning and my daughter’s name is Messiah Browning she was kidnapped by Shirley Black who worked for mayor R.Rex Parris. He covered it all up, does this new order apply to the mayor too. Probably not
Tim Scott says
The mayor isn’t a county employee, or technically associated with the county at all. Unfortunately he only answers to the voters of Lancaster, and he’s managed to hoodwink them pretty effectively.
George says
Sorry to hear that but Rex he is a joke and his staff need to take ccw away. From him