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Sheriff’s Department Probes Yet Another Secret Deputy Clique

April 20th, 2012 by Celeste Fremon

Secret deputy cliques within the Los Angeles Sheriff’s department
have been a problem for the LASD since at least the late 1980′s, some say before.

Such “affinity groups” most recently hit the public consciousness with the revelation last year that there were gang-like cliques reportedly wreaking havoc in the department’s troubled and notorious Men’s Central Jail. The highest profile of these CJ cliques is the 3000 Boys, with their matching tattoos and even hand signals. But there are also the 2000 Boys, among others, both inside the jails and out on the street.

Now, according to a story posted Thursday late afternoon in the LA Times, the department is newly worried by a clique inside the LASD’s gang unit—reportedly because of what is printed in a memo or pamphlet that may indicate that deputies’ participation in Officer Involved Shootings conveys status within the clique.

Rumors of shootings conveying status within other LASD cliques have long swirled around the department. However, if such a delineation really does appear in writing, it would be an entirely different matter.

The LA Times Robert Faturechi has the story:

Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives have launched a probe into what appears to be a secret deputy clique within the department’s elite gang unit, an investigation triggered by the discovery of a document suggesting the group embraces shootings as a badge of honor.

The document described a code of conduct for the Jump Out Boys, a clique of hard-charging, aggressive deputies who gain more respect after being involved in a shooting, according to sources with knowledge of the investigation. The pamphlet is relatively short, sources said, and explains that deputies earn admission into the group through the endorsement of members.

The sources stressed that the internal affairs investigation is still in its early stages and that little is known about the Jump Out Boys’ behavior or its membership.

Still, sheriff’s officials are concerned that the group represents another unsanctioned clique within the department’s ranks, a problem the department has been grappling with for decades.

Last year, the department fired a group of deputies who all worked on the third, or “3000,” floor of Men’s Central Jail, after the group fought two fellow deputies at an employee Christmas party and allegedly punched a female deputy in the face. Sheriff’s officials later said the men had formed an aggressive “3000″ clique that used gang-like three-finger hand signs. A former top jail commander told The Times that jailers would “earn their ink” by breaking inmates’ bones.

On learning of the new investigation, LASD sources we spoke with expressed concern about whether the department’s investigation of the clique would be honest and aggressive.

Some sources took it as a possible good sign that the investigation is being conducted by the Internal Affairs Bureau, or IAB, the investigative unit over which Sheriff Baca has recently retaken control. The department’s other investigative unit, UCIB, which looks into potentially criminal matters in the LASD, is still ultimately overseen by the Undersheriff, Paul Tanaka, who took over directly both investigative units last march, much to the dismay of many LASD observers.

As Faturechi notes, Tanka himself is a member of the now infamous Vikings clique that was most active in the 1980′s and early 1990′s, it’s members the subject of a massive class action suit that cost LA County $9 million in cash settlements and training. According to a deposition taken in an unrelated court case earlier this year, Mr. Tanaka still sports a tattoo on his ankle signifying Vikings membership.

WitnessLA has acquired a partial list of Vikings working inside the department culled from sworn depositions for various court cases. The list indicates there are Vikings members scattered at supervisory levels throughout the LASD including, at present, inside the departments’ internal investigatory units like IAB and ICIB.

It is, however, considered to be good news that IAB is now headed by Captain John Clark, recently put into place by Sheriff Baca. Clark, if you remember, was the supervisor that WitnessLA reported had tried to institute reforms in Men’s Central Jail when he became aware of the growing problem of deputy cliques inside the jail.


But instead of getting support from higher-ups, Clark had his reforms swiftly revoked by Undersheriff Tanaka, who railed at Clark and his supervisors for their attempts at discipline, had his own private meetings with deputies, then transferred Clark away from custody work, altogether. (You’ll find more details in Part 3 and Part 4 of Matt Fleischer’s Dangerous Jails series.)

Officially Sheriff Baca disapproves of groups like the Jump Out Boys, the 3000 Boys, the 2000 Boys, the Regulators and the Vikings, et al. But sources inside the LASD tell us that unofficially a double message is conveyed to the troops with the undersheriff’s well-documented work in the gray speeches, and his tendency to protect, rescue and reward those who do color outside the lines. And of course his retention of the Viking ink on his ankle.

Sheriff’s department spokesman, Steve Whitmore, confirmed that IAB was doing the investigating, but reminded me that the notion of status conveyed for shootings could be “a fantasy.”

“We just don’t know.”

In any case, WLA will track the investigation as it develops as, no doubt, will the Times.
So stay tuned.

