On August 13, 2020, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced that 26 department employees will receive letters of intent to suspend or terminate as a result of their involvement in a fight between deputies at Kennedy Hall in East Los Angeles in September 2018.

Following that incident, allegations arose about a deputy clique within the Department at the East Los Angeles patrol station of a subgroup known as the “Bandidos.”

Villanueva re-emphasized his zero-tolerance stance on this very important issue for both the Department and the community.

For the first time in the department’s history and at the direction of Villanueva, LASD has implemented a policy that addresses misconduct by cliques and subgroups, allowing the department to take administrative action against employees who engage in this type of behavior.

LASD Chief Matthew Burson, who oversees the department’s Professional Standards Division, announced the department’s newly enacted deputy clique policy that holds deputies to a higher standard as it relates to misconduct by deputy cliques and/or subgroups. Burson explained that if a deputy violated department policy the corrective actions will range from suspensions to termination of employment.

Finally, Commander April Tardy, who oversees LASD’s Central Patrol Division, outlined the administrative investigation process and how these numerous investigations are also reviewed by outside agencies including the District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Inspector General.

“After 20 months in office, we have taken the legal and procedural steps necessary to ensure that we are holding our employees accountable to the rule of law, as I will not tolerate any group of employees who mistreats any member of the community or another member of the Department,” Villanueva said.

Watch the full press conference here.