By Alexander Lee

Next week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is slated to vote on an agenda that could put a charter change in front of voters this November, asking them if they want to give the Board the power to remove a sitting elected LA County Sheriff with a four-fifths vote.

This proposed change comes on the heels of several supervisors criticizing LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva's handling of internal investigations into alleged departmental gangs. If approved, this motion would represent a significant shift in the county's power structure, reflecting the strained relationship between Villanueva and county officials.

LA County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell proposed the motion to remove the sheriff.

In response, Villanueva said during a December 2021 press conference, "Shame on you, Board of Supervisors. The voters, not you, decide who the sheriff is."

Villanueva is currently running for re-election against former Long Beach Police Department Chief Robert Luna. In June, Villanueva stated he aims to maintain the sheriff's autonomy, while he believes Luna would yield power to the LA County Supervisors.

The LA Sheriff's Department released a statement condemning the proposal, calling it an "illegal motion" that would allow "corrupt supervisors" to intimidate sheriffs from performing their duties.

Zev Yaroslavsky, a former LA County Board of Supervisors member and current UCLA professor, warned that this move might backfire on the board.

"Although the board is rightly frustrated with this sheriff, they need to ensure their solution doesn't compromise their moral high ground," Yaroslavsky said.

Since his 2018 election, Villanueva has attracted numerous controversies, including rehiring a fired deputy, clashing with his watchdog, and defying the county's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. He has frequently accused the board of undermining him.

In April, a whistleblower complaint was filed by a former LA County Sheriff assistant, alleging that she was framed and demoted after showing Villanueva a video of a deputy using controversial force on an inmate. Villanueva denies knowledge of the video.

Reporter Alexander Lee alexanderlee_24@newsyn.co.kr