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30 Los Angeles County Detention Services officials are facing criminal charges allegedly promoting a “greater fight” among youths in the county juvenile hall.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday that he had fired the indictment of a large ju judge, denounced officers from the Los Padrino juvenile hall, all of which affected 143 victims between the ages of 12 and 18.
“The charges allege that officers allowed 69 fights and in some cases encouraged 69 fights among young Rospadrinos between July 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023,” Bonta’s release said.
According to the Attorney General, the California Department of Justice has begun an investigation after video footage of the fight leaked in January 2024.
The footage shows eight probation officers standing vaguely while a group of teenagers attack the 17-year-old in the “dayroom” of the boys hall.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the teen suffered nose and head injuries.
“Some officers are seeing them laugh and shaking hands with the young people involved,” Bonta said. “When you watch the video, officers look like judges and audience members in the awards battle, not adults responsible for the attention and supervision of young people. Officers do not intervene, intervene, or protect the accusation.”
Eight probation officers were placed on administrative leave immediately, followed by four more in April 2024.
Bonta said 22 of the 30 officers currently facing these criminal charges were arrested Monday. The rest will be arrested on April 18th.
There has been a call at the state level to completely close Rospadrino due to “inappropriate” conditions and failed testing. However, the probation department refused the order.
“Officers of the Los Padrinos Boys Hall are obligated to ensure the safety and well-being of the people who care for them. Instead, the officers charged today did the opposite, overseeing the ‘Gladiators’ fight when they should have intervened,” Bonta said. “The filing of indictments and criminal charges is a key step in holding these officers accountable and dealing with shortages at the Los Padrino boys hall.”
In a completely independent civil ruling in November 2024, Bonta announced additional surveillance and protections to address the illegal and unsafe conditions of LA County juvenile halls, including Los Padrinos.
The LA County Probation Department has issued the following statement regarding Bonta’s announcement:
“The Los Angeles County Probation Department fully supports and praises the Attorney General and his office for today’s indictment. Our department sought law enforcement assistance when misconduct was discovered, which ultimately led to an investigation into the AG’s office. Since then, we have been fully working with our partners. At the same time, we have made our own internal enquiries. All current staff named for today’s indictment are taking leave without pay. Accountability is the basis of our mission, and there is zero resistance to misconduct among peace officers, especially those who deal with youth in our system.
“Though these cases are extremely troubling, we believe this is an important step in rebuilding trust and strengthening our commitment to meaningful change that we propose in juvenile facilities. Our vision for them is in favor of the highest standards of professionalism and integrity of staff, prioritizing rehabilitation, support and positive outcomes of young people involved in justice. We are dedicated to fostering an environment that is safe, recoverable and aligns with best practices.”
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