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By: Real America News Updated 26 May 2022, 0: 22 am EDT
Los Angeles County Commission on Civilian Oversight (COC) which oversees the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) opened hearings on Tuesday into allegations of Sheriff’s gangs.
Several witnesses testified that the gangs they exist and have a lot of power within the department, according to KABC.
The Commission was created by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to “improve public transparency and accountability” at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD), which is led by Chief Alex Villanueva.
During 50 For years, investigators, families, and individuals within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have accused deputies of form gangs by status and schedule, glorifying a challenge or who rebels against the chain of command.
Inspector General Max Huntsman, whose office is investigating 40 officers for being part of active gangs, led testimony Tuesday that focused on the alleged Banditos group at the East Los Angeles station and the Executioners group at the Compton station.
Also testifying under oath was Lt. Larry Waldie, who once ran the Compton Sheriff’s Station, retired as commander. Eli Vera, who is running against Villanueva for Sheriff, and an unnamed member of the Sheriff’s Department assigned to the East Los Angeles Station.
The testimony affirms that all the members of these alleged gangs are men and none are African American.
Membership is marked with tattoos, often skulls and rifles. The Banditos include hats. A smoking gun, Huntsman said, is known anecdotally to represent an officer who killed someone while on duty.
About half of the who were in the room Tuesday lost someone in a police shooting, including Stephanie Luna, who shared public comments on behalf of her nephew Anthony Vargas.
“People are not afraid of show up,” Luna said. “The inspector general is not afraid to challenge the Sheriff’s department and that’s something we’ve needed all along.” She said her family’s civil case is still pending. So far, the county has paid out more than $50 million in settlements to other families regarding the gangs of agents.
In his testimony, Huntsman accused the department of covering up and pointed to a fight of 2018 where members of Banditos assaulted colleagues at a work party.
In the record of the internal investigation, the investigator appointed by the Sheriff reported that the captain told him that “he did not need to ask about groups of subcultures” at the East LA station. And did not do it.
“I believe the manner in which this case was investigated and presented amounted to a cover-up, essentially an obstruction of justice,” Inspector General Max Huntsman testified. at the hearing.
What the evidence failed to show was the context of current Sheriff Alex Villanueva. The commission asked him to testify, to which his office replied that the Sheriff would not be able to attend.
“And I just want to say, yes, sheriff Villanueva, it is unfortunate that you are not here,” said Robert C. Bonner, of the Civilian Oversight Commission.
ABC7 spoke with the sheriff later that same day, on Tuesday and this he said the invitation and its timing were of no interest. “Imagine that, we are two weeks away from the elections and they are doing political kabuki theater,” Villanueva said.
It may interest you:
– Another complaint: Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputy says there is a violent gang inside the Compton station
– ‘There are no gangs in the LA Sheriff’s Department’: Alex Villanueva
– They investigate if there “gangs” among sheriffs of l Los Angeles Sheriff