Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
Encyclopedia
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
, 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. 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
.
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. 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.
'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 3171 square miles (8,212.9 km²) of the 4,083 square miles on the county, both in the unincorporated
County land and within the 42 contract cities.
, 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.
. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 race:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
-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. 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.
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police Department
Chicago Police Department
The Chicago Police Department, also known as the CPD, is the principal law enforcement agency of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States, under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of Chicago. It is the largest police department in the Midwest and the second largest local law enforcement agency in the...
, followed by the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
as third. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is the largest Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's department in the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
, and provides general-service law enforcement to unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, serving as the equivalent of the county police
County police
County police are the police of a county in the United States, Sweden and England .- Sweden :All of the 21 Counties of Sweden contains a County Police Department of the Swedish Police Service.-United Kingdom:...
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
Contract city
Contract city is a term used in the U.S. for a city which provides municipal services by contract with another unit of government, public agency or private organizations....
" 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. 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
Superior Courts of California
The Superior Courts of California are the superior courts in the U.S. state of California with general jurisdiction to hear and decide any civil or criminal action which is not specially designated to be heard in some other court or before a government agency...
; 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
Metrolink
Metrolink, MetroLink, or Metro-link is the name of several transport services throughout the world:Australia*Metro-link Bus Lines, a bus operator in Sydney, New South Wales...
. 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
Monterey Park, California
Monterey Park is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, east of downtown Los Angeles. The city's motto is "Pride in the past, Faith in the future"...
.
Beginning on March 10, 2007, actor Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
joined forces with the LA County Sheriff's Department in their current recruitment campaign, oriented towards encouraging more members of the Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
community to join the Sheriff's Department. In the announcement with Sheriff Lee Baca
Lee Baca
Leroy David "Lee" Baca is the Sheriff of Los Angeles County, California. Baca holds a Doctorate of Public Administration from the University of Southern California....
, Chan was seen wearing an LA County Sheriff's Deputy uniform. One LASD public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
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.
Personnel
The LASD is the largest sheriffSheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's department, and the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. 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 3171 square miles (8,212.9 km²) of the 4,083 square miles on the county, both in the unincorporated
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
County land and within the 42 contract cities.
Organization
The following are the LASD Divisions:- Sheriff's Headquarters
- Administrative Services Division
- Correctional Services Division - Contains the following; Inmate Reception Center, Medical Services Bureau, Transportation Bureau, Food Services Unit, Jail Construction/Special Projects, Inmate Services Unit, Jail Enterprises Unit, and the Community Transition Unit.
- Court Services Division - Provides security and support services to the Superior Court in the County of Los Angeles. This includes staffing bailiffBailiffA bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
s, operating courthouse lock-ups, and serving and enforcing civil and criminal process. Court Services provides these services for 48 courthouseCourthouseA courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
locations throughout Los Angeles County. - Custody Operations Division - Maintains and operates the county Jail Facilities;
- Detective Division - Contains the following; Homicide Bureau, Commercial Crimes Bureau, Major Crimes Bureau, Narcotics Bureau, Special Victims Bureau, and the Taskforce For Regional Autotheft Prevention (T.R.A.P.)
- Field Operations Division & Sheriff Stations - Field Operations is divided into three regions:
- REGION I, - Altadena, Crescenta Valley, East Los Angeles, Lancaster, Malibu/Lost Hills, Palmdale, Santa Clarita Valley, and Temple,.
- REGION II, - Avalon, Carson, Century, Compton, Lawndale, Lomita, Marina Del Rey, South Los Angeles, West Hollywood (including Universal Citywalk), Community/Law Enforcement Partnership Program (CLEPP), and County Parks Bureau.
- REGION III, - Cerritos, Industry, Lakewood, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, San Dimas, and Walnut/Diamond Bar.
- Leadership and Training Division includes:
- Field Operations Support Services
- Homeland Security Division
- Aero Bureau
- Community Colleges Bureau
- Contract Law Enforcement Bureau
- County Services Bureau
- Reserve Forces Bureau- administrative headquarters for the Reserve and Explorer Programs with over 700 Reserves and 600 Explorers.
- Special Enforcement Bureau - Special Enforcement Detail (SWAT), Canine Services Detail, and Emergency Services Detail (coordinates and participates in mountain search and rescue, underwater search and rescue, and swift water and flood rescue operations)
- Emergency Operations Bureau which includes:
- Industrial Relations Detail - maintains liaison between the business and labor communities. The Detail also trains patrol personnel in the handling of labor disputes and picket lines.
- Arson Explosives Detail-
- Hazardous Material Detail-
- Transit Services Bureau
- Technical Services Division
County jail system
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 AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Glendale, Burbank, and Long Beach which have their own police departments). The Men's Central Jail (MCJ) and Twin Towers Correctional Facility
Twin Towers Correctional Facility
The Twin Towers Correctional Facility, also referred to in the media as Twin Towers Jail, is a complex erected in Los Angeles, California. In terms of physical size, but not in terms of capacity, it is the world's largest jail...