Posted in LASD, Sheriff Lee Baca, THE LA JUSTICE REPORT | 54 Comments »

54 Responses

  1. Bored Says:

    Scooped again? Celeste, does WLA do any actual reporting? It would appear Mr. Faturechi from the LAT has you beat on just about every single LASD story. In fact, isn’t this entire blog just a collection of regurgitated and recycled news stories from other sources? This site is like one protracted 6th grade current event project (for a group of kids whose parents are left wing libs.).
    Well, maybe there’s hope now since you hired David Lynn. If Lynn can be a reporter, I guess anyone can. Heck, he was a P.I. (ahem, cough-cough) at one time too…………The following excerpt is from the LA Times from March 1999. See I can work for WLA too, or start my own blog.

    ….”But David Lynn, a private investigator who testified on the deputy groups to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission–which is to address the issue in a report due in April–has called for the names of tattooed deputies to be cross-referenced with excessive force allegations.” ….gee I want to be a reporter too. ……If David Lynn is a reporter, then I’m going to start maybe I’m a reporter. Ha! Zzzzzzz.

  2. Celeste Fremon Says:

    That’s a different David Lynn. If you researched further, you’d find that David Lynn the P.I no longer lives in the state of California.

  3. Bored Says:

    More reporting on Witness LA’s new reporter David Lynn. No doubt as to his credibility and motivation. From the LA Times September 1991……..”The woman who had alleged that sheriff’s deputies might have killed a Lynwood man in a drive-by shooting said Tuesday that a private investigator, hired by the victim’s family, had coaxed her to make the false accusations.

    Anietra Haley, whose story launched an FBI investigation into the slaying of Lloyd Polk, 22, said that the private investigator had fabricated the story and that she had agreed to go along in an effort to help Polk’s common-law wife and her parents, with whom she was very close. Haley said she believed that Polk’s survivors would receive a financial settlement from the county if deputies were found responsible for his death.”. That’s all we need to know about Witness LA’s newest reporter. What a joke.

  4. 240R Says:

    Celeste; I was just writing to you to inform you that it was a different David Lynn. But, you were right on. If the Times article is accurate about the shootings at GET and that Deputies committed (perhaps) murder to join this gang, then all the shootings, since Baca has become Sheriff is suspect. I fear that the worst is yet to come. I look forward to seeing the list of idiots! But, to many of us it won’t be a surprise!

  5. Celeste Fremon Says:

    Thanks, 240R.

    About new reporters, we’ll put their bios up soon, but for those who insist on jumping to conclusions without the bothersome interference of actual facts:

    WLA’s new reporter, David Lynn, is a very smart and talented former student of mine from UC Irvine where I teach literary journalism. He’s also a former police officer who decided to go back to school to get his degree. In other words, he has valuable life experience in the realm of criminal justice as well as journalism training and experience. We’re thrilled to have him.

    About David Lynn the P.I., who I believe presently lives out of state, if you went further and checked court records you’d find that the accusations made against Lynn (the P.I.) were found to be groundless.

  6. TheWIRE Says:

    Wow, such flash reporting. The term jump out boys started in the 70s in Miami. It was also on the HBO series the wire. In every city they call undercover cops and swat jump out boys because they jump out the car quickly. Check the Internet. Once again you jumped on a story that’s means nothing and drag Vikings from the 80s into this story. Wow you are really on the cutting edge of reporting, Celeste Lyon are a joke. Get over yourself

  7. I love LASD Says:

    All this is having a negative impact on those of us who go to work everyday. A simple honest mistake is scrutinized and severly dealt with. Maybe putting pressue on us takes the lime light off of them. I just do not know! It seems it gets harder and harder everyday to do our jobs without thinking someone is going to slam the hammer over our heads. This department is bleeding bad! I am so sad about all that is going on. When will it end?

  8. REALLY Says:

    I think you meant to say WLA will wait until the LA Times writes some more smut and reprint it here……REALLY!!!!!!

  9. Scruffy Says:

    Hey Bored,

    If you are so down on WLA, why do you read it and bother to provide comments (as misinformed as they are)? Obviously, WLA’s reporting on LASD has struck a nerve with you.

    Why don’t you man-up and post a photo of your tattoo?

  10. ? Says:

    240R, there are no bad shootings, force, vehicle pursuits, foot pursuits or lawsuits at GET. Before you throw out murder accusations, check your facts. And if someone wants a class in plagiarism, they should take a literary journalism class at UC Irvine. Do you read newspapers in the that class, then repeat the information on your term papers? Then the next semester repeat the same information on your previous term paper with a few new paragraphs from a recent news article (from another paper of course)?

  11. Mountain Man Says:

    Celeste: Many stories covered by more than one media outlet overlap. I know you know that, but the haters that want to bash WLA (but continue to read it?) simply need to vent. Keep up the good work. Still more of LASD’s [fecal] ice berg needs to be uncovered; but WLA has lit the fuse that made a lot of progress thus far.

