| Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department | |
| Abbreviation | LASD |
| Patch of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. | |
| Badge of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1850 |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction* | County (US) of Los Angeles in the state of California, United States |
| Size | 12,308 km² |
| Population | 2.8 million |
| Legal jurisdiction | Los Angeles County, California |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Monterey Park, California |
| Sworn members | 9,000+ (700 Reserve) = Deputy Sheriff |
| Civilians | 7,600+ |
| Agency executive | Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff |
| Regions |
3
|
| Facilities | |
| Stations |
23
|
| Website | |
| LASD official site | |
| Footnotes | |
| * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police Department, followed by the Los Angeles Police Department as third. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is the largest Sheriff's department in the world,[1] and provides general-service law enforcement to unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, serving as the equivalent of the county police for unincorporated areas of the county, as well as incorporated cities within the county who have contracted with the agency for law-enforcement services (known as "contract cities" in local jargon). Forty-two of the county’s eighty-eight cities contract with the Sheriff’s Department to provide local police protection. These cities, range in population from 700 to 175,000, and in size from 1 to 100 square miles.[2] It also holds primary jurisdiction over facilities operated by Los Angeles County, such as local parks, marinas and government buildings; provides bailiff service for the Superior Court of California - County of Los Angeles; operates the county jail system; and provides services, such as crime laboratories, homicide investigations, and academy training, to smaller law enforcement agencies within the county. The "LASD" is also the second largest transit police force in the nation (aside from NYPD) through policing contracts of the Metro trains and buses of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Metrolink. Furthermore, with policing contracts with nine campuses of the Los Angeles Community College and Lancaster Community College District, the LASD is the largest community policing agency in the U.S. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is sometimes referred to as the Los Angeles Sheriff's Office (LASO). The department's headquarters are in Monterey Park.[3]
Beginning on March 10, 2007, actor Jackie Chan joined forces with the LA County Sheriff's Department in their current recruitment campaign, oriented towards encouraging more members of the Asian American community to join the Sheriff's Department. In the announcement with Sheriff Lee Baca, Chan was seen wearing an LA County Sheriff's Deputy uniform.[4][5][6] One LASD public service announcement has already featured Chan.
On December 15, 2009, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to merge the Office of Public Safety into the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The merge took place on June 30, 2010.
The LASD is the largest sheriff's department, and the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States. There are more than 17,000 employees; over 9,600 of whom are sworn deputies and over 7,600 civilians (professional staff). There are an additional 4,200 civilian volunteers, 800 reserve deputies and 400 explorers. Leroy D. Baca has been the elected Sheriff since 1998.
LASD deputies provided law enforcement services to over three million residents in an area of 3,171 square miles (8,210 km2) of the 4,083 square miles on the county, both in the unincorporated County land and within the 42 contract cities.
The following are the LASD Divisions:
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department operates the largest jail system in the United States. The Los Angeles County Jail provides short-term incarceration services for all of the County (including cities like Los Angeles, Glendale, Burbank, and Long Beach which have their own police departments). The Men's Central Jail (MCJ) and Twin Towers Correctional Facility (TTCF) are located in a dense cluster northeast of Union Station that is next to the station's rail yard. The North County Correctional Facility (NCCF) is the largest of the four jail facilities located at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, California. The other facilities are East Facility, North Facility, and South Facility.
Some of the newer contract cities like Santa Clarita and West Hollywood have never had police departments. When their city governments were founded, they took over what was formerly unincorporated land, but then contracted their police responsibilities right back to the county sheriff. Since the department already had substations in those areas anyway, the result was to maintain the status quo.
In contrast, Compton, California, used to have a police department, but in 2000, the city council voted to dismantle the troubled police department and become a contract city. Compton has been at times notorious for gang violence, especially during its recent history.
L.A. County Sheriff's academy training is at Sheriff's Training Academy and Regional Services Center (STARS Center) in unincorporated South Whittier. Reserves may use either STARS Center or College of the Canyons (Santa Clarita) for academy training. Academy training is 18 weeks. Many law enforcement agencies throughout Los Angeles County utilize STARS Center and deputy sheriff trainees graduating as deputy sheriffs also undergo detention-specific training.
