# Alex Villanueva *candidate · Los Angeles County Sheriff* — November 3, 2026 General Election (2026-11-03), Los Angeles County, California Research pack generated 2026-10-30T23:52:30+00:00 by ballotscope. Summaries are LLM-generated from the linked originals and may contain errors; check the originals before relying on anything. Sources span 2020-01-09 to 2026-10-02. ## Overview (as of 2026-10-29, from 29 sources) Alex Villanueva, a career deputy, won the sheriff's office in 2018 by ousting the incumbent, the first to do so in about a century, and lost it to Robert Luna in 2022, 61% to 39% [Luna, Villanueva LA County sheriff's race (Decision 2026); Incumbent Robert Luna is set to face predecessor Alex Villanueva in November for LA County Sheriff's race; Alex Villanueva running for LA County Sheriff again]. He placed second in the June 2026 primary with 22% to Luna's 44% [Luna, Villanueva LA County sheriff's race (Decision 2026)]. His term is described as tumultuous: clashes with the Board of Supervisors, defiance of oversight subpoenas, criminal investigations of critics, and court rulings against his rehiring of a fired deputy [Has Sheriff Alex Villanueva acted unlawfully? New OIG report says yes; Villanueva abuse of power, subpoena, criminal investigations of oversight officials; 2026 California primary voter guide: Los Angeles County Sheriff]. He denies that deputy gangs exist, calling the issue a 'calculated political hoax' (2026), while describing discipline after the Banditos investigation [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff; Former LA County sheriff Alex Villanueva testifies on deputy gangs]. His 2026 case is that the department 'has just fallen apart' under Luna, with 3,000 sworn vacancies, and that he restored full staffing in 2020 and would hire 2,000 deputies in two years [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff; LA County sheriff race features 8 candidates, differing visions for LASD; 2026 general election voter guide: LA County Sheriff]. Since leaving office he lost a 2024 supervisor race, was fined $7,500 over 2018 campaign reporting, was placed on a county 'do not rehire' list (which he denies), and in 2025 left the Democratic Party for the Republican Party [Former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva fined for 2018 campaign finance violations; Hahn beats Villanueva for third term; Former blue county sheriff unleashes on Dems after switching parties; 2026 general election voter guide: LA County Sheriff]. ### Record highlights - 2019, by his own account: violent crime down 7%, jail violence down, hiring up 65%, and ICE transfers down 53% after he removed ICE agents from LASD facilities. [Op-Ed: Los Angeles County Sheriff Villanueva slams L.A. Times editorial board for promoting a false narrative] - 2020: a court ruled his reinstatement of fired deputy Caren Carl Mandoyan unlawful; the inspector general documented what it called unlawful conduct, and a judge ordered a contempt hearing over a defied commission subpoena. [Has Sheriff Alex Villanueva acted unlawfully? New OIG report says yes] - 2021: his department opened criminal investigations of critics, including the inspector general and a commissioner, with no charges reported; the county settled the former CEO's harassment claims for $1.5 million. [Villanueva abuse of power, subpoena, criminal investigations of oversight officials] - 2021: rejected a RAND finding that deputy gangs persist and refused a commission subpoena, calling the commission a 'kangaroo court'. [Villanueva responds after RAND report says gang-like cliques continue to exist among deputies] - 2022: the DA opened an investigation into a video of him soliciting campaign donations from deputies; ABC7 reported federal data contradicting his staffing-ratio claims. [LA County DA investigating Sheriff Villanueva for soliciting donations from his deputies; LA County Sheriff Villanueva says decline in his agency's budget is 'very alarming'] - January 2024: testified under oath on deputy gangs; the same month agreed to a $7,500 FPPC fine over 2018 donor-reporting omissions (the FPPC found no evidence the campaign knew of a straw-donor scheme). [Former LA County sheriff Alex Villanueva testifies on deputy gangs; Former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva fined for 2018 campaign finance violations] - March 2024: lost the supervisor primary to Janice Hahn, 30.6% to 54.7%. [Hahn beats Villanueva for third term] - May 2025: re-registered as a Republican after 44 years as a Democrat. [Former blue county sheriff unleashes on Dems after switching parties] ### Stated positions - Deputy gangs: banning groups outright is unconstitutional (2021); the issue is 'a calculated political hoax' and tattoos do not make a gang member (2026). [Villanueva responds after RAND report says gang-like cliques continue to exist among deputies; Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] - Staffing: top priority, with 3,000 vacancies claimed; would hire 2,000 deputies in two years. [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff; LA County