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:

Comments

[Ken Shultz]

"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."

Make 'em apologize and promise to never do it again.

Hillary says, "What difference does it make?"

[Agammamon]

Fuck

You know what? If it wasn't for the seriousness of the subject, North Korea's political machinations would make a freaking awesome 'Game of Thrones'-like tv series.

[Ted S.]

Could you imagine if a private sector organization were this negligent in its hiring practices?

[Episiarch]

(starts imagining company going out of business after having the living shit sued out of it)

Yes.

[CE]

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.

Can't they at least fire the schmo who hired them then?

[Rich]

This. FFS.

[Hugh Akston]

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.

As the unarmed homeless man bled out onto the cold pavement, the last thought in his dying brain was that sweet justice would prevail when his death became a demerit on the officer's administrative record.

[AdamJ]

So depressing...

[Tejicano]

They had to hire them to find out what was in them.

[Zombie Jimbo]

THe US Attorney's statement mentions the accusation of "unjustified beating of jail inmates and visitors". I guess that implies that the US Attorney believes that there are justified beatings of inmates and visitors.

I'm not surprised.

[RishJoMo]

Wow thats pretty pathetic man, I mean like seriously.

http://www.AnonGoes.tk

[AdamJ]

Here's how you fire them:
Cut their budget by 50%. They are clearly causing more harm than good at this point. LA citizens should sue them for defamation of city character causing extreme mental anguish. They could point to lost revenue due to people not moving to LA because the sherriffs give them a bad reputation. Get creative LA!