Luna reflects on 100 days in office, says he is rooting out deputy gangs and securing budget

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- As Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reaches his 100th day in office, ABC7 sat down for an interview with him to discuss his progress on campaign promises, including rooting out deputy gangs.

One thing Luna says he has done is begin reestablishing relationships with other aspects of the county government, including the Board of Supervisors. Luna says he has even allowed the inspector general to return to the department.

"One of the first actions, and steps I took was allowing the inspector general back in this building," said Luna."It was very well documented that this department; the leadership wasn't really collaborating with the board of supervisors, and a lengthy list of others. My job was to reestablish, or look at the fractured relationships that existed, and go back and start fixing them."

The inspector general, Luna says, has hit the ground running.

"She's come in, she's hit the ground running," said Luna. "What she is going to be doing is hiring multiple attorneys, auditors and investigators. And not only will they be looking at the issue of deputy gangs, cliques or subgroups, but they are going to be looking at the important work of making sure the sheriff department is complying with our multiple settlement agreements and consent decrees."

When he took office, the sheriff's department had not released 20 body camera videos of deputy-involved shootings, something Luna said violated the law.

Now, the department releases body camera footage within 45 days of an incident occurring.

"When we have a deputy-involved shooting, we are now releasing those videos within 45 days, and the last one I want to say we were able to release in 30 days," said Luna.

Looking ahead, Luna said he is hoping to secure the budget for more body cameras, tasers and other work essentials.

"I had about a month, when I walked in here, to put together a good plan that was to be presented to the county CEO for multiple budget items," said Luna. "There is a lot of equipment that we don't have, that we need to have to come into the policing models of 2023."

The department is also in the process of hiring 1,100 more deputies, and Luna said he is still looking at different processes of promotion. The department is also continuing to roll out the office of constitutional policing, which has 27 recommendations from the civilian oversight commision.

"I expect the next 100 days to be as busy or busier than the last days," said Luna.

For how crime is currently doing in Los Angeles County, Luna said violent crime is down 8% so far this year.

"It's early on in the year, but violent crime, good news, is down by about 8%," said Luna.