The LASD has gained an international reputation for its efforts in developing and integrating the latest law enforcement technologies, especially nonlethal weapons. Because many developers, especially those developing technologies for the U.S. Department of Defense, have little idea of the needs of domestic law enforcement, the LASD provides experts to assist in the development and implementation of technologies that will be of service to law enforcment when fully mature. In the late 1990s, the LASD successfully implemented a county-wide sound recorder/meter system, ShotStopper, to detect loud noises.[7] When dispatch has a call from a citizen reporting possible gunfire near their residence, these sound towers can pinpoint within about 25 to 30 feet (9.1 m) where the shots were coming from and record the sound for investigative purposes, and at the same time, relay the GPS info to HQ and deputies on the street. The system has been up and running for several years and has been responsible for numerous felony arrests.
Currently, the LASD is working with the FAA and local government officials to deploy their remote control aerial surveillance drone system. This would allow the Sheriff's Department to have real time imagery from the streets of Los Angeles to combat street violence and record crimes in progress, not to mention searching for missing hikers, "patrolling" behind the surf zones of the beaches and looking for lost children. The drones are not intended to replace police helicopters, but in specific incidents could be better, cheaper and quieter to use.
Starting in 2009, LASD began leasing electric-powered Mini Cooper cars for $10 a month each. In exchange, Mini Cooper's parent company, BMW, requested feedback about the cars. One of the cars is currently being used at the Sheriff Substation at Universal City, CA.[8]
The LASD hired the first female deputy sheriff in the United States in 1912. Margaret Q. Adams remained a deputy in the evidence department at the Los Angeles Courthouse for 35 years, until her retirement in 1947.
The Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) is the LASD's version of SWAT teams, a creation of the nearby LAPD. LASD SEB and LAPD SWAT have helped the U.S. Department of Defense in the past by training U.S. Army Rangers, Special Forces, and other military units on policing skills prior to being deployed overseas. Law enforcement agencies from across the nation and around the world often look to the LASD SEB and LAPD SWAT teams for training and advice, often sending experienced officers to train under both departments.[9]
In 1992, after the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, both the LAPD SWAT and LASD SEB teams decided to work on tactics that would rescue people from dangerous crowds, and at the same time provide a way to eliminate a threat, such as a gunman, without being noticed by a hostile crowd. In the first example, the idea was to have SWAT ride in one of the city's Air Rescue helicopter units with LAFD and LASD paramedics to enter a scene, using SWAT as a threat to ground opposition while LAFD paramedics could safely drop in and pick up an injured person. In the second example, sharpshooters could be used at high altitudes in LASD air units to look for any potential threats on the ground, and at the same time neutralize any would-be killers.
The LASD Air Rescue program is used for many emergencies in L.A. County, most notably the wildfire-prone Angeles National Forest. Those who are trapped in hard to reach areas will usually be found and rescued by LASD Air Rescue. The LASD staffs multiple sea King helicopters for this program.
In addition to having a fleet of three Sikorsky Sea Kings, the LASD also utilizes 14 Eurocopter AS-350 AStars helicopters and 3 Hughes/Schweizer 300 series S-300C helicopters.
The Sky Knight Helicopter Program is an airborne law enforcement program in Lakewood, California which was started in 1966. The unit operates using non-sworn pilots, employed by the city of Lakewood, partnered with a sworn deputy sheriff from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Lakewood station. The unit currently operates three Schweizer 300C helicopters, based at Long Beach airport and flies about 1,800 hours per year. Today, the Sky Knight program is completely integrated within the sheriff's tactical operations. Five other cities (Artesia, Bellflower, Hawaiian Gardens, Paramount and Cerritos) contract with Lakewood to participate in the Sky Knight program. These five cities also contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for police services.
By sex:
By race:
Rank insignia for Lieutenant through Sheriff is worn on the collars of the shirt and the shoulders of the jacket. Rank insignia for Sheriff's Deputies/Detectives and Sergeants is worn on the upper sleeves.
| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | |
| Undersheriff | |
| Assistant Sheriff | |
| Chief (Division Chief) | |
| Commander (Area Commander) | |
| Captain | |
| Lieutenant | |
| Sergeant | |
| Deputy Sheriff (Master Training Officer) | |
| Deputy Sheriff Bonus I/II
(Field Training Officer / Detective / Custody Senior Deputy) |
|
| Deputy Sheriff Generalist |
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which was founded in 1850, was the first professional police force in the Los Angeles area. The all-volunteer, Los Angeles-specific Los Angeles Rangers were formed in 1853 to assist the LASD. They were soon succeeded by the Los Angeles City Guards, another volunteer group. Neither force was particularly efficient and Los Angeles became known for its violence, gambling and "vice."
