LA Sheriff's Department Admits Hiring 80 Problem Officers; May Not Be Able to Fire Them

The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) has admitted that they hired 80 officers in 2010 knowing that they had problems in their past including misconduct at other law enforcement agencies, solicitation of prostitutes, falsifying police records and unlawfully discharging firearms. The department is still figuring out what it will do with the officers, but Assistant Sheriff Todd Rogers told the Los Angeles Times that they may not be able to fire these officers:

Rogers said sheriff's officials are considering terminating some but likely won't be able to legally fire employees for misconduct that sheriff's officials knew about when they hired them. What's more realistic, he said, is moving the problem hires to less sensitive positions, giving them more training and putting them on administrative monitoring to limit future misconduct.

The admission comes on the heels of a LA Times investigation, which reviewed taped interviews with LASD applicants and hiring investigation files that were leaked to the paper. The union that represents LASD deputies tried in September 2013 to stop the records from being unveiled because the paper and reporter possessed "stolen property."

On December 9, The U.S. Attorney's Office charged 18 officers with civil rights and corruption violations including conspiracy, obstruction of justice and making false statements. From the U.S. Attorney's Office:

LOS ANGELES – Five criminal cases that charge a total of 18 current or one-time deputy sheriffs of various ranks were unsealed today as part of ongoing and wide-ranging FBI investigation into allegations of civil rights violations and corruption involving members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Four grand jury indictments and one criminal complaint allege crimes that include unjustified beatings of jail inmates and visitors at downtown Los Angeles jail facilities, unjustified detentions and a conspiracy to obstruct a federal investigation into misconduct at the Men's Central Jail.

For more on the LASD and misconduct in the department, read and watch LA County Sheriff's Hassle Photographer, Trample Constitution, Get Lauded by Bosses: