L.A. Sheriff’s Department Hired Officers With Histories of Misconduct
LASD essentially absorbed a smaller county police agency. That secondary agency (Parks & Gov, Bldgs police) had third rate standards of employment. I can easily imagine the agency that is taking over making some effort to keep the officers it could. But this obviously went much too far.
What is truly craven is the immediate internal investigation of how the information for the report got out. resources that should more properly be assigned to solving the mistakes. Rather than a post hoc indulgence in anger at getting caught.
Apparently there was pressure from county officials to hire certain problematic officers, a charge that is denied. Records clearly show the police union representing the officers lobbying the department to hire officers with records of serious misconduct. That is union malfeasance that puts public safety second or worse to personnel representation and protection. Law enforcers have extraordinary powers and responsibilities. The standards of behavior must be inviolate. Above union rules. Above HR and lobbying.
The department made the hires in 2010 after taking over patrols of parks and government buildings from a little-known L.A. County police force. Officers from that agency were given first shot at new jobs with the Sheriff’s Department. Investigators gave them lie detector tests and delved into their employment records and personal lives.
The Times reviewed the officers’ internal hiring files, which also contained recorded interviews of the applicants by sheriff’s investigators.
Ultimately, about 280 county officers were given jobs, including applicants who had accidentally fired their weapons, had sex at work and solicited prostitutes, the records show.
Contact the reporters | Follow Robert Faturechi (@RobertFaturechi) and Ben Poston (@bposton) on Twitter
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