Secret Deputy Subgroups

The Commission recognizes the existence of secret deputy subgroups in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and acknowledges it is a significant problem that requires a proactive and multifaceted response. At the October 2018 Commission meeting, an Ad Hoc Committee was created to address the issue of secret deputy subgroups. 

On April 23, 2019, the Commission voted unanimously on a motion to direct the Office of Inspector General (OIG) to conduct an inquiry into the existence of secret deputy subgroups within the Sheriff’s Department to determine why, how, and to what end personnel join these groups. The OIG is also directed to determine whether members of these groups engage in conduct that violates Department policy or the law.

“We look forward to this long-awaited inquiry,” said Sean Kennedy, L.A. County Civilian Oversight Commissioner and Executive Director of Center for Juvenile Law & Policy at Loyola Law School. “This is an issue that has been impacting communities for decades, and we are looking forward to the results of this investigation so we can move forward in recommending solutions to this issue.”