  12. Notsurprised Says:

    It is really disheartening to read that there may be another dumb group of deputies out there. However, Capt. John Clark is an ethical individual, and if there is any truth to this issue, he will find it and have the matter resolved.

  13. TheWIRE Says:

    I agree with you ILovelasd, but you have to remember there are always going to be guys and girls out there that want to bring us down. God help us if they suceed. The murder rate in South Central is down 60 percent over the last eight years especially in Compton where the murder rate was high eighths just a few years ago and now won’t even hit twenty thanks to the hard work of you deps in the field. Keep working hard and let them say what they will. I am sure most of them talking were never cops or never helped a community like you did. In stead of crying fowl because of an alledged use of force, they should be concerned with the 60 something mothers who won’t have to be crying about there dead children.

    Example: a fine upstanding news reporter arrived at a shooting scene in the late 70s. A young man had just been shot by the police and was being loaded in the ambulance on way to the hospital. Larry with his brilliant reporting asked how many times the kid was shot and a witness told him once. He drove to the hospital and was told that the kid had 6 or 7 wounds in the chest. Instead of Asking questions and maybe giving everyone time to figure stuff out, he went live saying “I have proof that the kid was shot 6 times in the ambulance by the police on his way to the hospital. Never asking the question as to what type of gun was used. Well in was a shotgun with 00 buck and the kid was hit with 6 of the pellets. After they found out he was wrong, did Chanel 7 ever broadcast a retraction, NO. How about Christina Gonzales saying that century deputies shot a party goer point blank in the face of a children’s party. Did she ever apologize when they found out that he was at a gangster party and the suspect had two guns and was never hit in the face only in the chest. NO. The sad part was that ms Gonzalez report was a day later. She could have asked the county coroner where he was hit and then during her report that he was hit in the face, she could have corrected the witnesses, but that doesn’t get people to watch the news. Just keep working like you do and attend some of the church outings in south central where they praise the police. DON’T LET IT GET YOU DOWN

  14. Mrs crotchrot Says:

    Wow when is this stuff going to end?? You would hope all these stories you hear about are all false but for some reason I think so
    E of it is true….. There’s alot of tattoos that haven’t even been spoken about.. Hey but who am I. Let the investigators do the

  15. 240R Says:

    ?says: If you read carefully my inquiry is in the form of Formal Logic and these type of questions are often used in exams for Law and Science courses. I am not trying to embarrass you but just to inform you. However, you may agree that the place is a mess! No Formal Logic required.

  16. Just a liberal rag Says:

    So lets see if Witness LA decides to run articles on the alleged Secret Service scandal? Maybe they can take a break from the constant attacks on LASD!

  17. THEWIRE Says:

    What kills me is that the media can say whatever they want, falsely make accusations and show complete fabrications on television and get away with it. I know a lot of soldiers in all different areas of the armed forces and they have some tattoos that make the grim reaper look like Alice in wonderland but nothing is said. They have cliques yet they lay down their lives for us. The news media and people like Celeste are going To eventually turn the streets over to the crooks. It’s coming and coming soon. Almost every station has a tattoo, some are just a star and a rainbow. Cops are proud of where they work, they like forced recon are proud to be marines. Maybe Celeste has a tattoo of a typewriter on her ankle.

  18. Scruffy Says:

    Turn the streets over to the crooks? Might as well, we have already turned LASD over to thugs, gang members and corrupt administrators. LASD’s Sheriff and Undersheriff have been exposed for taking cash political donations in exchange for prized duty assignments, rank and other privileges. And now an air unit that has been stealing large amounts of cash for years. Thank you Celeste and LA Times for exposing these crimes.

    The FBI, another county independent and the media continue to investigate your department for corruption, brutality, and unlawful killings, and rightly so. I suppose all those battered and bullet ridden bodies of unarmed citizens we read almost daily in our newspapers and watch on TV news have all been smoke and mirrors.

    I guess the federal judge who ruled the Vikings are a “neo-Nazi white supremacist gang” of deputies and awarded their victims $9.5 was just another dude scamming and ragging on the department.

    I am a former US Marine Sgt, combat veteran. The only “cliques” is saw come together within the ranks of the Marines were members of the KKK at Camp Pendleton.

    It is not just the tattoo, it is joining an exclusive group of deputies who patrol minority communities (more often than not, white boyz)looking for young men to gang-bang with. Uses of force and officer-involved-shootings have always been a ticket to join and maintain status within LASD deputy gangs. Sorry, but your secret little gangs and how and why they exist is no longer protected by the “code.”

