Testimonies have uncovered more evidence of misconduct occurring inside the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Members of the department continued to testify before the Civilian Oversight Commission last week about alleged deputy gangs.

What You Need To Know

  • Sheriff Alex Villanueva impeding investigation into deputy gangs

  • Inspector General says he will identify every deputy gang member

  • Robert Luna leading Sheriff election in a new poll by UC Berkeley and LA Times

  • Investigation into the Sheriff’s Dept. will become stronger if Villanueva loses his reelection

“When a gang hurts people, kills people; That’s a gang, sir. And as far as whether the department is doing such things… they’re deputy sheriffs and they belong to that group. It’s wrong,” Sgt. Jeffery Chow said during the fifth hearing about this issue. 

Chow has worked for the Sheriff’s Department for 26 years and also led an internal investigation over a brawl that broke out at a department party in East LA in 2018. During this brawl, deputies claimed they were attacked by an alleged deputy gang known as the Banditos.

Under oath, Chow said he was told not to ask about gangs, or as his superior put it, “subculture groups”. Although he felt the command was “weird”, Chow didn’t ask about deputy gangs because he felt like he had to abide by the chain of command.

But, things have changed since 2016. That’s when a nine member oversight commission was tasked with facilitating transparency and accountability within the Sheriff’s Department. 

Inspector General Max Huntsman joined “Inside the Issues” host Alex Cohen to speak about what we’ve learned from the investigation into alleged deputy gangs. 

“The strongest evidence is the reaction of department leadership,” Huntsman said. Members of the department, like Sheriff Alex Villanueva, have refused to comply with subpoenas and have maintained their silence on the issue of deputy gangs. Huntsman says that’s when you know there’s a cover-up when the highest ranking officials refuse to comply with the law. 

Meanwhile, Villanueva said he’s met with the Civilian Oversight Commission and other committees, but he feels like their vote to call for his resignation has made them biased in their investigation. He said this makes the committee “activists” with an agenda.

Huntsman thinks otherwise. He said this makes Villanueva look even more guilty. Transparency is key.

“We are going to identify every gang member. We’re going to make a list,” Huntsman declared. 

The list is being compiled during an election year. Villanueva is running for reelection. While he took the lead with votes in the primary earlier this year, a recent poll conducted by UC Berkeley and the LA Times has Villanueva’s opponent Robert Luna in the lead.

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Cohen asked Huntsman what would happen to this investigation if Villanueva loses his election.

“The sheriff will have a problem,” Huntsman said.

If he loses his election, investigators will have further access to information that Huntsman said is currently being blocked by Villanueva. But that will only be the beginning, not the end.

“The strongest evidence is the reaction of department leadership,” Huntsman said. Members of the department, like Sheriff Alex Villanueva, have refused to comply with subpoenas and have maintained their silence on the issue of deputy gangs. Huntsman says that’s when you know there’s a cover-up, when the highest ranking officials refuse to comply with the law. 

Meanwhile, Villanueva said he’s met with the Civilian Oversight Commission and other committees, but he feels like their vote to call for his resignation has made them biased in their investigation. He said this makes the committee “activists” with an agenda. Huntsman thinks otherwise. He said this makes Villanueva look even more guilty. Transparency is key. “We are going to identify every gang member, we’re going to make a list,” Huntsman declared. 

The list is being compiled during an election year. Sheriff Alex Villanueva is running for reelection. While he took the lead with votes in the primary earlier this year, a recent poll conducted by UC Berkeley and the LA Times has Villanueva’s opponent Robert Luna in the lead. Cohen asked Huntsman what would happen to this investigation if Villanueva loses his election. Huntsman said, “The sheriff will have a problem.” If he loses his election, investigators will have further access to information that Huntsman said is currently being blocked by Villanueva. But, that will only be the beginning, not the end.

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