As of 2010, 90 sheriff's deputies have been killed in the line of duty since the department's founding in 1850.[10]
The department presents a number of medals to its members for meritorious service.[11] The medals that the LASD awards to its officers are as follows:
The Medal of Valor award is the highest honor a member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department can receive. It is awarded to persons who distinguish themselves by displaying great courage, above and beyond the call of duty, in the face of an immediate life-threatening peril, and with full knowledge of the risk involved.[11]
This medal is the second highest award a Department member can receive. It is awarded to persons who place themselves in immediate peril and perform an act of heroism and/or save the life of another person.[11]
This medal is awarded to persons who, when confronted by circumstances beyond the normal course of their duties, place themselves in potential peril while performing an act of heroism or while saving or attempting to save the life of another.[11]
In December 2009, the LA Times reported that L.A. County Auditor-Controller Wendy L. Watanabe's office found 348 Sheriff deputies worked more than 900 hours of overtime between March 2007 and February 2008. This would equal an extra six months of full-time work. The audit found that over the last five years, the department had exceeded its overtime budget by an average of 104 percent for each year.[12]
The LASD has entered into contracts with the following cities to serve as their police department/law enforcement agency. Forty (40) of the eighty-eight (88) cities in Los Angeles County contract with the Sheriffs Department for their complete municipal law enforcement services.[13]Located in the northernmost portion of Los Angeles County, Lancaster Station has 189 sworn personnel and 74 civilian personnel assigned.
| City | Served by |
|---|---|
| City of Agoura Hills | Malibu/Lost Hills Station, Agoura Hills, CA (#22) |
| City of Artesia | Lakewood Station, Lakewood, CA (#13) |
| City of Avalon (Catalina Island) | Avalon Station, Avalon, CA (#18) |
| City of Bellflower | Lakewood / Bellflower Substation, Bellflower, CA (#13) |
| City of Bradbury | Temple Station, Temple City, CA (#5) |
| City of Calabasas | Malibu/Lost Hills Station, Agoura Hills, CA (#22) |
| City of Carson | Carson Station, Carson, CA (#16) |
| City of Cerritos | Cerritos Station, Cerritos, CA (#23) |
| City of Commerce | East Los Angeles Station, Los Angeles CA (#2) |
| City of Compton | Compton Station, Compton, CA (#28) |
| City of Cudahy | East Los Angeles Station (#2) |
| City of Diamond Bar | Walnut/Diamond Bar Station, Walnut, CA (#29) |
| City of Duarte | Temple / Duarte Satellite Station, Duarte, CA (#5) |
| City of Hawaiian Gardens | Lakewood Station, Lakewood, CA (#13) |
| City of Hidden Hills | Malibu/Lost Hills Station (#22) |
| City of Industry | Industry Station, City of Industry, CA (#14) |
| City of La Canada Flintridge | Crescenta Valley Station, La Crescenta, CA (#12) |
| City of La Habra Heights | Industry Station, City of Industry, CA (#14) |
| City of Lakewood | Lakewood Station, Lakewood, CA (#13) |
| City of La Mirada | Norwalk / La Mirada Substation, La Mirada, CA (#4) |
| City of Lancaster | Lancaster Station, Lancaster, CA (#11) |
| City of La Puente | Industry Station, City of Industry, CA (#14) |
| City of Lawndale | South Los Angeles Station (ex-Lennox Station) / Lawndale Service Center (#3) |
| City of Lomita | Lomita Station, Lomita, CA (#17) |
| City of Lynwood | Century Station, Lynwood, CA (#21) |
| City of Malibu | Malibu/Lost Hills Station, Agoura Hills, CA (#22) |
| City of Maywood | East Los Angeles Station (#2) |
| City of Norwalk | Norwalk Station, Norwalk, CA (#4) |
| City of Palmdale | Palmdale Station, Palmdale, CA (#26) |
| City of Paramount | Lakewood / Paramount Substation, Paramount, CA (#13) |
| City of Pico Rivera | Pico Rivera Station, Pico Rivera, CA (#15) |
| City of Rancho Palos Verdes | Lomita Station, Lomita, CA (#17) |
| City of Rolling Hills | Lomita Station, Lomita, CA (#17) |
| City of Rolling Hills Estates | Lomita Station, Lomita, CA (#17) |
| City of Rosemead | Temple Station, Temple City, CA (#5) |
| City of San Dimas | San Dimas Station, San Dimas, CA (#8) |