    It seems the department should be facing Rico(organized crime)charges. I hear the fed’s “Jump out Boys” already have their van parked outside LASD headquarters.

    “Wire,” “Bored,” and “Just a Liberal Rag,” do you have deputy gang tattoos?

  19. Joe Friday Says:

    A vast majority of the men and women who are deputies in the department do our jobs well and remember the core valves. However, we due a a small amount of men and women that behave in a manner that is unacceptable. For years the department has looked the other way. As upsetting some of these stories may be, they need to be brought out and the department cleaned up. How many of the deputies in the 3000 boys where fired? Six out of how many? What about the 2000 boys? There are still problems there, but those problems will be out rooted out of the department eventually. Good job Celeste.

  20. THEWIRE Says:

    Scruffy, no I do not have a station tattoo, but if you can tell me that the military does not have tattoos you are out of your mind. Vietnam to gulf war, even world war two, all had tattoos. Dead Mans Hand, aces, Come on man the grim reaper started in the military. Look at airborne tattoos there are some that look exactly like the grim reaper. Where do you think these young deputies get some of their tattoos. Half of them were in Afghanistan , and Iraq where they got their tatoos. Sorry scruffy, I don’t doubt you were a veteran, but just look on the military website displaying all their tattoos. No disrespect to our soldiers, as far as I am concerned you deserve to do what ever you want get you through combat. God bless you

  21. THEWIRE Says:

    Actually scruffy, most of the reapers, third floor boys, and regulators, are Hispanic, not white boyz as you put it. Actually several black deputies have these tattoos as well. Get your facts straight scruffy, there is an Internet site that will tell you all you want to know just find it. It’s amazing no one has challenged me on my comment about the news personnel who distorted the truth. Why? Because they get a free pass, and never have consequences for their actions. Ms Gonzalez is still working even after she got the community going crazy with her lies. I’m sure there were a few more shootings after that big lie she filmed but does she get held responsible no. Please verify your stuff before you talk nonsense.

  22. Scruffy Says:

    Wire, I never said there were not tattoos in the military. I almost got a Devil Dog, but was only 17 at the time and the tatt shop refused.

    Yes, there are military unit tattoos, but they do not represent membership in non-military groups. Viking and other gang tattoos mean that deputy is branded with a loyalty to an on-duty clique, club, gang, whatever, that is not sanctioned by LASD or the community. Therefore, your military tattoo argument is not valid.

    I thought the Grim Reapers where out of Lennox.

    Do you have a roster of deputy gangs that are indexed by race? If not, I’m going with Judge Hatter’s take on deputy gangs until proven different. Besides, I’ve been told minority deputies have to prove themselves to white deputies by beating and shooting their own. I also know that black and Latino Viking tattoos are configured differently from that of their white homeboyz.

    That idea of comparing gang inked deputies with non-inked deputies regarding use of force reports and lawsuits sounds interesting. You guys wouldn’t have a problem with that, would you?

  23. ? Says:

    240R, the Times article does not say anything about GET shootings. Nor does it say the GET deputies commited murder to join the gang. You can’t justify comments you make as formal logic when they are off base. Show me a bad GET shooting, use of force, foot pursuit, vehicle pursuit or bad lawsuit. This is not a rouge unit, but a highly effective unit that is effectively supervised. Formal logic is the study of infence with purely formal content. An inference with purely formal content. An inference possesses a purely formal content if it can be expressed as a particular application of a wholly abstract rule, that is, a rule that is not about any particular thing or project. (I plagiarized this in an attempt to become a WLA reporter). Your desperate attempt in justify inferring deputy sheriffs have committed murder is irresponsible. You lack facts and documentation to back up your claim so you pull out FORMAL LOGIC. Unfortunately such claims can ignite a communtity causing violence towards our community and deputies. I do not feel embarrased by anything you blog in rubuttal, nor do I understand why you would be so arrogant to express that. You should be supportive of the fine work our deputies do. You should recognized the fact they have been instrumental in lowering violent crime rates in Compton, Firestone, Lynwood, Firestone, South Los Angeles and other areas. The law abiding citizens from those areas routinely express their gratitude. Perhaps you should go on a ride along to broaden your horizons.

  24. I wanna puke Says:

    This shit gets more disgusting by the day. If a new Sheriff with any sense of honor or integrity suddenly walked to the 4th floor, Paul Tanaka would be relieved of duty and fired before I could finish my first cup of morning coffee in DB. I don’t care what the “one percent,” leg humping, self-serving, ash tray cleaning, lcampaign donating, coveted position buying and cigar club puffing swine have to say. All of this scandal leads to one person and one person only, Paul Tanaka. He has made a mockery of my beloved LASD. He must be real proud of that Viking tattoo and all it stands for. And that symbol has nothing to do with “hard working” deputies.

