This is historical, archived material from the administration of the 33rd Sheriff of Los Angeles County, Alex Villanueva. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
The statements, letters, writings, and utterings made by the 33rd Sheriff do not reflect the current view of the Los Angeles County Sheriff, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, or the County of Los Angeles.
Current statements can be viewed on the Department’s main site, LASD.org
Sheriff addresses Several Areas of Public Interesthttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/i-qpSgwQh-X4-1-1024x512.jpg1024512SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d17acab79bb8806a81f70b6402a24315?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Sheriff Alex Villanueva Addresses Several Areas of Current Public Interest
On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, Sheriff Alex Villanueva held a press conference to address several areas of current public interest.
In his opening statement, Sheriff Villanueva talked about CSULA conducting an independent analysis. The study includes examining the organizational structure, policies, and procedures that govern LASD’s response to deputy misconduct between January 1, 2012, and July 31, 2022. The outcome of this analysis resulted in 48 complaints per month; on average timeline from allegation to disposition was 144 days. “Misconduct is an individual behavior and occurs independent of tattoo status. Rather cases involving the presence of a tattoo and allegations of misconduct are coincidental,” according to the people who conducted the analysis.
He also discussed the lawsuits brought by Austreberto Gonzalez, the Estate of Paul Rea, and Robin Limon, which have fallen apart due to false narratives and lack of evidence. The lawsuits filed were all driven by a failed sheriff’s candidate recruiting department members to sue and became a very elaborate campaign strategy.
The sheriff displayed the letter to the Board of Supervisors regarding Office of Inspector General, Max Huntsman to correct the record based on what he said and what he did. However, the BOS refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing by Huntsman. He explains that the Board of Supervisors portrayed the sheriff through narrative as being insubordinate against the BOS and created an elaborate system to give a negative impression to the public about the sheriff himself even though all the information was provided to them based on what they were legally entitled. Yet when it came time for Max Huntsman to testify, his testimony was secretive. Huntsman’s testimony took place behind closed doors, where he recanted everything said in public, including the identification of gang members.
He continued to show how the District Attorney was holding off releasing the results of high-profile cases of Anthony Weber, Andres Guardado, Enzo Escalante, and Dijon Kizzee, of which three were found to be justifiable, and one declined to file charges. Yet, the results were not released because of political purposes.
During his four years in office, he faced complex challenges, from the Bobcat Fire to a worldwide pandemic, from protests and riots to the homeless crisis, to name a few of the constant challenges (See material used during the press conference). Yet with the challenges the sheriff faced, many accomplishments were achieved: ICE was removed from jails, SCAAP Grant Funding rejected, and CCW’s attainable (See material used during the press conference).
Sheriff Villanueva wished the incoming sheriff Robert Luna well on his new endeavor. The safety of the community depends on him as well as the welfare of every member of the department.
Sheriff Villanueva thanks every department member for their hard work and dedication. “They are true heroes.” He continues to thank the media for doing what they can, having patience when reporting the information, and being the voice of democracy that will survive.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is a voluntary Association. People are not forced to be deputy sheriffs; you have to want to be a deputy sheriff. People have faith in the leadership and the work ethic of this organization.”-Sheriff Villanueva.
Temple Station Deputies Save two Teens with Narcanhttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/themes/blade/images/empty/thumbnail.jpg150150SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/6a8e462dc3c3529902749584e2cb129a?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Image taken from body-worn camera footage of the rescue, showing deputies Duran, Cuevas, and Lopez administering Narcan to the two teenage boys.
Two teenagers are alive today, thanks to Deputy Sheriffs assigned to Temple Station and Narcan.
On the evening of November 3, 2022, Deputies Duran, Cuevas, and Lopez responded to the 700 block of Betty Hill Drive, in the city of Duarte regarding a medical distress call. The call stated two 17-year-old teenagers were not breathing, and the family screaming for help could be heard in the background.
Deputies Duran, Cuevas, and Lopez were the first units to arrive at the residence. They found two teenage boys lying on a bedroom floor, unresponsive, with family members performing CPR. The Deputies immediately assessed both teenagers and saw they were not breathing. Believing the teenagers ingested Fentanyl or another type of opioid drug, the deputies administered three doses of Naloxone, also known as Narcan, to each teenager while simultaneously administering live-saving first aid/CPR.
