LASD new contracts?

[L8SHIFT]

Any Deps heard the rumor about losing the Compton contract and picking up El Monte and Santa Monica? I heard today that we're in Phase 2 with El Monte. :confused:

[andy5746]

That's news to me... :confused:

[ask80]

lol santa monica? wow... i would be surprised. i'm sure a lot of deps would want to work there :)

[Five-0fromSoCal]

Heard the Compton rumor. Not SMPD or EMPD. Compton would be making a big mistake.

[CHUCKnmnV]

The city of Irwindale is looking into contracting with LASO.

[IronBruin]

Santa Monica? Not going to happen.

[Blackavar]

I don't see how a city can justify the added expense of getting rid of a SO contract and pay more money for their own PD

[CHUCKnmnV]

Here's the link. Hope it works.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/rds_search/ci_12543031?IADID=Search-www.sgvtribune.com-www.sgvtribune.com

[LA DEP]

El Monte I could see....Santa Monica?......not in a million years.....

There have been noises about Compton going back to its own PD for awhile.....those noises originate with the city council folks.....not the citizens.....I dont see that one happening anytime soon either......

[Five-0fromSoCal]

El Monte I could see....Santa Monica?......not in a million years.....

There have been noises about Compton going back to its own PD for awhile.....those noises originate with the city council folks.....not the citizens.....I dont see that one happening anytime soon either......

I agree with the exception of Compton. I think the city council only has to vote, not the citizens like I think they did in the past. It's too bad that the city council is only thinking politically and themselves and not the citizens. I've been told that the Compton rumor might actually come true.

[CHUCKnmnV]

Speaking of contracts. Thought I could also share this.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_12706517

[Blackavar]

Speaking of contracts. Thought I could also share this.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_12706517

Cities and the county are locked in a who-blinks-first battle over who should pay legal costs when deputies commit sex crimes.

The continuing stalemate could result in the county not renewing contracts for police services for 40 cities patrolled by Sheriff's Department deputies, Supervisor Gloria Molina warned this week.

Unless the cities agree by Aug. 31 to assume all legal liability in criminal misconduct cases against deputies - including sexual misconduct - those contracts won't be renewed, Molina said.

"I don't want to call it a Mexican standoff, but it's getting close to it," the supervisor said.

The disagreement was sparked by a 2006 case against a Compton deputy convicted of raping three women while on duty. The three victims sued and the county settled all the cases out of court, paying out a total of $5 million.

Cities under Sheriff's Department contracts objected when the county dipped into their special fund, the liability trust fund, to pay the settlements.

The fund, which cities pay into and which now has about $52 million, was created to cover legal costs in settlements involving deputies. But contract cities argue the fund was never intended to be used for cases involving sexual misconduct by deputies.

The cities are now collectively threatening to sue the county over the sexual misconduct issue.

Sam Olivito, executive director of the California Contract Cities Association, said the trust fund has been used in the past to settle police brutality and other deputy misconduct cases.
"That's a different situation than sexual assault. There is a question as to whether excessive force is excessive force - that's a policy kind of an issue. There isn't any question when a deputy rapes a victim - that's definitely criminal. It isn't in the course and scope of the deputy's work under contract."

Molina said the current contracts make no distinctions between misconduct and sexual misconduct. She is calling on the cities to sign new contracts that make them liable for all "criminal misconduct" by deputies. The cities so far have balked at that wording.

"Why should the contract cities have to be responsible?" said Temple City Councilman Fernando Vizcarra. "If one of Athens' employees stole a car or beat somebody up or did something bad, that's Athens' problem, not ours, even if they contract with us."

Anna Pembedjian, justice deputy for Supervisor Mike Antonovich, backed the county's stance on the issue.

"What the supervisor believes is that when the county contracts and provides services to an entity, the county can't also absorb the liability that extends from those services," Pembedjian said. "It would create an unfair burden to the county taxpayers and, in this case, on the county unincorporated community."

The current contracts were due to expire Tuesday, but county supervisors extended them another two months to Aug. 31 as both sides attempt to come up with language they can agree on.

Antonovich believes the two sides are "very close" to a resolution, Pembedjian added.

Supervisor Don Knabe declined to comment on the dispute, citing the ongoing negotiations.

"Supervisor Knabe came out of a contract city and has long been a supporter of issues that contract cities have - first and foremost because they're the No. 1 customer of the county," said David Sommers, Knabe's spokesman.

The cities offered to extend current contracts for another year, but the county refused, said San Dimas Mayor Curtis Morris, who is part of the contract cities' negotiating team.

Molina said the cities are arguing against paying for sexual misconduct on "moral" grounds. She said she is very worried that no agreement will be reached by the Aug. 31 deadline.

"I'm petrified that you're going to end up with cities with no law enforcement," she said.

Morris said he's not sure what happens next once time runs out on the negotiations.

