Family Of LA County Sheriff’s Deputy Plan To Claim In Lawsuit That Forced Overtime Contributed To His Death

The parents of L.A. County Sheriff’s Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who was shot in his patrol car outside the Palmdale station in September, are expected to file a $20 million lawsuit, claiming a culture of rampant overtime created a safety hazard.

In their action against L.A. County, the sheriff’s department, and the city of Palmdale, parents Michael and Kim Clinkunbroomer filed a government claim for wrongful death, assault, and civil rights violations on Monday, which is required before you can sue a government agency.

They’re accusing the LASD and Sheriff Robert Luna of forcing employees to work more than 100 hours of overtime a month, which they claim created an unsafe working environment.

“The county did not pull the trigger,” Brad Gage, the Clinkunbroomers' attorney, said at a news conference Tuesday. “But what the county did is help to facilitate this tragic and needless death.”

According to the Clinkunbroomers' claim, Luna and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors knew the dangers of forced overtime, but required it anyway.

Gage said sheriff’s officials have complained for years about being understaffed and have asked for more funding from the Board of Supervisors several times, but were denied.

At the Palmdale station specifically, Gage said about 41% of the night shifts were being filled by officers on overtime.

Ryan Clinkunbroomer had worked overnight and into the morning the Saturday he was killed, according to his mother. She said he had gotten home around 8 a.m. Sept. 16 to sleep for a few hours before he went back to the Palmdale station for his 4 p.m. shift. Ryan Clinkunbroomer was shot in an ambush about two hours later.

A 29-year-old suspect was taken into custody two days later after an armed standoff outside his home.

“I fully believe that if my son was not overworked, that he would have been in a better position to not be where he is today,” Kim Clinkunbroomer said.

Michael Clinkunbroomer said it’s clear to the family that Ryan Clinkunbroomer would have responded safely, and would still be here today, if he hadn’t been so fatigued and exhausted.

The Clinkunbroomers come from four generations of law enforcement. Kim Clinkunbroomer, who worked for the LASD for 10 years, said suing the department is the last thing she’d ever thought she’d be doing.

“Money is only part of it, a very small part of it, to be quite frank with you,” she said. “It's about change. It's about change in the way these guys are treated.”

The LASD, the county, and Palmdale have 45 days to respond to the Clinkunbroomer’s claim. The family can file a lawsuit once that time has passed, which would be early next year.

In a statement, the LASD said their thoughts continue to remain with the Clinkunbroomer family.

“The senseless ambush murder of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was the epitome of evil and the Department continues to mourn his death,” the statement said. "We lost a valued member of our Department family who was committed to serving our communities. The Sheriff’s Department remains committed to securing a successful prosecution against the individual responsible for Ryan’s murder.”