Within minutes, both teenagers began breathing, and Deputies were able to locate a pulse. Upon the arrival of the LA County Fire Department, both teenagers were transported to a hospital, where they were treated and subsequently released to their parents. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said, “If not for the swift, decisive action of these deputies, both young men would have become lives claimed by the opioid pandemic.”
In the body-worn camera footage, depicted below, you can see the deputies arrive and effect the rescue.
Fentanyl is a pharmaceutical drug created to help patients with pain management. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin.
Fentanyl is one of the most dangerous and deadly substances ever produced. Illicit drug manufacturers and distributors discovered Fentanyl offers a very effective replacement filler or supplement to street-level drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
The best way to help combat the Fentanyl drug problem is through awareness and education. #LASD asks that you please take the time to educate your children and loved ones on the dangers of not just Fentanyl but all drugs! Remember, one wrong choice can cost you your life. For more information on research, training, and topics about drug abuse, visit https://www.drugabuse.gov/.
Los Angeles County Sheriff and other Officials Announce Crack Down on Illegal Marijuana Operationshttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/B326D4A7-704B-419E-9199-CBFC35B053D7-1024x1024.jpeg10241024SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d17acab79bb8806a81f70b6402a24315?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and other Officials Announce Crack Down on Illegal Marijuana Operations
In the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 17, 2022, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted a joint operation to take down multiple illegal marijuana grows in the Antelope Valley.
Almost a year after the most extensive drug operation in the history of the Sheriff’s Department took place, Sheriff Alex Villanueva returned to let everyone know that the operation continues to this day. In the first four months of 2022, the Marijuana Eradication Team (MET) served 116 marijuana cultivation-related search warrants. One hundred seven people were arrested, 100 were misdemeanors, and seven were felony arrests. Approximately 101,090 marijuana plants were seized, 53 firearms were confiscated, and 14,980 pounds of harvested marijuana were destroyed.
Continuing in the spring of 2022, LASD narcotics investigators conducted aerial reconnaissance with the California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. They identified 350 outdoor cultivation sites in the Antelope Valley, down from over 750 locations in 2021. This reduction in cultivation sites is directly related to increased enforcement efforts in the Antelope Valley.
MET investigators served search warrants at 80% of the identified sites and anticipate they will have 100% eradicated by the end of the fall of 2022. Most of these sites are connected to Mexican Cartels, Asian organized crime, and other organized crime groups. These illegal cultivation sites threaten the safety of communities, the environment, and wildlife. The unpermitted water wells being drilled to water the illegal crops affect underground aquifers.
“We’ve already identified the problems that this causes here in the Antelope Valley. Downstream, illegal cannabis dispensaries in the basin are a source of extreme amounts of violence. You have robberies, you have murders that we’re handling. Other agencies have to handle in the basin, and they’re all tied to the cash trade down in these illegal dispensaries. In fact, illegal dispensaries outnumber the legal one 50 to 1. That will give you the size of the magnitude of the problem that we’re handling right here,” said Sheriff Villanueva.
“Supervisor Barger is thankful to the partners that are gathered here today for their diligent efforts to keep combatting illegal cannabis cultivation. Please know that you can continue to count on Supervisor Barger’s support,” said Helen Chavez on behalf of Supervisor Barger.
“To any of those who are engaged in the illicit grows, I want you to know that there is a collective effort, and we’re coming after you. You can see, right here in these trailers, where your product is going to end up, and it’s not going to be on our streets. You’ve come after a very sacred thing: our community, you’ve come after our desert, and you’re stealing our water, you’re poisoning our land, and enough is enough! Said Assemblymember for CA 36th District, Tom Lackey.
In July of 2021, the LASD Narcotics investigators created the email address MarijuanaTips@sheriff33.lasd.org. This was done to facilitate and expedite the ability of residents to provide information directly to the detectives investigating marijuana cultivation cases. Detectives strongly encourage the public to use this email address to help eradicate this problem by the fall of 2022.
Sheriff awards two Pastors for community Supporthttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/POST_Pastor_IMG_1123-1024x794.jpg1024794SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d17acab79bb8806a81f70b6402a24315?s=96&d=blank&r=g
This morning, Sheriff Alex Villanueva recognized Pastor Marvin Rodriguez from “City of Refuge” and Pastor Eric Tietze from “Heart of Compassion Ministry” for their dedication to assist the community and improve their quality of life.
