Los Angeles Sheriff's Office Denies FOIA on Apparent Suicides of 4 Current or Former LA County Sheriff's Officials in 48-Hour Period
No transparency
December 9, 2023 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - Earlier last month, it was reported that four (4) current or former Los Angeles Sheriff’s Officials had committed suicide within a 48-hour period. From NBC News November 8, 2023:
Four current or former Los Angeles County sheriff’s employees were found dead Monday and Tuesday in deaths that are being investigated as suicides, law enforcement sources said.
The deaths are unrelated to one another, law enforcement sources said.
A captain was found dead at his home in Saugus on Monday morning; hours later, a retired deputy was found dead in the Antelope Valley. Also Monday, a jail official known as a custody assistant was found dead in the Santa Clarita area, law enforcement sources said.
Early Tuesday, sheriff’s detectives were notified that a deputy who worked in a jail was found unresponsive at home and pronounced dead at a hospital in Pomona, the sources said.
All are being investigated as deaths by suicide, but the causes of death have not been established by the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office, according to the sources.
‘The Sheriff’s Department is beyond saddened to learn of the deaths involving four LASD employees, one retired and three current members of the department,’ it said in a statement. - NBC News
I found this news disturbing, especially in light of information that had come out earlier in this year in a 70-page report compiled by the Civilian Oversight Commission’s Special Counsel that accused the LA Sheriff’s Department of harboring secretive groups that must be immediately “excised,” the Commission said, likening the scandal to a cancer. From NBC News, March 3, 2023:
The embattled Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is under fire once again, this time in a scathing 70-page report by a special counsel tasked with investigating secretive groups, or deputy gangs, that have operated within the agency for decades.
The report by the Civilian Oversight Commission condemned the groups, whose members engage in ‘egregious conduct’ like using excessive force and threatening colleagues, as a ‘cancer’ that must be banned immediately. It also accused the union that represents the sheriff's deputies of failing to stop the gangs and protecting alleged members.
The report said that although the groups may have started decades ago with ‘benign intentions,’ they have evolved into deputy gangs ‘whose members not only use gang-like symbols but engage in gang-type and criminal behavior directed against the public and other Department members,’ the report stated.
‘They create rituals that valorize violence, such as recording all deputy involved shootings in an official book,’ the report continued, ‘celebrating with 'shooting parties,' and authorizing deputies who have shot a community member to add embellishments to their common gang tattoos.’
Sheriff Robert Luna said in a statement Friday that he was elected in November to ‘bring new leadership and accountability to this Department’ and thanked the commission for its work but stopped short of committing to immediately ban the cliques.
‘The vast majority of the Department personnel are hardworking and dedicated professionals who are committed to humbly serving the community,’ Luna said. ‘We look forward to working with the Civilian Oversight Commission and Inspector General on this in the future.’
Luna announced last month that he was creating an Office of Constitutional Policing to eradicate deputy gangs, comply with consent decrees, and ensure the department’s policies and procedures uphold the public’s constitutional rights. The office will be led by former U.S Attorney Eileen Decker and staffed with attorneys, investigators and auditors. - NBC News
It is currently unknown whether there is a connection between the bizarre spate of suicides that took place last month within a 48-hour window and the scandal of the deputy gangs.
On November 8, 2023 when news broke of the suicides, I filed a FOIA request with the LA Sheriff’s Office requesting the following information:
- Any records related to the deaths of four current or former Los Angeles County sheriff's employees that occurred on November 6 and 7, 2023, and are being investigated as suicides, as reported by NBC News and other media outlets.
- Any records related to the identities, ranks, assignments, and years of service of the four deceased individuals.
- Any records related to the causes and circumstances of the deaths, including but not limited to autopsy reports, toxicology reports, suicide notes, incident reports, and investigation reports.
- Any records related to the mental health and wellness programs and resources available to the Los Angeles County sheriff's employees, and the utilization and effectiveness of such programs and resources.
- Any records related to the policies and procedures for preventing and responding to suicides among the Los Angeles County sheriff's employees, and the implementation and evaluation of such policies and procedures.
On December 7, 2023 my FOIA request was rejected, you can read the rejection letter here.
They have denied my FOIA on privacy grounds and claiming the request is overly “broad.” They did provide training materials which I have uploaded and will post here:
LA County Sheriff’s Office Manual and Policy - Dead Bodies
LA County Sheriff’s Office PSB Brochure Alcohol
LA County Sheriff’s Office Psychological Services Bureau
LA County Sheriff’s Office PSB Peer Support Redacted
LA County Sheriff’s Office Training Bureau Crisis Intervention Training