"I don't know whether there's an actual threat (of loss of services). Certainly the county's position has been that if the cities do not sign a new contract which makes the cities responsible for these sex crimes, then ... we'll be in a state of limbo."

San Gabriel Valley cities that hold contracts for services include Bradbury, Diamond Bar, Duarte, Industry, La Ca ada Flintridge, La Puente, Pico Rivera, Rosemead, Temple City, San Dimas, South El Monte and Walnut.

For the majority of cities, contracting out for law enforcement is significantly cheaper than paying for their own police departments.

So far, all 40 contract cities have gone on record that they intend to sue if the matter isn't settled.

"Temple City feels strongly that the county wrongly took money out of the fund for damages that were incurred in a lawsuit, and if the county's not willing to work out a settlement, from the contract cities' point of view I would anticipate that litigation would follow," said Eric Vail, Temple City's interim city attorney.

Diamond Bar spokeswoman Cecilia Arellano said her city also passed a resolution supporting the cities' position.

"We're prepared to start litigation if it should get to that point," she said.

A lawsuit would be counter- productive, Molina said.

"I'm not contracting with any city that sues me," she said.

At least one city, La Mirada, is considering contracting with any agency if the matter can't be resolved, Councilman Hal Malkin said.

"If they totally reject the contract provisions, possibly then we have to start looking elsewhere," he said. "We have to have Plan B in place. Plan B would be looking for other departments to contract with."

The contract cities also have requested the right to screen out deputies with histories of behavioral problems, an idea that the county has so far rejected.

"What we're trying to do is make sure that all those deputies that do have some kind of problem, if we do know about it, that we don't want them to be put into the contract cities," Olivito said.

Staff writer Mike Sprague contributed to this story.

[nobodyjr]

The contract cities also have requested the right to screen out deputies with histories of behavioral problems, an idea that the county has so far rejected.

"What we're trying to do is make sure that all those deputies that do have some kind of problem, if we do know about it, that we don't want them to be put into the contract cities," Olivito said.


Sounds like they want their own PD... but don't want to pay for it. wah

[Blackavar]

It also sounds like they are trying to get the best of both worlds. They want the lower cost and more benefits of a larger department but they want to control everything. They are trying to exercise more control over the sheriff department. In essence they are trying to have their own PD without paying for it.

[DAL]

I have heard that in the past contract cities have had some say over replacing personnel that were assigned to their cities, but I do not think they were allowed to screen in advance.

[Five-0fromSoCal]

Don't think they can prevent a Deputy from tranferring to any station. I think ALADS would have something to say about it. Brass is a different story though I think.

[gonzo1510]

Does anyone think Whittier PD would take the La Mirada contract if they can't get this resolved ?

[ask80]

Does anyone think Whittier PD would take the La Mirada contract if they can't get this resolved ?

i wouldn't be surprised since they took over santa fe springs

[gonzo1510]

I wouldn't either but I also wouldn't rule out La Habra since they are also next door.. I know it's an OC city but still...

[gonzo1510]

Have there been any developments with the county about the contracts ? I'd like to put in for WPD or La Habra before the rush..

[FJDave]

Everything is on hold waiting for state money issues to be hammered out. The state is trying to withhold money owed to cities and counties, so the county is looking at withholding money owed to the state to make up for their losses. At least that is what I hear is going on at the county level.

[usmc2lasd]

The contract issue has been settled. its going to be a 50/50 instead of the money coming directly from the combined pot that all contract cities put in too. I understand the issue, some cities contract for very little but they contribute disproportionately in cases like the deputy raping women. I think the resolution was fare.

Have there been any developments with the county about the contracts ? I'd like to put in for WPD or La Habra before the rush..

[Five-0fromSoCal]

The contract issue has been settled. its going to be a 50/50 instead of the money coming directly from the combined pot that all contract cities put in too. I understand the issue, some cities contract for very little but they contribute disproportionately in cases like the deputy raping women. I think the resolution was fare.


I think it's pretty fair also. If a city had their own dept, they'd be 100% paying off lawsuits out of their own pockets.

[RLRay]

This whole Compton PD thing is because the mayor has a personal problem with L. Baca. 5 years ago Rhambo ran against the mayor and he (Perrodin) thinks Baca put him up to it. He has been ****ed ever since and now he is trying to use city money, put the citizens safety in jeopardy, just to bring back CPD and (he thinks) get even with Baca. This is a big mistake and the citizens are not putting up with it. My name is at the top of the list to recall the mayor and some other council members. The citizens DID vote NO on bringing back CPD with a 75% saying they want LASD. And, I do not think that LASD can just get up a leave a city without any LE at all. The city has until 8/31 to renew the contract for another 5 years. A recall committee has been formed and I'm on it! If Compton loses LASD, the city is doomed to returning as the murder capital of the U.S.

The State Atty. Gen's office and other legal organizations are investigating the actions of the City Council. The fan is gaing speed!