(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
North County Correctional Facility
North County Correctional Facility is a Los Angeles County Jail, run by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Located approximately 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, it is one of four jails located within the Pitchess Detention Center North County Correctional Facility (NCCF) is...
(NCCF) is the largest of the four jail facilities located at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, California
Castaic, California
Castaic, California, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, north of Santa Clarita and a few miles from Six Flags Magic Mountain amusement park. It is approximately 39 miles from the downtown Los Angeles Civic Center. As of the 2010...
. The other facilities are East Facility, North Facility, and South Facility.
Some of the newer contract cities like Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
and West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of 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
Compton, California
Compton is a city in southern Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city of Compton is one of the oldest cities in the county and on May 11, 1888, was the eighth city to incorporate. The city is considered part of the South side by residents of Los...
, 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
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
violence, especially during its recent history.
Academy
L.A. County Sheriff's academy training is at Sheriff's Training Academy and Regional Services Center (STARS Center) in unincorporated South WhittierSouth Whittier, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that South Whittier had a population of 57,156. The population density was 10,691.8 people per square mile...
. Reserves may use either STARS Center or College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons
College of the Canyons is a public two-year community college that operates within the Santa Clarita Community College District. The college is located on of rolling, tree-dotted hills in the incorporated city of Santa Clarita in northern Los Angeles County, California. The college’s address is:...
(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.
Achievements
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. 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
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
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
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
, requested feedback about the cars. One of the cars is currently being used at the Sheriff Substation at Universal City, CA.
The LASD hired the first female deputy sheriff in the United States in 1912. Margaret Q. Adams
Margaret Q. Adams
Margaret Queen Adams , née Margaret Queen Phillips, became the first woman deputy sheriff in the United States in 1912...
remained a deputy in the evidence department at the Los Angeles Courthouse for 35 years, until her retirement in 1947.
Special Weapons Teams
The Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) is the LASD's version of SWATSWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
teams, a creation of the nearby LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
. 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.
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
LASD
LASD may refer to:*Laboratório de Sistemas Distribuídos*Leechburg Area School District*Lehighton Area School District*liquid-applied sound deadener*Littlestown Area School District*Local Agent Services Division of Meridian...
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.
Air Rescue Program
The LASD Air RescueLos Angeles County Sheriff's Air Rescue 5
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Air Rescue 5 program of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department provides search and rescue capabilities for Los Angeles County, California, United States.-Services:...
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
Sky Knight
The Sky Knight Helicopter Program is an airborne law enforcement program in Lakewood, California which began service 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...
Helicopter Program is an airborne law enforcement program in Lakewood, California
Lakewood, California
Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...
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.
Demographics
By sex:- Male: 86%
- Female: 14%
By race:
- White: 60%
- Hispanic: 26%
- African American/Black: 10%
- Asian: 4%
Rank and insignia
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 Bonus I/II (Field Training Officer / Detective / Custody Senior Deputy) |
 |
| Deputy Sheriff Generalist | |
History
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."
Members killed on duty
As of 2010, 90 sheriff's deputies have been killed in the line of duty since the department's founding in 1850.
LASD awards, commendations, citations and medals
The department presents a number of medals to its members for meritorious service. The medals that the LASD awards to its officers are as follows:- Medal of Valor (Red, white and blue ribbon):
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.
- Meritorious Conduct Gold Medal:
- Meritorious Conduct Silver Medal:
- Lifesaving Award
Overtime utilization
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.Cities
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.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 Agoura Hills, California Agoura Hills is a city in Los Angeles County, California, and has the ZIP code 91301. The population was 20,330 at the 2010 census, down from 20,537 at the 2000 census. It is located in the eastern Conejo Valley between the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. This city on the Ventura... |
Malibu/Lost Hills Station, Agoura Hills, CA (#22) |
| City of Artesia Artesia, California Artesia is a city in southeast Los Angeles County, California. Artesia was incorporated on May 29, 1959 and is one of Los Angeles County's Gateway Cities. The city has a 2010 census population of 16,522... |
Lakewood Station, Lakewood, CA |
| City of Avalon (Catalina Island Santa Catalina Island, California Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is... ) |
Avalon Station, Avalon, CA |
| City of Bellflower | Lakewood / Bellflower Substation, Bellflower, CA |
| City of Bradbury | Temple Station, Temple City, CA |
| City of Calabasas | Malibu/Lost Hills Station, Agoura Hills, CA (#22) |
| City of Carson | Carson Station, Carson, CA (#16) |
| City of Cerritos Cerritos, California Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956... |
Cerritos Station, Cerritos, CA |
| 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 |
| City of Duarte | Temple / Duarte Satellite Station, Duarte, CA (#5) |
| City of Hawaiian Gardens | Lakewood Station, Lakewood, CA |
| City of Hidden Hills | Malibu/Lost Hills Station (#22) |
| City of Industry | Industry Station, City of Industry, CA |
| City of La Canada Flintridge | Crescenta Valley Station, La Crescenta, CA |
| City of La Habra Heights | Industry Station, City of Industry, CA |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| City of Palmdale | Palmdale Station, Palmdale, CA |
| City of Paramount | Lakewood / Paramount Substation, Paramount, CA |
| City of Pico Rivera | Pico Rivera Station, Pico Rivera, CA |
| 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 |
| City of San Dimas | San Dimas Station, San Dimas, CA |
| City of Santa Clarita | Santa Clarita Valley Station, Santa Clarita, CA (#6) |
| City of South El Monte | Temple Station, Temple City, CA |
| City of Temple City | Temple Station Temple City, CA |
| City of Walnut | Walnut/Diamond Bar Station, Walnut, CA |
| City of West Hollywood West Hollywood, California West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the 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.
