The Los Angeles County Probation Department has put eight officers on leave after an incident between the officers and youth detained at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
Probation Department Chief Guillermo Viera Rosa said he immediately put the officers on leave after being notified of the “alleged misconduct.” Viera Rosa said in a statement that the department is “actively identifying and removing those who do not align with our core values and standards to eliminate the negative influences within our organization.”
The incident is being independently investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Michael Chen, a spokesperson for the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, said it is not usual protocol to transfer investigations. When asked why the L.A. County Sheriff's Department was asked to handle the investigation, he directed LAist to submit a request for further information.
"We initiated an investigation on January 8th, 2024," they said in a statement. "It’s extremely early in the investigation process as Sheriff’s investigators are continuing to review evidence and information to determine the extent and scope of the alleged misconduct."
The Probation Department did not respond in time for a request for comment.
Diane Terry sits on the Probation Oversight Committee, composed of civilians who advise the Probation Department and the Board of Supervisors on reform and policies. She said she appreciates the transparency of the department in informing the public of the officers' leave. However, she did want more information on what happened, what the next steps are and how the L.A. County Sheriff’s investigation might look like given youth are involved.
Supervisor Janice Hahn, in whose district Los Padrinos is located, did not respond to a request for comment.
Tauheedah Shakur, director of organizing at the nonprofit organization Youth Justice Coalition, said she wasn’t surprised to learn about the alleged misconduct, because “misconduct in terms of probation officers happens all the time.”
“I've seen firsthand parents getting turned away from visiting their kids because they have spaghetti straps on or because they had open toed shoes or they had baggy sweatpants or their tattoos were showing,” she said. “They get to decide randomly when they want to reinforce rules or when they don't."
Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall reopened last year, after being shut down for child abuse, and Shakur’s organization opposed the move by the supervisors.
“We weren't in favor of Los Padrinos opening back up because oftentimes kids don't have access to clean facilities, like the facilities are very decrepit, kids were peeing on themselves, plumbing is an issue,” she said. “Why pay more money to open up a facility that got closed down because it was so toxic, and instead, why don't we invest in better alternatives.”
