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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL
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May 12, 2023

You are directed to appear in person to participate in an interview to be conducted by
the Office of Inspector General concerning the presence of law enforcement gangs in
the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (Sheriffs Department).
Pursuant to Penal Code section 13670(b), each law enforcement agency in California
must prohibit membership in law enforcement gangs.
Pursuant to Penal Code section 13510.8(b)(7), participation in a law enforcement gang
is grounds for decertification of a peace officer.
Pursuant to Penal Code section 13670(b), a law enforcement agency must cooperate in
an inspector general's investigation into law enforcement gang participation. Pursuant to
Penal Code section 13510.8(b )(8), failure to cooperate in an investigation into police
misconduct is grounds for decertification of a peace officer.
The Office of Inspector General is investigating law enforcement gang participation and
police misconduct at the Sheriffs Department pursuant to Penal Code section 13670(b).
Your cooperation is being sought because we believe you may have information
regarding one of two groups that may be law enforcement gangs, commonly referred to
as the Banditos and the Executioners. The Sheriffs Department is in possession of
evidence that the Banditos and Executioners are exclusive, secretive, and may qualify
as law enforcement gangs pursuant to Penal Code section 13670(b). including by
discriminating in membership based upon race and gender in a manner prohibited by
this section. As of the writing of this letter, the Sheriffs Department has been unable to

May 12, 2023
Page 2
provide the Office of Inspector General with a membership list of either group. The
Office of Inspector General is conducting a series of witness interviews to establish the
membership of the Banditos and Executioners. This investigation into police misconduct
is conducted pursuant to the authority granted by Los Angeles County Code section
6.44.190(1), Penal Code section 13670(b), and Government Code section 13510.8.
You are welcome to be accompanied by a representative of your choice during the
questioning. Your representative may be an attorney or anyone else you choose. If you
choose someone other than an attorney, please identify the representative before our
meeting. The meeting will be audiotaped by the Office of Inspector General. You or your
representative may record the meeting as well. No more than two Office of Inspector
General representatives will conduct questioning during the interview.
As a peace officer employed by the County of Los Angeles, you must appear and
answer questions. However, should you believe that an answer might incriminate you,
you have the right under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution not to
answer. At the time of this initial interview, the Office of Inspector General will not
compel you to provide an answer over a Fifth Amendment assertion. Should the Office
of Inspector General elect to compel a statement over a Fifth Amendment assertion,
you will be recalled at a future date.
Absent an assertion by you of your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination,
failure to answer may adversely affect your employment with Los Angeles County or
your status as a certified peace officer. While the Office of Inspector General is not part
of the disciplinary process or certification process, your statements will be made
available to the Sheriff's Department, Commission on Peace Officer Standards and
Training (POST). and other governmental entities as legally appropriate.
The questions you will be asked are set forth below I although you may also be asked
follow-up questions or to elaborate.
Please bring a photograph of any tattoos on your left or right leg from the area of the
ankle to the knee and a photograph of any tattoo anywhere on your body that has any
symbol or images on the pictures in Exhibit 1.

May 12, 2023
Page 3
Questions:

Please state your full name, rank, and unit of assignment.

1. Do you have a tattoo like the picture in Exhibit 1?
• Please provide any photo you brought with you.
• Please show us each leg below the knee.
• Do you have a tattoo related to the Banditos or the Executioners
anywhere on your body?
• Describe each tattoo related to the Banditos or the Executioners and the
location of the tattoo on your body.
• (The Office of Inspector General will photograph each leg below the knee
if employee did not bring a photo or the photo may be insufficient)
• Did you ever have a tattoo like a picture in Exhibit 1 or otherwise related
to the Banditos or the Executioners removed, altered, or covered?
• Describe each tattoo related to the Banditos or the Executioners that you
had removed and the location of the tattoo on your body.
• Do you have any tattoos with symbols or images like those on Exhibit 1?
2. For any tattoo relevant to question 1, tell us how you got it.
• Were you invited to join a group? Explain.
• Who invited you?
• Who was present when you were tattooed?
• Who knows about your tattoo?
• If the group related to the tattoo has a name, used by you or others, what
is it?
• Describe the group.
3. Who else might be in the group?
• Who else have you seen the tattoo on?
• Who else has told you they are/were in the group?
• Have you ever been told about other deputies who might be in or have
been in the group? If so, which deputies? Who told you this?
• Do you have any reason to think any other deputies might be or have
been in the group? Which deputies and why?
• Have you seen any tattoos with symbols or images like those in Exhibit 1.
If so, describe the tattoo and circumstances in which you saw it.
• Is there anyone who you have heard said to be a member of the Banditos
or Executioners who you have reason to think does not have a tattoo
depicted in Exhibit 1? If so, please explain.
Please contact Chief Deputy, Inspector General Dara Williams within 14 days of the
date of this letter to schedule your interview. Chief Deputy Williams may be reached by
email at or by telephone at (213) 974-6100. Please coordinate your attendance with
your supervisor, as your appearance is a job function. Please direct any questions

May 12, 2023
Page4
regarding your duty to appear to County Counsel. Questions may also be directed to
your union or to retained counsel. If you have any questions you would like to ask of the
Office of Inspector General, please contact Chief Deputy Williams.

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A

Exhibit 1

B