Watchdog says sheriff, county are interfering

Funding cuts and legal challenges could soon make oversight a 'pipe dream,' official warns.

- BY CONNOR SHEETS

GENARO MOLINA Los Angeles Times ROBERT Bonner says he was pushed from his role.

After steadily gaining power and influence for more than a decade, the watchdogs that provide civilian oversight of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department face an uncertain future.

A recent leadership exodus has left behind gaps in experience and knowledge, and a succession of legal challenges and funding cuts by the county have left some concerned that long-fought gains in transparency are slipping away.

"It is beginning to look like the idea of effective oversight of the Sheriff's Department is a pipe dream," said Robert Bonner, former chairman of the Civilian Oversight Commission, who announced in June that he was being pushed into "involuntarily leaving" before he completed pending work.

Current and former oversight officials have argued that the county counsel's office, the Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff’s Department have repeatedly undermined efforts to rein in law enforcement misconduct.

The cumulative effect, some advocates worry, is that the public will know less about law enforcement activity, and that there will be fewer independent investigations into deputies and department leaders alike.

"The Sheriff is committed to transparency in law enforcement," the department said via email. "As we move forward it is essential to strengthen collaboration with the [Civilian Oversight Commission] while ensuring that the rights and safety of our personnel are protected."

In recent years, oversight bodies have uncovered information about so-called deputy gangs, published reports on inhumane jail conditions and issued subpoenas for records related to on-duty use of force incidents.