The Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission has established a new committee to evaluate and reform how the Sheriff’s Department handles complaints from residents about deputy misconduct.
The nine-member commission on Thursday, Dec. 19, unanimously approved the creation of the Complaints Ad Hoc Committee, tasked with recommending policy and procedural changes to simplify the process for residents to file complaints against sheriff’s personnel and address related issues.
Commissioners Arthur Calloway II, Luis Garcia, James Harris and Hans Johnson will serve on the ad hoc committee. They are expected to review best practices from other large law-enforcement agencies and propose reforms.
The committee also aims to ensure complaints are investigated promptly, appropriate disciplinary actions are taken and complainants receive timely updates.
“For too long, we have been told by members of the public that the LASD complaints process is broken; that it is not working,” Robert Bonner, the chair of the LA Sheriff’s Civilian Oversight Commission, said in a statement.
“It is time for the commission to take a hard look at how the Sheriff’s Department handles complaints of misconduct against its deputies,” he added. “If the LASD is going to investigate its own, it is imperative that there be effective oversight and visibility into the process.”
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