Town Halls
- Meetings
- Town Halls
Lifting Community Voices
L.A. County residents are invited to town halls regarding the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Following speaker remarks, local leaders would like to hear about your experience with deputies & how you feel about public safety in your community. Bring your observations, thoughts & suggestions. Join us at the upcoming town hall.
Next Steps:
After listening to community feedback & conducting research, Commission staff work with ad hoc committees to prepare recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, the Sheriff's Department & the public. As the Commission works to boost transparency & accountability, community input drives the ongoing analysis of the department’s policies, practices & procedures.
Community Meeting in Pico Rivera, July 15, 2023
On Saturday, July 15, there was a community meeting at the Probation Training Center in Pico Rivera. The community was invited to meet Commission leadership and discuss the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The community shared their experiences with Sheriff's deputies and how they felt about public safety in their communities. Listen to the audio file here.
Community Meeting in South Los Angeles, June 24, 2023
On Saturday, June 24, there was a community meeting at the Florence Library in South Los Angeles. The community shared their experiences with Sheriff's deputies and how they felt about public safety in their communities. Listen to the audio file here.
Community Meeting on LASD in Palmdale, May 13, 2023
On Saturday, May 13, there was a community meeting at Legacy Commons Auditorium in Palmdale. The community was invited to meet Commission leadership and discuss the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. You can view written public comments online here.
Community Meeting on Deputy Gangs - April 15, 2023
Nearly 100 local residents attended the community meeting on Deputy Gangs on Saturday, April 15 at the East Los Angeles Service Center. Civilian Oversight Commission leadership listened to the public as they shared their experiences with deputies and thoughts on deputy gangs in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Watch the video or listen to the meeting audio. You can review the written public comments online here.
Virtual Community Listening Session
Hosted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Office of Violence Prevention & the L.A. County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission
On Tuesday, November 30, 2021, community members joined a virtual community listening session regarding the Family Assistance Program, which supports families following a fatal use of force or death while in the custody of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. The program aims to improve communication between County Departments and families of the decedents through compassionate communication and trauma-informed responses, services, and support to families, friends, and witnesses following an in-custody death or fatal use of force. The Family Assistance Program has provided services to families since August of 2019 under the Department of Mental Health and is in transition to the Department of Public Health's Office of Violence Prevention. Community feedback was voluntary and assists in the improvement of the program. Panel speakers included Patti Giggans, Civilian Oversight Commissioner and Peace Over Violence Executive Director; Andrea Welsing, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Office of Violence Prevention Director; Wendy Blanco, Peace Over Violence Counseling Services and Trauma Recovery Director. Watch the Facebook video or view the Webex recording.
Hosted by the City of West Hollywood & the L.A. County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission
On Monday, June 14, 2021, residents were invited to a virtual community listening session regarding the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in the City of West Hollywood. Local leaders shared their expertise and heard from the community about law enforcement response to mental health situations & homelessness in West Hollywood. Panel speakers included Lael Rubin, Civilian Oversight Commission Chair & Former Deputy District Attorney; John Gannon, Captain, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department; Sanjay Shah, LCSW, Mental Health Clinical Program Manager II, L.A. County Department of Mental Health; Ryan Vienna, Lieutenant, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department; Eden Anai Luna, Los Angeles LGBT Center's Transgender Economic Empowerment Project; and Clifford Roberts, Step Up on Second. Additional panelists included Amanda Laflen, Chair, City of West Hollywood Public Safety Commission; Tory Berger, Vice Chair, City of West Hollywood Public Safety Commission; Casimiro U. Tolentino, L.A. County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission Vice-Chair; James P. Harris, L.A. County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission member; Annadennise Briz, Sergeant, L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. Watch the Facebook video or view the Webex recording.
Virtual Town Hall
Community Crime Rates & Public Safety
On Tuesday, June 8, 2021, the Commission hosted a town hall with guest panelists who spoke on changes in community crime rates & public safety, law enforcement crisis response, response time & patrolling in neighborhoods, parks & transit and other public safety issues.
Speakers included: Lael Rubin, Civilian Oversight Commission Chair & Former Deputy District Attorney; April Tardy, Chief, Central Patrol Division, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department; Rob Jones, Captain, Operation Safe Streets, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department; Brant A. Putnam, M.D., Chief, Division of Trauma, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Department of Health Services; Andrea Welsing, Director, Office of Violence Prevention, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Dr. Michael J.T. Fisher, Pastor of the Greater Zion Church Family; and Casimiro U. Tolentino, Commission Vice-Chair & Former Administrative Law Judge for the State of California. Play the video below or view the Webex recording.
Community Listening Session: Reflections on the Criminal Justice System
On Tuesday, April 27, 2021, the Commission hosted a Listening Session where the the community reflects on events involving our criminal justice system, thoughts on improving the system and strategies we all can use to address the trauma and stress that often is associated with interactions with law enforcement. The death of George Floyd, amongst others, and subsequent conviction of Derek Chauvin have highlighted the struggles many have with our nation’s criminal justice system. The session helped to support community efforts to express our concerns, make constructive recommendations and discover ways to collectively heal.
Speakers included: Lael Rubin, Civilian Oversight Commission Chair & Former Deputy District Attorney; Wendy Blanco, Director of Counseling Services & Trauma Recovery, Peace Over Violence; Robin Toma, Executive Director Human Relations Commission; Pierre Arreola, Senior Human Relations Consultant, Human Relations Commission; & Pastor V. Jesse Smith from The Way Center of Truth. Play the video below or view the Webex recording.
Law Enforcement Interactions with People Who Have Mental Health Conditions or Developmental Disabilities
On Thursday, April 22, 2021, the Commission held a Town Hall on interactions with people who have mental health conditions or developmental disabilities. This event is created a safe space for leaders and community members to provide feedback about law enforcement crisis response to incidents involving people who have mental health conditions or developmental disabilities; public safety needs of, and law enforcement efforts to serve these community members and their families; and ideas to reduce negative interactions or improve outcomes of these exchanges, among other concerns.
Speakers included: Lael Rubin, Civilian Oversight Commission Chair & Former Deputy District Attorney; Pietro “Piero” D’Ingillo, Clinical Psychologist, Psychological Services Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; Dr. Jonathan Sherin, Director, Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health; Mark Gale, Criminal Justice Chair, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Greater Los Angeles County; Judy Mark, co-founder and President, Disability Voices United; Casimiro U. Tolentino, Civilian Oversight Commission Vice Chair & Former Administrative Law Judge for the State of California; & Brian K. Williams, Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission. Play the video below or view the Webex recording.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's Use of Force
On Thursday, March 4, 2021, the Commission held a Town Hall on Los Angeles County Sheriff Department's Use of Force to hear about residents' experience with deputies & how they feel about public safety in their communities. Speakers included: Lael Rubin, Civilian Oversight Commission Chair & Former Deputy District Attorney; Casimiro U. Tolentino, Civilian Oversight Commission Vice Chair & Former Administrative Law Judge for the State of California; Patti Giggans, Civilian Oversight Commissioner & Executive Director of Peace Over Violence; John Raphling, Senior Researcher, Human Rights Watch; and V. Jesse Smith, Senior Pastor of The Way Center of Truth, Inc. & founder of Heights of Greatness Leadership Institute. Play the video below or view the Webex recording.