Civil Rights Leaders Demand Demilitarizing the L.A. Sheriff's Department

June 8, 2020

The Call for demilitarizing the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Immediate Release

Contact:
Pedro Baez
602-790-0053

Press Advisory:

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable Vice President Pedro Baez and other civil rights leaders demanded that the L.A. County Board of Supervisors reprioritize its funding of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Dept. The Sheriffs's Department even with cuts far and away is still the biggest funded county agency. It receives more than 10 percent of the overall county"s $35 billion annual budget. This while the poor and communities of color are mistreated and in many instances lose their life at the hands of what many critics call the “LA Militia.” The defunding should be aimed at eliminating the Dept's paramilitary use of heavy weapons, vehicles, and paramilitary type training that has resulted inn multiple abuses and killings of civilians with no accountability and punishment.

“In recent years the LA Sheriff’s Dept has become not a law enforcement agency, but instead has portrayed itself as military deployment force bent on keeping the citizens of LA County in fear, says Pedro Baez, Vice President Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable, "It’s time that the Sheriff’s Dept. be demilitarized and its budget cut and see those funds go towards community improvement, reducing poverty and much needed reforms.”

The Call for demilitarizing the L.A. County Sheriff's Dept was endorsed by:

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable
President Earl Ofari Hutchinson