County pays $8 million to settle lawsuit over ‘Banditos’ Sheriff’s Department gang

Los Angeles County’s Board of Supervisors approved an $8 million settlement on Tuesday with multiple sheriff’s deputies who claimed they were pressured to quit or transfer from the East Los Angeles station due to an internal deputy clique known as the “Banditos.” The lawsuit, filed in 2019, detailed allegations of harassment, bullying, and threats against deputies who refused to conform to the clique’s “corrupt culture.” Plaintiffs alleged they were physically assaulted during a 2018 training session and subjected to unfair treatment, including excessive calls, hostile messages, and denied promotions.

The county argued it wasn’t liable for the events at the training session, as the deputies involved weren’t acting within their official capacity. However, the county did place the individual defendants on leave and ultimately fired them. The plaintiffs alleged the Banditos were an all-Latino gang targeting young Latinos, but the county countered that the clique accepted members of all races and harassment was directed at those who opposed the group, not based on ethnicity.

Sheriff Robert Luna stated that measures are being implemented to prevent such cliques from forming, including a pledge for new deputies and questioning candidates about gang involvement during the promotion process. Supervisor Kathryn Barger affirmed that the settled case clearly involved gang activity.

(Source：Headtopics)