Transit Services Bureau
- MetrolinkMetrolink (Southern California)Metrolink is a commuter rail system serving Los Angeles and the surrounding area of Southern California; it currently consists of six lines and 55 stations using of track....
- Los Angeles MTALos Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation AuthorityThe Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is the California state-chartered regional transportation planning agency and public transportation operating agency for the County of Los Angeles formed in 1993 out of a merger of the Southern California Rapid Transit District and the...
Court Services Division
- Prisoner Transport Services with 31 of the 58 counties in California
- Los Angeles County Marshal/Municipal Courts (Merged into LASD Court Services)
Contract Custody Services
- California Department of CorrectionsCalifornia Department of Corrections and RehabilitationThe California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. CDC&R is the second largest law enforcement or police agency in the United States behind the New York City Police Department which employs approximately...
(Housing Parole Violators) - U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementU.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...
(Detention of Illegal Aliens arrested by ICEU.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...
at the Mira Loma Detention Center in Lancaster)http://www.lasd.org/divisions/custody/miraloma/index.html
Reserve Program
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
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
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
Handcuffs
Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists close together. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each half has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that prevents it from being opened once closed around a person's wrist...
, baton
Club (weapon)
A club is among the simplest of all weapons. A club is essentially a short staff, or stick, usually made of wood, and wielded as a weapon since prehistoric times....
, 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.
LASD in popular culture
In the late 1950s, a short lived DragnetDragnet (series)
Dragnet is a radio and television crime drama about the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners...
-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
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Los Angeles County, was featured in a cameo tag line at the end of every episode.
Dan Raven
Dan Raven
Dan Raven is a crime drama starring Skip Homeier , a former child actor in films, which aired on NBC between January 23, 1960, and January 6, 1961. The setting of the series is the famous Sunset Strip of West Hollywood, California...
was a police drama
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
that ran on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1960 to 1961. It featured Skip Homeier
Skip Homeier
-Career:Homeier began acting as Skippy Homeier at the age of six, on the radio show Portia Faces Life. From 1943 until 1944 he played the role of Emil in the Broadway play, Tomorrow the World. Cast as a child indoctrinated into Nazism, who is brought to the United States from Germany following the...
as the titular character, a detective
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
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
240-Robert
240-Robert is an American drama series that ran on ABC from 1979 to 1981. The series title is a reference to the call-sign designation for the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department's search and rescue/paramedic teams.-Synopsis:...
. 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
Don Johnson
Donnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...
features a LASD deputy in Dead Bang
Dead Bang
Dead Bang is a 1989 action film starring Don Johnson and Tim Reid, and directed by John Frankenheimer. Johnson's character, based on real-life LAPD officer Jerry Beck, tracks the killer of a Los Angeles Sherrifs Deputy and uncovers a plot involving hate literature, white supremacist militias and...
, a movie directed by John Frankenheimer
John Frankenheimer
John Michael Frankenheimer was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films...
.
James Ellroy
James Ellroy
Lee Earle "James" Ellroy is an American crime fiction writer and essayist. Ellroy has become known for a so-called "telegraphic" prose style in his most recent work, wherein he frequently omits connecting words and uses only short, staccato sentences, and in particular for the novels The Black...
's L.A. Quartet
L.A. Quartet
The L.A. Quartet is a sequence of four crime fiction novels by James Ellroy. The novels, set in the late 1940s through the late 1950s in Los Angeles, are:* The Black Dahlia* The Big Nowhere* L.A. Confidential...
novel The Big Nowhere
The Big Nowhere
The Big Nowhere is a 1988 crime fiction novel by James Ellroy, the second of the L.A. Quartet, a series of novels set in 1940s and 1950s Los Angeles.-Plot:...
features an LASD deputy, Danny Upshaw, as one of its three protagonists.
In September 2003, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
premiered 10-8: Officers on Duty, a comedy/drama based on a rookie with the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. 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
The Academy (TV series)
The Academy is a reality television series that provides a behind-the-scenes look at police recruits of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Academy as they go through an 18-week training course to become deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The program premiered in May 2007 on Fox...
, 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.
See also
External links
- Official Web Site of the LASD
- LASD Reserve Message Board
- LASD Reserve Program
- Exclusive Q & A with Capt. Anthony La Berge of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station
- Article on Ride Along with LA County Deputy in Santa Clarita
- Los Angeles County Disaster Communications Service (DCS)
- Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department on YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....