    Stand by to stand by. The Feds are circling the 4th floor like a school of great white sharks. With the scandals of Duran, Abrams, Donahue and Cruz coupled with the “pay for play” and a dozen other stories we read, I wanna puke. Go ahead “fellas,” circle the wagons and throw all of the pathetic shit you have at the editor of WLA, make up stories, character assassination squads, it’s all out of the Tanaka play book for chumps. We “99%” folks see right thru it. I don’t care where WLA gets its info, as long as its true and they do their homework, then read it and weep. Disgusting. I can’t wait to get to work on Monday to see what others think about this latest Paul Tanaka production.

  25. THEWIRE Says:

    SCRUFFY, You are behind the times. Judge Hatter made that decision, over 20 years ago about vikings only. Regulators and Grim Reapers were in the last 10 years or so and yes the racial lines of deputies that got the tattoo is balanced. Please wake up. And the original Grim Reaper was a military tattoo of the army rangers. Do your Homework Please. No disrespect to you but you are bringing up stuff from a long time ago that has no connection to the jail drama.

  26. THEWIRE Says:

    Oh scruffy dont tell me the seals are not clickes. Just ask someone in the seals about the clique between teams 3, 5, vs 6. come on its a competetive thing that some people take to serious, just like cops

  27. Scruffy Says:

    ?, If a gangbanger shot and killed an unarmed citizen, it would be murder. Why is it different if the shooter wears a badge? That is worse than murder.

    Don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back about crime stats. If you go to the site for violent crime stats, you will see that all violent crimes are down significantly across the country. I doubt it has anything to do with smashing skulls in CJ or gunning down unarmed minority kids on our streets.

    As far as GET, unfortunately, your department is not forth coming with such data about units and kill ratios. It would be very interesting to check “Jump Out Boyz” OIS and excessive force claims against those who are not members of that gang. And again, do any of you guys have a problem with all tattooed deputy gang members being identified and beefs compared to those who are not inked???

    Why won’t any of you boyz answer that question? “Logic” tells me you are inked and/or already know the answer.

    Perhaps you are sitting there at your computer getting paid by LASD to take pot-shots at the messengers, in this case Celeste and WLA.

    Typical bully, coward type tactics. It all adds up. You guyz are what you are.

    And I agree, not all deputies are criminals. I have deputy friends that are as close as family and that I would take a bullet for any day. The kind of guys who are only loyal to God, family, LASD and the communities they serve. Not members of some want-to-be gang of deputy misfits who have managed to become exactly what the department supposedly deplores.

  28. THEWIRE Says:

    Scruffy, when a soldier shots an unarmed man he thinks is a threat is it murder also.

  29. THEWIRE Says:

    Scruffy, I can’t wait to see when IAB is done with the case and you find out that maybe 4 to 5 misfits are your so called Jump Out Boys. Guess what Scruffy you did not do your homework. Patrol has shot un armed men they thought were a threat. GET has not been in a shooting where the suspect did not have a gun, in fact they have 2 commendable restraints for not shooting armed suspects. one who threw his mother into the deputies and fired 12 rounds at the deputies. guess what, the deputies used controlled fire to rescue the mother that the thug pushed out the door to die. Again everything I say is fact that you can research, everything you say is guess work. show up and go for a ride with some GET guys. you are a fake and a phony. Air Patrol

  30. Scruffy Says:


    Three or four misfit deputies with guns who are operating under the guise that it is a “badge of honor” to be in a OIS is nothing more than murder waiting to happen.

    I was reading your story about the rescue with interest, but of course in the end, the perp was blown away.

    There are over 100 Vikings. Add in the 3000 Boyz, 2000 Boyz, Grim Reapers, The Break Dance Boyz, plus the other deputy gangs we don’t about, I’d say you have an army of misfits on your hands. Are the Wayside Whities, ELA Cavemen, and Temple City Tasmanian Devils still in operation?

    Are you saying LASD patrol deputies are operating in our communities under the rules of war? Regardless, when a soldier shoots and kills an unarmed citizen, it is murder. You may try and justify it in your head, but to the dead victim and their family, it is cold blooded murder. An institution, department or clique that rewards and encourages such crimes, are guilty of the same.

    I have lived in Lynwood, Echo Park, Highland Park, MacArthur Park and Venice. As I have said, I have deputy friends, plus I have had ex-law enforcement for business partners, my ex-wife is a former cop and I was an MP, USMC Sgt. of the Guard at the Long Beach Naval Station – back in the day. I don’t need to ride with GET or with any other department to understand who they are and who the people are that live in the inner-city communities they patrol.

