Report 2021-105 Recommendation 21 Responses
Report 2021-105: Law Enforcement Departments Have Not Adequately Guarded Against Biased Conduct (Release Date: April 2022)
Recommendation #21 To: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
To better assess whether peace officer applicants have the ability to work with diverse members of their communities and whether they possess detectable disqualifying biases, by no later than October 2022 Los Angeles Sheriff should proactively seek and attempt to contact secondary references to obtain more candid information about applicants, such as information about past biased conduct or affiliation with hate groups.
1-Year Agency Response
We have been implementing the use of secondary references who can be used to detect any potential disqualifying biases.
This process of checking secondary references has remained the same from the last update in October 2022.
- Completion Date: October 2022
- Response Date: May 2023
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Partially Implemented
The department has not provide evidence of a policy or procedure requiring background investigators to contact secondary references when references provide them.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
6-Month Agency Response
We have been implementing the use of secondary references which can be used to detect any potential disqualifying biases.
- Estimated Completion Date: Done
- Response Date: October 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented
Los Angeles provided a reference questionnaire that asks references to provide a secondary reference. However, it still does not have a policy or procedure requiring background investigators to contact secondary references when references provide them.
60-Day Agency Response
We have a tracking mechanism in place which seeks to maintain the hiring of applicants reflective of the diversity Los Angeles County. We are making strides to seek input from elected officials and non-profit organizations, such as the NAACP and the California Legislative Black Caucus. We will also continue to seek input from other ethnicity focus groups and incorporate their valued suggestions into upcoming revisions our marketing plan in cooperation with the County CEO's Office.
- Estimated Completion Date: TBD
- Response Date: June 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2021-105
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.