sheriff race features 8 candidates, differing visions for LASD] - Homelessness: cleanups and 'regulate public space' combined with outreach, shelter and treatment; dismantle the homeless-services industry. [The Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Villanueva Launches Campaign Video Highlighting Key Issues; LA County sheriff debate recap: Villanueva and Luna clash in combative exchanges; Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] - Jails and force: replace Men's Central Jail, staff to consent-decree levels, investigate every use of force, expand 24/7 mental-health teams. [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] - Independence of the sheriff from the Board of Supervisors; opposed a 2023 bill letting boards remove sheriffs. [LA County sheriff debate recap: Villanueva and Luna clash in combative exchanges; Former sheriff: politically driven California bill would undermine democracy] - Public corruption as a top priority; in 2022 called DA Gascón 'a second public defender'. [LA County sheriff debate: Robert Luna criticizes Sheriff Alex Villanueva's record; Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] ### Where sources disagree - Deputy gangs: a special counsel and RAND found active gangs or cliques; Villanueva says no deputy has been identified as a gang member. [Villanueva responds after RAND report says gang-like cliques continue to exist among deputies; Special counsel report: LA sheriff deputy gangs are a 'cancer' on the department; Former LA County sheriff Alex Villanueva testifies on deputy gangs; Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] - Staffing: Villanueva claimed 0.9 deputies per 1,000 residents in 2022; ABC7 found federal data put LASD above three per 1,000. [LA County Sheriff Villanueva says decline in his agency's budget is 'very alarming'] - Subgroups policy: in 2020 he wrote that his policies banned subgroups and cliques; in 2021 he said banning groups outright is unconstitutional. [Op-Ed: Los Angeles County Sheriff Villanueva slams L.A. Times editorial board for promoting a false narrative; Villanueva responds after RAND report says gang-like cliques continue to exist among deputies] - 'Do not rehire' list: LAist reports his placement after County Equity Oversight Panel findings; he denies the allegation. [2026 California primary voter guide: Los Angeles County Sheriff; 2026 general election voter guide: LA County Sheriff] ### Gaps - No 2026 debate or forum, and no full transcript of any Villanueva interview; he did not respond to the Daily Bruin. - His 2026 campaign website was not captured directly (summarized only by the Daily Bruin), and the LAist questionnaire pages did not render. - No outcome reported for the 2022 DA investigation or for his 2024 'do not rehire' lawsuit. - No independent verification of his 2019 crime and jail figures or his 2026 vacancy figure. - Little recent (2026) third-party analysis or editorial assessment of his platform. ### Arguments for / praise - He grew the force, reaching full staffing by 2020, and cut jail violence and crime, while resisting a board that defunded the department. — *Alex Villanueva, WEHOonline writer* [Op-Ed: Los Angeles County Sheriff Villanueva slams L.A. Times editorial board for promoting a false narrative; OpEd: Why I voted Villanueva; Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] - He brought transparency reforms such as body-worn cameras and a public data portal, and stood up for deputies. — *Alex Villanueva, Villanueva campaign website* [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff; LA County sheriff race features 8 candidates, differing visions for LASD] - Deputies back him: the Los Angeles Sheriff's Professional Association endorsed him with 81.5% of members voting, alongside the county Republican Party and Taxpayers Association. — *LASPA, LAist* [Deputies organization backs Villanueva in 2026 race for sheriff; 2026 California primary voter guide: Los Angeles County Sheriff] ### Arguments against / criticism - He acted unlawfully and against oversight, including defying subpoenas, rehiring a fired deputy and threatening county officials. — *LA County Inspector General, WitnessLA* [Has Sheriff Alex Villanueva acted unlawfully? New OIG report says yes] - He used criminal investigations against critics, chilling oversight. — *Civilian Oversight Commission members, LAist* [Villanueva abuse of power, subpoena, criminal investigations of oversight officials; 2026 California primary voter guide: Los Angeles County Sheriff] - He downplayed deputy gangs that a special counsel found active. — *Special counsel report, Commissioner Lael Rubin* [Special counsel report: LA sheriff deputy gangs are a 'cancer' on the department] - His staffing claims overstate the shortage. — *ABC7 analysis* [LA County Sheriff Villanueva says decline in his agency's budget is 'very alarming'] ## Analysis of their own words (as of 2026-10-29) Coverage: 15 samples, January 2020 to April 2026. Four are prepared texts: a 2020 op-ed under his byline (S15), a 2022 campaign press release (S12), and 2026 Patch