1 hour of general MCLE credit is available, if approved, with sign-in and sign-out on the day of the event. This activity is pending approval. LMU Loyola Law School is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider.
In 2012, the Citizen's Commission on Jail Violent detailed constitutional crises and institutionalized misconduct within the Los Angeles County jail system and the Sheriff's Department (LASD). In response, the County created the Office of the Inspector General in 2014. In 2015, the County inaugurated its first civilian oversight body, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission with powers to investigate complaints against the Sheriff, including to subpoena witnesses to give live testimony under oath.
Ten years later, Los Angeles' oversight bodies are hamstrung by barriers created by law enforcement unions, LASD, and the County alike. The Civilian Oversight Commission, along with the Office of Inspector General and the Sybil Brand Commission in charge of jail inspections are currently under attack or threat of downsizing or sunsetting by the County that created them: Supervisor Barger dismissed the Chair of the Civilian Oversight Commission, Rob Bonner, as he attempted to litigate the Commission’s right to independent scrutiny of the Sheriffs, and the county’s Executive Office is currently proposing to disband the Sybil Brand Commission and reduce the number of inspectors employed by the Office of Inspector General.
Meanwhile, LASD remains unchecked. 2025 has been one of the deadliest years on record for Los Angeles Jails, with 38 people dying in LASD's custody. LASD continues to be scrutinized for excessive uses of force against the public and its leadership's inability to eradicate racist and violent deputy gangs from its ranks. This panel will discuss both the inability and unwillingness of the County to engage in oversight of the Sheriffs, and the limitations of the commission model for doing so.
The Policing Los Angeles Forum is part of the Loyola Anti-Racism Center and provides a venue to discuss core developments in police organization and policing in Los Angeles; to evaluate their impact on the communities around the city; and to develop strategies for innovation and change. We seek to create a series of conversations about Policing Los Angeles, seeking input from diverse groups, including LAPD and Sheriffs, academics, lawyers, policymakers, media, and social activists.