Continued Pressure From Civil Rights Groups Triggers Reform of Sheriffâs Department

Although last March saw the successful settlement of Sergeant Brian Moriguchiâs racial discrimination lawsuit against the Los Angeles Sheriffâs Department (Moriguchi v. The County of Los Angeles), local civil rights groups have maintained that dramatic changes are still necessary if the Sheriffâs department is to avoid the kind of civil rights catastrophe associated with the LAPDâs now infamous Rampart division. The coalition of advocacy groups behind the Moriguchi victory has repeatedly called for increased civilian oversight in the LASD, and for the first time, it appears that the Sheriffâs Department might be listening.

Moriguchiâs suit arose from the Sheriffâs Departmentâs retaliation against the then-deputy for complaining about a racist caricature posted on a bulletin board by a fellow officer. As a direct result of his complaint, Moriguchiâs locker was broken into. He was also falsely accused of misconduct and had restrictions placed on his work schedule. On June 20, 1999, a Los Angeles County Superior Court jury returned a unanimous verdict that the Sheriffâs Department had illegally retaliated against Moriguchi for speaking up. Following, a short-lived appeal, the LASD agreed to pay $138,000, but Moriguchi offered to forgo the monetary damages if the Sheriffâs Department agreed to set up a civilian review board to examine complaints of discrimination and harassment. The County rejected his proposal.

While applauding the verdict, the coalition of Los Angeles civil rights groups responsible for the success of Moriguchiâs suit continue to reiterate the sergeantâs plea for a civilian review board. The Asian Pacific American Legal Center, the Japanese American Citizenâs League, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the California Womenâs Law Center, and the ACLU/SC have called for an independent office external to the Sheriffâs Department to receive and investigate complaints. In a letter sent to county supervisors in March, the coalition called the Moriguchi case a "wake-up call to the County" and warned that if a "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil" attitude were allowed to fester, as it had in the LAPD, there would be an "enormous price to pay."

In an unprecedented move for a Los Angeles law enforcement executive officer, Sheriff Baca agreed that independent civilian review was the best way of circumventing future misconduct in the LASD, and in April unveiled the outlines of a plan for an independent office of review to oversee and work with LASD internal investigators. Under Bacaâs plan, a seven-attorney staff would be given unrestricted access to confidential LASD investigations and could recommend different approaches to internal review and discipline for deputies. Although the Sheriff would maintain the final say on disciplinary actions, civil rights leaders are optimistic that Bacaâs proposal signals a new commitment on the part of the LASD to eradicate the "culture of silence" that has plagued Los Angeles law enforcement for so long.

In his latest semi-annual report to the County Board of Supervisors, police reform expert Merrick Bobb concluded that while the Sheriffâs Department has established a sound internal warning system, further oversight is needed in order to prevent future misconduct and discrimination in the LASD. As long as lack of funding or departmental foot-dragging doesnât kill the Sheriffâs plan for an independent office, civil rights groups working in conjunction with the Board of Supervisors may finally get a say in the way the Sheriffâs Department polices itself. "To Bacaâs credit," Bobb recently told the LA Times, "what heâs thinking about here is: how do we enhance the quality and credibility of our internal investigations?" Others are equally pleased, but as advocacy groups know, vigilance remains the price of freedom.