    Wire, if these guys are misfits and the good deputies feel they are tarnishing the department as a whole, why don’t you good guys man-up, take back the department and get rid of the bad seed?

    But then again, deputies who back up other deputies that instigate false reports, false arrests, bad shootings, beatings, planting evidence and turn a blind-eye to race related deputy violence, are just as guilty as those who commit such crimes. Don’t you agree?

  31. THEWIRE Says:

    Scruffy, again you got bad info. yes the FBI stats say that crime as gone down country wide. but the murder rate in Compton has gone down 70% in six years, thanks to Compton Deps and GET. Compton just a few years back was the most dangerous city in the United States, not any more not even in the top ten. Come on Man i am sure you went to school, dont just believe the first thing you read, you sound like Larry and Christina.

  32. THEWIRE Says:

    Scruffy, Scruffy, Scruffy, again you are wrong the suspect was not blown away, although he did everything for that to occurr. He was taken into custody without being shot. I will not bother you with my posts any longer you have not been right yet. I have facts to back up every word I say and would be glad to mail them to you, but you are brainwashed and I truly feel sorry for you. Salvation Army

  33. THEWIRE Says:

    Oh a Tasmanian devil wow how intimidating. We got a couple of guys who have Green Bay Packer tattoos are they gangsters. You are the worst kind of person, someone who refuses to be informed. Of course there are bad cops, just like there are bad marines who rape youngs girls in Japan, does that make them all bad.

  34. SouthBound Says:

    I don’t know about all the other stuff you are spurting out wire but the rescue did happen it was in south gate and he did not get killed. Youtooo should have a radio show retard vs retard

  35. Scruffy Says:

    Wasn’t a Compton jury so pissed off at GET deputies for planting a gun on a teenager that they asked the gang unit the deputies are from be investigated? A video proved the deputies planted the gun and committed perjury. Wasn’t that a GET operation? LA Times 9/18/11

    Didn’t a jury about a week ago award a bus driver $6 million for getting beaten by Compton deputies? Were they GET also? LA Times 4/14/12

    I’m sure you guys have done some good in Compton, but I doubt you are loved by all. Incidents like these just keep happening. You can’t blame those like WLA who bring these acts of misconduct to light.

    Why aren’t you pissed-off at the deputies who get all of you on the front page for their bad deeds. You must be a participant, a co-conspirator or simply fear them.

    Can you post that FBI link regarding Compton’s stats? I know it is probably there, just can’t find it. Thanks.

    You are right, a 70% decrease in Compton’s murder rate over the last six years would be significant.

    Below is a quote from which seems to indicate Compton’s stats were through the roof in 2009, but have come down. However, they are also significantly down throughout the county, state and nation as a whole.

    “Compton crime statistics report an overall downward trend in crime based on data from 11 years with violent crime decreasing and property crime decreasing. Based on this trend, the crime rate in Compton for 2012 is expected to be lower than in 2009.

    The city violent crime rate for Compton in 2009 was higher than the national violent crime rate average by 261.43% and the city property crime rate in Compton was higher than the national property crime rate average by 10.24%.

    In 2009 the city violent crime rate in Compton was higher than the violent crime rate in California by 228.84% and the city property crime rate in Compton was higher than the property crime rate in California by 22.54%.”

  36. Good grief Says:

    Paul Tanaka, all of this scandal leads to your door step. You should have been fired years ago. You have embarrassed LASD on a nation wide scale. What do you see when you look in the mirror and shave? You are disgusting.

  37. Chargin' Charlie Says:

    No more belly-aching from the deputies who insist they are still worthy of being viewed as honorable civil servants while their ranks are infiltrated by fringe groups that resemble criminal gangs. Your claim to respect is the badge but you will not stand up and reject those who participate in these groups while wearing that badge. The existence of these cliques or gangs is a sign of something broken in the culture of the LASD. It’s not enough to just be a part of the law enforcement community, you need to have your own little group with its own hierarchy. As long as these groups are accepted as legitimate, the department and its members have no claim to honor or respect from the community.

  38. THEWIRE Says:

    Scruffy, you are right about the gun operation. Althought the gun was not planted it was moved and may have not belonged to the kid. I am sickened by this as well and I hope the deputies involved get prosecuted. As I previously stated there are dirty cops as well as lying news people. The difference is nothing happens to them when they print garbage that get the public crazy and cause violence throughout the city. As to bad cops, of course there are, and there can be no excuse for their behavior. Just like any other profession that has bad apples. It’s time to make applesauce. Remember the military had a few nuts as well, but thank god for the good ones who die for us every day.

