Thread by @cerisecastle

The @LACountyCOC is meeting now. The agenda includes body worn cameras, deputy “cliques”, and COVID-19 in jails. Sheriff Alex Villanueva is expected to join at 12pm. I’ll be live tweeting here.

Family impact statements have been moved up to the top of the meeting. We are hearing now from Hilda Pedroza, the sister of David Ordaz Jr., and their father. Ordaz was killed by LASD deputies in the midst of a mental health crisis earlier this year.

Ordaz’s father says that he wants justice and for the deputies to see consequences. He says that there were children present at the shooting who could have been hit by the bullets. He wants the deputies fired.

Ordaz’s sister Hilda says that when deputies arrived on scene guns were drawn immediately. “It happened so fast.” She says that she saw the life leave her brother when his head rolled back onto the pavement.
“I will never, ever again trust the police.”

Now the COVID-19 update from the jails. Visiting is reopening at County facilities. Dr. Sean Henderson says that there is an effort to vaccinate people as soon as they arrive into custody. There was a question about people leaving facilities; there is no program to vaccinate them

Commissioner Priscilla Ocen asks how second doses for people living facilities are tracked. Henderson says they are working closely with public health. As far as following people post-release to make sure they get those second doses? “We’re not.”

During a question about rates of vaccination for staff, Henderson says the department cannot require them for employees because of HIPPA. Later, he says that educators visiting facilities and their students must be vaccinated to participate in programming.

Ocen’s last question is about the money generated from commissary purchases that is supposed to be used for inmate welfare. LASD does not have data available atm, says any unused money stays in the fund.

Now to public comment. Two people have called for a the testimony of incarcerated people about the supply and quality of PPE in county jails.

Public commenters are also calling for the depopulation of county jails as a safety measure to fight COVID-19

Up next, Dara Williams from the Office of the Inspector General. She says that body worn cameras will be department wide by August, but her office concerned that deputies can watch video before writing reports or making statements.

Williams says that currently the OIG does not have the ability to review unedited video of incidents. She is calling in the department to change their policy.

Williams concludes by saying there are “numerous” issues of transparency with the Sheriff’s department. OIG reports are available on their website.

Stepping off for a bit, going to keep listening.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva says that he would NOT support the COC’s policy on “deputy cliques”. Also says that there is one investigation pending regarding a clique via his policy. No one has been disciplined as a result of it.

Villanueva is now saying that every agency that is reports to the Board of Supervisors is biased against the Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Villanueva just said “depositions are not facts.” On the contrary, depositions are statements made under oath.