In yet another controversial move to discredit Sheriff Villanueva and his efforts to “Reform, Rebuild, Restore” the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department as promised on the campaign trail, the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors is meeting today, Tuesday March 12th, to vote on dismantling the Truth and Reconciliation Panel which is vital in the ongoing efforts Sheriff Villanueva is making to uncover the corruption in the department.
The contentious move on behalf of the Board of Supervisors is part of an ongoing power struggle led by the former Sheriff Jim McDonnell’s henchmen, who were put in place by the County less than 24 hours after being fired by incoming Sheriff Villanueva. One former McDonnell staffer, also a former advisor with CNN and ABC, Cindy Lin, proudly displayed her new position and badges on Twitter less than 72 hours after being terminated at LASD.
It has now become obvious this was a pre-meditated plan put in place by the McDonnell regime, in association with the County immediately as hopes began to fade the former Sheriff would be re-elected. Hiring former Sheriff Jim McDonnell’s employees appears solely meant to enable the former regime to sabotage the efforts of Sheriff Villanueva and is also evident in his former staffers tweets proudly referring to her position as “watch-dogging from the Hall of Admin and where the LASD $ comes from”.
Was this same staffer in approval of the discretionary spending of $300,000 for belt buckles by former Sheriff McDonnell? If so, that same funding is in danger of being cut by the Board of Supervisor’s which includes the crucial upgrade of officer body cams. Are we to believe belt buckles are more important than body cams? Or is this just a case of a poor-loser-power-play by the Board of Supervisors?
Unfortunately, it seems apparent there won’t be a peaceful transfer of power with the former regime unwilling to relinquish control to allow Sheriff Villanueva to revive an ailing department that suffered from the lowest morale in the history of LASD under McDonnell. That sentiment by the way was also felt by the voters who cast their ballots by electing Sheriff Villanueva and unseating the incumbent in the November 2018 election.
The implications of how the Board of Supervisors actions will affect the future of LASD are far reaching. Fearful that she may not be able to assist in efforts to get justice for Mitrice Richardson and others who have suffered at the hands of the LASD, advocate Dr. Ronda Hampton had this to say about the efforts to undermine Sheriff Villanueva by the County Board of Supervisors:
“For the past 4 years Sheriff McDonnell has not only refused to meet to discuss Mitrice Richardson’s case, he has also refused to produce the video of her while she was at the station to both family and the media and he has made statements that he supports reports that say there was no wrongdoing in her case. My only hope is that the BOS will re-consider the dismantling the Truth and Reconciliation Panel. Mitrice Richardson’s case was slated as being one of the first civilian cases to be looked at as part of the Truth and Reconciliation Panel.”
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