  39. THE WIRE Says:

    Scruffy, you keep getting off track. Your statement was that GET deputies shoot un armed citizens. That was false so own it. You said that Get deputies that rescues mom from her nut job son shot him and killed him also. You are wrong again. He was never killed or shot and taken into custody to serve the rest of his life in jail. As to deputies moving evidence that might be Get, and if so they should be treated as criminals as well and should be incarcerated. As for Compton stats, go to most dangerous cities in America and look up Compton. That had eighty murders in I believe 2006 and went to 36 the following year when Get was brought in. This year they have I believe 1 so far. They have been in the 20s the last three years thanks to those GET AND COMPTON DEPUTIES. don’t paint them all with the same brush. There are evil doctors, LAWYERS, cab drivers, military, teachers, and priests. It all stems from kids having no moral values today because they were raised by weak parents. Scruffy, you mention a lot of ex’s in your stories, you may want to see somebody about that.

  40. Off into the sunset Says:

    I retired several years ago and the wla is right about most of which they write. When Tanaka was at Lennox in the early 90′s as a Lt. he perpetuated the total disregard for supervision. Most deputies did an outstanding job, but those under Tanaka answered to only him. He cleaned them up on more then one occasion. Shootings were a common place. Baca was the division Chief and he went right along with whatever Tanaka fed him. I am afraid his climb through the ranks on Baca’s back has allowed him to continue his on style of Law Enforcement. It is sad the department can not even clean house at the top levels. The deputies are the ones who have to defend the department to their friends, family and neighbors. Baca get some balls and ditch Tanaka.

  41. Scruffy Says:

    The Wire,

    Dude, where do I say “GET shoots unarmed people.” I get the feeling you are just screwing with me because you often misquote me in your rebuttals.

    Agreed, all professions have bad apples. The problem is LASD has rotten apples at the top of the barrel. In addition, most other professions don’t give you a gun, a badge, a club, powers of arrest and then turn you loose on the community. Law enforcement should be held to the highest level of accountability because of the power they yield and in the case of many at LASD, abuse.

    Do you have an answer to “Chargin’ Charlie” and my question regarding how and why do good deputies work side by side with those who make them all look bad?

    In other words, when will non-inked deputies do the right thing and take a stand to bring honor back into the ranks of LASD?

    How about circulating a petition expressing no confidence in Baca and Tanaka’s leadership and demand the department outlaw all tattooed deputy gangs? It would be ballsy, but the department is in crisis and rank and file deputies are paying the price. No doubt, deputies like that will make the media, community and county government sit-up and take notice.

    Wire, you are right, I got the hostage result wrong. Sorry, I misunderstood your quote: “..the thug pushed out the door to die.” Suicide by cop, but deputies refused to oblige, right?

    See my quotes below regarding GET and another question you and other good deputies refuse to answer:



  42. THEWIRE Says:

    No sir, it was not suicide by cop as you stated. The suspect fired over 14 rounds at GET as he pushed his mother out the door. The deputies rescued mom and fired 3 rounds back. The suspect was an ex con who had to be brought out by swat but was never shot. As to your question about non tattooed guys standing up to tattooed guys, it happens every day. The tide is changing and the real hardcore take people to jail good deputies don’t have tattoos. Most hard working tough street smart deputies don’t need a tattoo to be validated, their work speaks for it self. The best cops on the SHERIFF’S department who work the field everyday are not inked, trust me on that. Most importantly they don’t fear the guys with the tattoo. I am inked, but only with the branch I served and my moms name.

  43. Tattoo crazy Says:

    You guys, stop all the drama about tattoos, everyone is getting them over the past ten years from doctors to lawyers to of course the military. The military have some of the most anti social tattoos I have ever seen. Rule in the marines is they can not be seen wearing your dress uniform. Kinda the way most police departments are. Marines get the bull dog, Malibu station gets a shark, west Hollywood gets the rainbow, the tattoo doesn’t make them bad, poor parenting did that. They should have had their azz kicked a little when they were young.

  44. Good grief Says:

    @41,42&43. You guys are all correct in many of your statements. When will the good guys stand up? Tanaka has stacked virtually every unit in the organization with his spies. This I know for an absolute and positive fact. Tanaka actually “meets” with representatives of these units and they “report” anyone and everyone (regardless of rank) who does not profess blind loyalty to him. Factually, good supervisors, managers and captains have been transferred to the cornfields based on the word of these snitches. It is absolutely unbelievable that Tanaka is that insecure and generates this type of environment. The real cowards, in addition to the rats, is PPOA and ALADS.

    When are the unions going to take a stand, represent their due paying members and place Tanaka and Baca on front street? LAPD’s union goes all out to fight Chief Beck on his no 926 policy for unlicensed drivers because it is the right thing to do. What does ALADS and PPOA do? Nothing, nothing at all. They are cowards, political cowards who have tea with the Sheriff and tell him what a great suit he is wearing.