Pastor Rodriguez recruits at-risk children within the city of Pico Rivera and outlying areas into his boxing organization, “Marvin Nation” where he provides them with free lessons, life skills, and a strict moral compass. In 2020, he joined the CAC and had since donated 25,000 boxes of food since the onset of the pandemic.
Pastor Tietze tirelessly serves the Los Angeles County community and his ministry. Over the past three years, Pastor Eric has donated over 40 million pounds of food to community members in need.
Pastors Rodriguez and Tietze were awarded for their humanitarian efforts in feeding thousands of families in need throughout Los Angeles County.
Recent Lawsuit by a Disgruntled Employeehttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/048-20220426--1024x512.jpg1024512SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d17acab79bb8806a81f70b6402a24315?s=96&d=blank&r=g
On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, Sheriff Alex Villanueva held a press conference to discuss a recent lawsuit by a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) employee. The Sheriff began with a timeline of events of the investigation related to them that can be viewed below the video under press conference material.
Sheriff Villanueva reiterated that there was no “cover-up” or a “whistle-blower,” everything was documented from the beginning, and the investigation continued.
The video of the UOF surrounding the lawsuit was part of an active criminal case when it was shared with the media. Sharing the video was not a leak; it was considered an obstruction of justice since it was part of an investigation. Pictures of three individuals involved in the video distribution were shown: retired LASD Commander Eliezer Vera, Inspector General Max Huntsman, and LA Times reporter Alene Tchekmedyian.
Sheriff Villanueva concluded by stating that the foundation of the lawsuit in question was false. He shared he and his team are excited to testify on the matter under oath in front of a grand jury in a federal court. He named three command staff members and said he does not use “unnamed” or “multiple sources.”
“We have serious issues to handle out there. We have violent crime, we have homelessness out of control, defunding, and on top of that, I have this circus. This entirely orchestrated for political purposes only,” said Sheriff Villanueva.
When asked by a reporter if the department was investigating Alene from the LA Times, Sheriff Villanueva said the matter was under investigation. He said stolen property was removed illegally from people who had some intent and would be subject to investigation.
Sheriff Villanueva Discusses Proposed 2022-23 County budgethttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/i-jKXGvL7-X3-1024x683.jpg1024683SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d17acab79bb8806a81f70b6402a24315?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Sheriff Villanueva Discusses Proposed 2022-23 County budget
On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, Sheriff Alex Villanueva held a press conference to discuss the implications the proposed 2022 – 23 fiscal year county budget will have on the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD).
During a Board of Supervisors’ (BOS) meeting on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, the BOS unveiled a proposed $38.5 billion LA County budget. A total of four new Los Angeles County Departments were created. $100 million in funds were re-allocated from the Sheriff’s Department to Measure J, and the commitment to close Men’s Central Jail without an alternative plan continues. The budget recommendation includes funding for a total of 513 new positions. However, the LASD hiring freeze will continue, and academy classes are restricted to an unsustainable level.
The Sheriff emphasized that the minimum number of academy classes to keep up with attrition is eight. Yet, the Sheriff’s Department has only had three academy classes per year for the last two years. During 2020 – 2021, 586 sworn and 695 professional staff positions were eliminated from LASD. The total dollar value of those positions was $139,439,000. Sadly, the 1281 positions have not been returned, and neither has the money. The workload, however, has remained the same for all members of the department. During the past ten years, the LASD budget as a percent of the total County budget was 11.7%. The current budget is at a low of 8.9%.
Sheriff Villanueva also mentioned a motion introduced by Supervisors Mitchell and Solis, attempting to oversee LASD’s participation within the Joint Regional Intelligence Center (JRIC), a federal agency. An excerpt of the motion reads: “…as well as reports of potential abuse by the Sheriff of his investigative powers, including investigations and intimidation of the Sheriff’s political enemies.”
Sheriff Villanueva added that the Attorney General is responsible for holding Sheriffs and District Attorneys throughout California accountable. The Sheriff noted JRIC conducts intelligence and analysis; they’re not a primary investigative body. As a result of their intelligence gathering, they hand over potential crimes to the appropriate agency to investigate them. Everyone there has a ‘need to know and a right to know.’
