The LA County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission has taken a step for new leadership, with the unanimous election of Commissioner Hans Johnson as Chair. In addition, the Commission has entrusted Commissioner Luis S. Garcia with another term as Co-Vice Chair, and appointed Commissioner Arthur Calloway II as the second Co-Vice Chair to round out the team for fiscal year 2025-2026. This leadership shift comes as former Chair Robert C. Bonner steps down after his term was not renewed by Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.
During the previous fiscal year, under Bonner's oversight, the Commission pushed for revisions to its governing structure to ensure stronger oversight capabilities. It went as far as to issue subpoenas for confidential documents from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) over deputy use of force incidents, sparking a legal challenge from the LASD. Subsequently, a resolution was filed in support of Assembly Bill 847, to grant civilian oversight commissions more access to confidential personnel information, as detailed in a recent report.
Newly-elected Chair Johnson laid out his ambitions for the Commission with clear intent, "Strong oversight is public safety, In serving Angelenos and this Commission, my goals are to strengthen collaboration with the Department and how it seeks and values our input; to secure a new mandate to do our job as a Commission; to shine a light on the hard truths of deputy gangs and eradicate this lasting cancer in the Department; to align the Commission’s committees with our strategic plan; and to share the lessons of our work with oversight commissions throughout California and the United States," according to a statement obtained by the Commission.
With an extensive background in advocacy strategy and governance practices, Johnson isn't new to the world of overseeing public safety and inclusion efforts. He has over 20 years of experience in this realm. Commissioner Garcia remains entrenched in his second term with a commitment to "strengthening transparency and accountability, deepening community trust and building bridges between the community and the LASD," according to the same report. Garcia's expertise spans behavioral health and supporting those entangled with the justice system. Meanwhile, Calloway, as a fresh face on the Commission, carries the unique perspective of the Antelope Valley population. He has made it his goal to "eliminate the need for my position," which he conveyed to the Commission, signifying a desire for inherent accountability within law enforcement bodies.
The Commission, established by the Board of Supervisors back in 2016, has the daunting task of providing independent oversight to the LASD. It aims to enhance the department's transparency, analyze its policies and practices continually, foster community engagement, and advise the Board, the Sheriff's Department, and residents on improvements. This body’s leadership changes are instrumental in shaping the future of law enforcement oversight in LA County.