    And Tattoo Crazy, there are tats and there are tats. The Tanaka approved tats, Grim Reapers, Vikings, 3000 Boys etc, we all know what they represent. A 10-30 mindset because they know that Tanaka’s cigar licking supervisors will back their play, just like #40, Off into the Sunset stated. Tanaka encourages the “screw you, Sarge,” mentality that make these bullies know they can get away with just about anything.

    I encourage any and all who have relevant and factual info on what is really going on to funnel it in any way you wish to Celeste at WLA, the Times, or the FBI. This shit has got to stop. If the allegations of misconduct on Duran and Aero is absolutely correct, they are going to swing. If it is false, they should be publicly exonerated. But the long standing unethical conduct being conducted by Tanaka and Company is only going to stop if their is a new Sheriff and criminal indictments AND continual exposure by the news media. PPOA and ALADS will say nothing.

  45. Scruffy Says:

    Tattoo Crazy,


    I also have a tattoo of an Orca Whale on my forearm that I got during a Jager induced senior moment… even though I had great parents.

    Few questions:

    1. Can anyone at these stations get a tattoo or do other inked deputies invite them to become a member of that stations tattooed group?

    2. If deputies are invited to join these groups, what makes a good candidate? Apparently with the Jump Out Boys, being in an OIS is a badge of honor within their crew.

    3. What makes membership in the Jump Out Boys and other deputy groups different from the rest of the rank and file?

    4. Do station inked deputies receive any different treatment during assignments, promotions, etc?

  46. Tatoocrazy Says:

    The jump out boys are a joke. It’s nothing like the Vikings. The jump out boys the three or four out there, are not nearly as good as the regular hard working deputies at Compton. Of the three stations I worked, anyone who got off training could get inked, but a lot including myself did not. Those who did were partnered up with non inked guys like myself. I was never not included because I was not inked. My best partner I ever had, was inked and he never was anything but a great partner.

    As to special treatment, it’s the exact opposite today. To go to a specialized unit being inked is frowned upon. Also any deputy who says he can’t wait to be in a shooting is either a coward trying to impress some girl or crazy, and most deputies I know won’t work with that type of idiot.

    If you think you need to be inked to be a good deputy you are a fool. The 3000 guys aren’t even deputies yet, half of them won’t make it off training. The guy who started the jail tattoos is a lame non working deputy I am sure.

  47. Mrs crotchrot Says:

    I heard there are a group of deputies that have tattoos of a soft taco on their bellies! Supposably there called the king taco boys!!!

  48. Mrs crotchrot Says:

    This guy wire is something else!!!! Always an answer for everything! What a joke!!!

  49. Scruffy Says:

    So then why get a station tattoo? Seems like getting transferred to other stations happens. What then, get a second tat?

    Are there other Vikings like Tanaka in top supervisory positions?

    So is GET an ineffective unit?


    Wow, what a bunch of angry posters. Hey Celeste. You ought to see the Sheriff’s first published book of the history of the department. Look at page 73 and compare that to the 3000 gang


    BTW Celeste, Isn’t it past due for the Aero Bureau Audit ordered by the Board? I haven’t seen anything reported and that’s exactly what Louie and company want. Deflection to new stories.

    That’s the way it works for LASD. Published articles, denial, drama for a week then it’s over. SOP as usual

  52. Randall Says:

    Look at all that soda they have to mix their vodka with. posers.

  53. sucks Says:

    Just curious with which agency/department David Lynn was a police officer and for how long. I have a healthy skepticism whenever I hear “used to be a cop”. Sometimes it turns out that “used to be a cop” actually refers to someone who only graduated a self-sponsor academy or was hired but didn’t make it off training status or was let go during his/her first year or was relieved of duty or fired for wrong doings, etc.

  54. perplexed Says:

    I reacently had a run in with temple city sheriff deputies when they went out of their juristion to come to tunjunga were they handcuffed a friend I was visiting and beat him severly because they heard on the street that my friend was making threats against them from an arrest they made on him were they planted eveadence as I said I was visiting and so was another friend we were told by the sergent that we were being taken to the station because my friends wife was crying brutality and they would release us there.when we got to the station we were booked for a possession charge I bailed out my 2 friends and my friends wife went to court on the following Monday and were da rejects I went on the date given to me at bailing and was told by the da’s office there was no case against me now almost 15 months later the da has filed a case against all of us and the police report is completely false saying they found a baggie containing drugs on each one of us and that we admitted to it this is completely false can anyone tell me how to deal with these false charges and why can they wait 15 months to charge

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