Sheriff Robert Luna joined other high-ranking Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department officials Wednesday to tout the introduction of body-worn cameras for deputies assigned to county jails.
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According to the LASD, it is the first deployment of the technology in Los Angeles County jails. The initiative is designed to enhance safety, accountability and transparency within all the custody facilities run by the department, officials said.
At a Wednesday morning news conference, Luna said the cameras are already having an impact, saying there was been a "significant difference already" and noting that "use of force is already starting to drop." He also said the presence of the cameras is impacting the behavior of inmates.
"Based on our preliminary feedback that we're getting, that camera is definitely making a difference in the way inmates are behaving toward our employees," Luna said.
According to the department, the cameras "provide deputies with a reliable tool to document interactions accurately, reduce conflicts and improve the review of critical incidents, helping to create a safer environment for both staff and individuals in their custody."
The sheriff's department has faced multiple scandals related to jail conditions.
The state Attorney General's Office sued Los Angeles County and the sheriff's department in September alleging persistent unconstitutional and inhumane conditions inside the jail system, including lack of access to health care, rat and roach infestations and feces smeared on walls.
"We need comprehensive reform now, and that's what this lawsuit is about," Attorney General Rob Bonta said during a downtown Los Angeles news conference announcing the suit.
The legal action is the result of an investigation that began in 2021, and Bonta said the probe uncovered continued issues such as increasing inmate deaths despite a drop in the jail population, overcrowded facilities, inadequate or delayed access to medical and dental care, limited access to basic hygiene supplies such as soap, subpar plumbing and inadequate air conditioning.
The sheriff's department responded by insisting that progress has been made in improving jail conditions and in meeting requirements of four existing federal settlement agreements relating to the jails.
"The complaint filed is based on outdated information and lacks support from any substantiated pattern or practice of unlawful conduct," according to the department. "Further, many of the provisions have already been completed or are being addressed by existing department practices or ongoing federal settlement agreements.
"... The department has invested approximately $309 million in custody facility upgrades and operational improvements. These investments have supported a range of enhancements, including the hiring of additional custody professional staff, distribution of thermal undergarments, body worn cameras, expansion of scent detection K-9's, closed circuit television systems, network infrastructure upgrades, water boiler replacement project, food programs, plumbing upgrades, cell and shower suicide prevention projects and the increase of custody-based programming and telehealth programs."
Luna said the department has fully cooperated with the state investigation into the jail system and in a statement the department claimed Bonta's complaint was "based on outdated information and lacks support from any substantiated pattern or practice of unlawful conduct,"
"Despite ongoing challenges, including a rising inmate population and an aging Men's Central Jail, our staff have remained committed to providing constitutional, humane care to those in our custody," Luna said at the time. "We are not waiting for mandates, we are proactively advancing reforms to build a safer, more accountable custody environment. I'm proud of the progress we've made and confident in our ability to continue delivering meaningful change for our community."
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