| City of Santa Clarita | Santa Clarita Valley Station, Santa Clarita, CA (#6) |
| City of South El Monte | Temple Station, Temple City, CA (#5) |
| City of Temple City | Temple Station Temple City, CA (#5) |
| City of Walnut | Walnut/Diamond Bar Station, Walnut, CA (#29) |
| City of West Hollywood | West Hollywood Station, West Hollywood, CA (#9) |
| City of Westlake Village | Malibu/Lost Hills Station, Agoura Hills, CA (#22) |
The City of Santa Fe Springs was a contract city served by the LASD-Norwalk Station until the 1990s. It now contracts with the Whittier Police Department.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department supplements its full time ranks with over 700 reserve deputies.
Like full-time deputies, reserve deputies are professionally trained and duly sworn law enforcement personnel. In most cases, reserves are assigned to the same duties as full-time deputies. Since reserve deputies have the same powers of arrest as full-time deputies they are required by law to meet the same hiring, background, medical and psychological standards as full-time deputies. Reserve deputies must first complete the state mandated training and then work assignments as their regular jobs permit. Reserve sheriff's deputies are issued a badge, an identification card, uniforms, a Beretta 92FS duty weapon, handcuffs, baton, and other necessary equipment. Reserve deputy sheriffs are either Level I Designated, Level I Non Designated or Level II. Level I Designated reserves have the same training and 24 hour peace officer authority as regular full time deputies and may carry their firearm concealed off duty without the need for a concealed weapons permit (CCW). Level I Non Designated and Level II reserve deputies have full peace officer powers when on duty, and, if issued a CCW permit, may choose to carry a concealed weapon when off duty. Reserve deputy sheriffs must volunteer 20 hours per month of their time with the regular compensation being one dollar per year. Reserve deputy sheriffs may also qualify for shooting bonus pay of up to $32.00 per month, and some paid special event assignments are occasionally available, as well as overtime for Level I deputies. Like full-time deputies, reserve deputy sheriffs serve at the will of the Sheriff, must obey all departmental regulations, but do not fall into the framework of the civil service system. Reserve deputies supplement the regular operations of the Sheriff's Department by working in their choice of Uniform Reserve (Patrol), Mounted Posse, Search and Rescue or as a Specialist.
In the late 1950s, a short lived Dragnet-style television series, "Code 3", aired based on real cases (though names and locations were changed) from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The late Eugene Biscailuz, then Sheriff of Los Angeles County, was featured in a cameo tag line at the end of every episode.
Dan Raven was a police drama that ran on NBC from 1960 to 1961. It featured Skip Homeier as the titular character, a detective lieutenant assigned to the West Hollywood Sheriff's Station, whose cases often involved show business celebrities.
The department's Emergency Services Detail (ESD), which functions under the umbrella of the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB), was depicted in the short lived television series, 240-Robert. The SEB also includes the Canine Services Detail (K-9), and the Special Enforcement Detail (SED), which is the department's special weapons team.
In 1989 Don Johnson features a LASD deputy in Dead Bang, a movie directed by John Frankenheimer.
James Ellroy's L.A. Quartet novel The Big Nowhere features an LASD deputy, Danny Upshaw, as one of its three protagonists.
In September 2003, ABC premiered 10-8: Officers on Duty, a comedy/drama based on a rookie with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.[14] The show lasted one season. The show's name was based on the police radio code for "in service".
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Recruit Training Bureau is featured on Fox Reality show The Academy, documenting the day to day activities of the recruits and training staff of LASD Academy Class 355 and 368. The show aired from May 2007 to July 2008.[15][16][17]
See List of Los Angeles County sheriffs
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