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LA jail violence panel hears from experts, deputies' union
A crowd comprised primarily of members of the LA County Sheriff's department attended the July 27, 2012 hearing during which Undersheriff Paul Tanaka testified about allegations of abuse in county jails.
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Bear Guerra/KPCC
)
The Los Angeles Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence is expected to hear from top experts on incarceration Friday. The panel is also hearing from leaders from the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs (ALADS).
In early testimony this morning, ALADS President Floyd Hayhurst said deputy morale at the jails has declined as a result of new scrutiny of L.A. County lockups.
“[Morale] is probably at an all-time low,” Hayhurst said.
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors created the panel after the FBI launched an investigation into allegations of widespread abuse of inmates. The ACLU has collected more than 100 declarations from inmates who say deputies beat them up.
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In addition, reports from the Office of Independent Review and Special Counsel Merrick Bobb dating as far back as 20 years indicated increases in use of force by Sheriff’s deputies at Men’s Central Jail in particular.
#LA Jails Commission: union leader Hayhurst says inmate abuse exaggerated: "deputies as a whole are doing a fabulous job."
— Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) August 3, 2012
#LA Jails Commission: deputies union warns Sheriff Baca's reforms are "empowering inmates." "At some point... they will riot."
— Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) August 3, 2012
Follow KPCC's Frank Stoltze on Twitter at @StoltzeFrankly for more.
Last week, Sheriff Lee Baca and Undersheriff Paul Tanaka said they did not know about any abuses inside the jails. Baca also indicated he was uninterested in reviewing past abuses.
“There are limits to digging up dirt,” he said. “We know we screwed up in the past.”
The commission is expected to issue a report suggesting jail reforms later this year. The sheriff, who is independently elected by voters, is not obligated to follow them.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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