The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has published a new policy entitled: “Prohibition – Law Enforcement Gangs and Hate Groups.”

The policy can be found in the Department’s Manual of Policy and Procedures at 3-01/050.82.

This new department policy is consistent with California Penal Code Section 13680, et. seq. (the California Law Enforcement Accountability Reform Act), California Penal Code section 13670 (addressing Law Enforcement Gangs), California Penal Code section 13682 (consequences of hate group participation), and California Penal Code section 13510.9 (reporting such conduct to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training).  The policy will become effective 30 days from today, but all Department members have been notified of the new policy.

The new department policy includes:

Clear definitions of terms such as law enforcement gang, hate group, membership in a hate group, and participation in a hate group – definitions which exist in California law;

Prohibitions against participating in, soliciting others to participate in, or being members of a law enforcement gang;

Prohibitions against participating in, soliciting others to participate in, or being a member of a hate group;

Requirements for Department members to participate in investigations of prohibited activity;

Recognition that criminal allegations may be referred to the appropriate prosecutorial office;

Requirements that allegations of participation in any prohibited group be referred to the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), which can result in the suspension or revocation of an individual law enforcement officer’s certification.

“Our employees are dedicated professionals who maintain the highest standards of integrity and service,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. “While I recognize the issue of law enforcement gangs has only involved a small fraction of the Department, I also acknowledge that this long-standing issue must be addressed appropriately to maintain the community’s trust in us. The tireless efforts of our team to move the culture forward, strengthen our reputation, and eliminate any lingering shadows of mistrust are crucial to our public safety mission.”

In developing this policy, the Department obtained input from its oversight bodies, and engaged in a meet and confer process with its labor organizations. The Department will continue to work with and collaborate with the Civilian Oversight Commission, the Office of Inspector General, the Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association and the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs in addressing critical issues of importance.