The Sheriff further stated, “Having a political entity (Board of Supervisors) interject themselves in this operation, they’re only doing it for one purpose. They want to see what they’re possibly criminally involved in and what the investigative entities and the intelligence community view of them. So basically, they’re trying to insert the fox into the hen house”. Sheriff Villanueva concluded the press conference by asking the community to get involved and contact the Board of Supervisors. Tell them to make public safety a priority.
Sheriff MTA announcementhttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/POST_MTA_press-confrence-1024x683.jpg1024683SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d17acab79bb8806a81f70b6402a24315?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Sheriff Alex Villanueva Makes a Major Announcement Regarding LASD’s MTA Contract Bid
Sheriff Alex Villanueva held a press conference to make a significant announcement regarding the Los Angeles Sheriff Department and the MTA. The Sheriff expressed his concern regarding public safety on the Metro Transit System in Los Angeles.
Sheriff Villanueva provided statistical information regarding the increase in crime dating back to September 2020 and highlighted examples of violent assaults that occurred on the railways: two LASD deputies ambushed at the Metro Compton Station in September of 2020; A Metro train operator was shot at the Metro Indiana Gold Line Station while operating the train In January 2021; 4 passengers inside the train were shot by known gang members at the Wilmington Station in September 2021. Lastly, in November 2021, a passenger was fatally shot in the head. The suspect also attempted to kill responding Deputies at the Wilmington station.
Sheriff Villanueva expressed how the MTA has turned into an unsafe environment, as several critical incidents have occurred this past year alone. In March 2020, a patron was pushed on the tracks at 7th and Metro Station by a homeless person. That patron suffered severe head trauma. February 2022, a homeless man was cut in half after sleeping on the tracks. January 2022, Sandra Shells was attacked and killed at a bus stop near Union Station. Sheriff Alex Villanueva expressed that the various law enforcement agencies covering the railways and bus routes does not provide adequate coverage due to jurisdictional issues and the stifling of enforcement placed upon peace officers by Metro Board regulations.
Sheriff Villanueva discussed the Metro Board’s policy on private security and the inability to enforce quality of life issues on the metro system. The Sheriff stated, “cops cannot remove an unruly passenger from the trains. This has caused MTA patrons to fear for their safety while onboard the system, and at times, the paying patrons are asked to exit the train. The MTA board only allows the homeless, unruly, drunk, and criminal people on board the trains and buses.”
LASD has provided law enforcement services for Metro since 1997. The LASD has always had full-time personnel strictly assigned and trained for public transit policing. Currently, LASD deploys 300 deputies assigned to Transit Services Bureau.
The Metro Board defunded LASD and, in 2017, decided to move to a multi-agency contract with LAPD and Long Beach Police Department. LASD was reduced to the lowest possible staffing levels, which endangered public and rider safety. Metro Board has expressed its desire to shift from armed law enforcement response to nonviolent crimes and code of conduct violations.
Sheriff Villanueva added the Department intends to bid for the complete Metro Board contract to provide comprehensive law enforcement and public safety services to the entire Bus and railway system. If the bid is denied, LASD personnel will be deployed elsewhere in the county to fulfill staffing vacancies. Sheriff Villanueva further stated, “Effective July 1, 2022, LASD will redeploy our personnel to other critical public safety needs, absent a commitment by the Metro Board upon expiration of the contract.”
Sheriff Villanueva discusses recent allegations of an alleged cover-up involving Department personnelhttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/i-B2sHfH5-X4-1024x576.jpg1024576SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d17acab79bb8806a81f70b6402a24315?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Sheriff Villanueva discussES the recent allegations of an alleged cover-up involving Department personnel
On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, Sheriff Alex Villanueva held a press conference to discuss a series of events that occurred in recent days.
Sheriff Villanueva stated that on March 21, 2022, the Inspector General, Max Huntsman, announced that he had identified 41 deputies who allegedly belong to a “law enforcement gang” within the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD). The information had been known for approximately a year, yet it was decided that a good time to report it was before election time.
Following the announcement of the Inspector General, The Los Angeles Times published an article with the same year-old information. Subsequently, on March 24, the Civilian Oversight Commission, who was appointed by the Board of Supervisors, decided to launch a full-scale investigation into deputy gangs. Again, the Los Angeles Times reported that the civilian commission launched an independent investigation into “deputy gangs.”
