A Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Monday issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily stopped the LA County Sheriff from directing certain deputies, suspected of belonging to two law enforcement gangs, to appear for in-person interviews and inspections of their tattoos.
Judge James C. Chalfant's 42-page order was not available until late Tuesday, and it said, "the application for a preliminary injunction is granted," citing the County's need to 'meet and confer' with the deputies' union before carrying out the interviews.
Chalfant said deputies might be harmed without the County first negotiating the terms with ALADS, the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, that represents most deputies.
The Judge said the public might also be harmed if the deputy gang investigation was delayed, but said there was no compelling need to to allow that investigation to proceed immediately.
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"‘The balancing of harms works in favor of a preliminary injunction that will maintain the status quo," Judge Chalfant wrote.
ALADS sued the County in May to try to block the Sheriff's order, which followed letters sent by the LA County Office of Inspector General to more than 30 deputies suspected of gang membership, directing them to answer questions about their associations with two law enforcement gangs: the Banditos, that is centered at the Sheriff's East LA station, and the Executioners, centered at the Sheriff's Compton station.
The demand letter also said the deputies were to bring photographs of or show their ankle tattoos that showed the insignias of the gangs.
Inspector General Max Huntsman said Tuesday he was disappointed with the judge's decision and expected LA County to appeal.
"It’s been a year and a half since California outlawed the gangs without meaningful investigation by law enforcement," Huntsman said. "Before that - the Sheriff’s Department covered them up for fifty years. My office will continue to work toward the day when the Sheriff’s Department is no longer above the law."
Efforts have intensified in recent months to establish the existence of law enforcement gangs within the LA County Sheriff's Department and identify members of the groups.
That followed changes to California law that made it unlawful for police officers to belong to such groups, defined what characteristics define the groups, and allows for the state to decertify deputies or officers shown to be members, which would make them ineligible to work for any police agency in the state.
DEPUTY GANGS
Earlier in May two lawsuits, both filed by deputy Sheriffs alleging they were the victim of deputy gang behavior, were allowed by a judge to proceed to trial. The cases involve the same gangs.
The preliminary injunction is a stopgap order until the case can be more fully argued. The case will return to court in September.