Yet, more articles from Gustavo Arellano from the Los Angeles Times were published on March 24 and 25 with incendiary headlines such as: “Villanueva’s beef with firefighters, the L.A. Times, Gascón, ‘Latinx’, and more.” “L.A. County’s Sheriff has a strange obsession with how much media coverage Black people get.” “L.A. County’s Sheriff leans on his Latino identity. Does he exemplify our worst traits?” “Gustavo talks with Sheriff Villanueva: desmadre happens.”
On March 25, 2022, the L.A. Times published yet another article titled: “Fearing bad publicity, LASD covered up case of deputy who knelt on an inmate’s head.” It appears that the author of the article had the information for quite some time, and they were waiting for the right time to release it. Sheriff Villanueva shared that the author of the article sent a series of questions, but the article was published less than an hour after his office received the questions and gave the Department no time to answer them. The article included false information. The only accurate component of the article was an investigation on the use of force.
Lastly, on March 28, 2022, Spectrum News, who has an exclusive licensing cable with L.A. County by the Board of Supervisors, reported that the Oversight Commission launched a probe into deputy gangs within LASD.
Sheriff Villanueva discussed an incident that happened on March 10, 2021, at the San Fernando Courthouse in which a deputy knelt on an inmate’s head for approximately three minutes. A use of force investigation was initiated approximately during the time when it should have been investigated. However, a vetting of the case for a possible criminal investigation did not happen when it was supposed to have happened. Along the way, many people including senior executives saw the video and failed to act accordingly. The investigator reached a point where nothing else could be done except refer it for a criminal investigation, which required the approval of a division Chief. On November 18, 2021, Sheriff Villanueva was made aware of the incident and immediately ordered a criminal investigation into the deputy, who was relieved of duty. The department is waiting on the results of both the administrative and criminal investigations.
The Los Angeles Times claimed that Sheriff Villanueva saw the video shortly after it happened and that’s when an internal investigation was conducted by the Sheriff’s Chief of Staff. “My Chief of Staff reviewed information from the administrative investigation going all the way back to the start and came up with information that was very troubling to me. We took administrative action, and based on that, we’ve had a change in our senior command of the department,” said Sheriff Villanueva.
When he was asked by a reporter why the original incident wasn’t made public at the time, Sheriff Villanueva said it didn’t merit media coverage because no one involved was seriously injured.
Sheriff Villanueva concluded the press conference by stating that “we hold everyone accountable to the rule of law and to the policies of the Sheriff’s Department and I’m not going to sway regardless of who it is.”
Board of supervisors vote to terminate approximately 4000 LASD personnelhttps://sheriff33.lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Sheriff_Statment_Header_2021-1024x249.jpg1024249SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/d17acab79bb8806a81f70b6402a24315?s=96&d=blank&r=g
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS VOTE TO TERMINATE APPROXIMATELY 4,000 LASD PERSONNEL DURING A TIME WHEN MURDERS HAVE INCREASED OVER 94% AND THERE IS A HIRING FREEZE IN THE DEPARTMENT
February 8, 2022
Today the Board of Supervisors followed through on their threat and voted 4-0 (1 abstention) to form a suicide pact and start the process to fire 4,000 deputies for not being vaccinated. Showing deliberate indifference to the obvious impact on public safety, the Board hid behind an alleged threat to public safety they couldn’t back up with data. Tellingly, the Board’s own County Counsel (Rodrigo Castro-Silva) couldn’t offer even a basic legal opinion on the legality of the Board’s motion, or the obvious legal challenges they will face.
The Board, who ignored the comments made by thousands of their constituents today during their meeting, is now seeking to fire the very same personnel who were forced to work in person, exposing themselves to the COVID-19 virus when there was no vaccine, while the Supervisors and most of the workforce were telecommuting from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Supervisor Kuehl falsely asserted in her motion that LASD employees represented 74% of infected County employees, ignoring the simple fact most infections were during pre-vaccine availability.
This moral failure of leadership represents a curious backtracking of their position on the authority of the Human Resources Director to override the authority of the sheriff. At the beginning of my tenure they claimed I did not have the authority to hire and fire my workforce. Now they are claiming the opposite and need to remove that delegated authority from me!
It is important to remember Department personnel who chose not to vaccinate are required to submit to weekly COVID testing, and have committed no administrative offense.
This is nothing more than another politically motivated stunt by the Board, which has no bearing on public health, but will definitely harm public safety.