questionnaire answers (S1). The rest are news reports with extended quotes from the 2022 debates and forum (S7-S11), press events and interviews as sheriff (S6, S13, S14), and post-office interviews, testimony and a speech (S2-S5). Debate and interview material consists of journalists' excerpts; there are no full transcripts. Missing: any 2026 debate or forum, his 2026 campaign site, and unscripted 2026 remarks. Villanueva combines law-and-order positions with an anti-establishment populism aimed at county leadership. He opposes progressive prosecution, calling Gascón 'a second public defender' [S7], and opposed the vaccine mandate [S1]. He calls deputy gangs a 'political hoax' [S1] and favors encampment cleanups paired with services [S12, S1]. His populism shows in attacks on 'the political establishment' and a 'Homeless Services Industry' [S12], and on supervisors he says act as if 'all-supreme and powerful' [S4]. On crime, prosecution and county power his views read as conservative. Two exceptions: his 2020 ICE limits [S15] and his stated emphasis on enforcement as a last resort [S15, S5]. He called himself a moderate in 2023 [S5] and switched to the Republican Party in 2025 [S2]. Articulation: **mixed**. His prepared texts are organized and specific: the 2020 op-ed sets out a numbered record and a thesis on employer fairness [S15], and the 2026 questionnaire answers each question with concrete proposals [S1]. Key figures in them, such as 3,000 vacancies and full staffing by 2020, are stated without sources [S1]. One figure was challenged on record: ABC7 reported that federal statistics contradicted his staffing-ratio claims and that he restated the comparison incorrectly when confronted [S6]. In unscripted exchanges much of his speech is attack rather than argument [S9-S11], and LAist reported that he avoided a question on his reported comments about Black people and sidestepped one on the Kobe Bryant photos [S7]. Consistency: **adequate**. His core themes are stable from 2020 to 2026: conflict with county leadership, staffing as the central problem, cleanups paired with services, and since 2021 the view that deputy cliques cannot be banned and gangs are not proven. Two changes are recorded below: how he describes his own policy on subgroups, and his party. - Deputy gangs: Denies deputy gangs exist and calls the issue a political fabrication; says misconduct, not tattoos or membership, is what can be punished. - "If a subgroup of any set of employees engages in misconduct, that is when I, as an employer, can intervene" [Villanueva responds after RAND report says gang-like cliques continue to exist among deputies] (2021-09-23) - "deputy gangs has become a political buzzword. And it's just like unicorns" [LA County sheriff debate recap: Villanueva and Luna clash in combative exchanges] (2022-09-22) - "Then we transferred a group of people, so we actually did quite a bit. However, that didn't make them gang members." [Former LA County sheriff Alex Villanueva testifies on deputy gangs] (2024-01-12) - "The deputy gang narrative was a calculated political hoax designed to defame the department and weaponize county assets in order to justify defunding the LASD and generate calls for removing the sitting sheriff." [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] (2026-04-30) - Sheriff independence and county power: Casts the board of supervisors as overreaching, opposes letting boards remove sheriffs, and calls the oversight commission illegitimate. - "This is about the independence of the Sheriff's Department, and checks and balances against the unlimited power of the Board of Supervisors." [LA County sheriff debate recap: Villanueva and Luna clash in combative exchanges] (2022-09-22) - "That is not a deliberative body. That's a kangaroo court" [Villanueva responds after RAND report says gang-like cliques continue to exist among deputies] (2021-09-23) - "This is all about power. It has nothing to do with elected sheriffs doing something wrong" [Former sheriff: politically driven California bill would undermine democracy] (2023-04-21) - Staffing and budget: Calls staffing the top challenge and says the board defunded the department; credits his tenure with full staffing. - "We're down to 8.3% of the county's budget. That is very alarming" [LA County Sheriff Villanueva says decline in his agency's budget is 'very alarming'] (2022-10-06) - "Staffing crisis, with a staggering 3,000 sworn vacancies." [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] (2026-04-30) - "We achieved full staffing by April of 2020, a milestone no previous sheriff had ever met." [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] (2026-04-30) - Homelessness: Supports cleanups and regulating public space plus outreach and treatment; wants the homeless-services industry dismantled. - "This Homeless Services Industry must be dismantled." [The Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Villanueva Launches Campaign Video Highlighting Key Issues] (2022-04-20) - "If we are not investing in mental health, substance abuse and shelter capacity, period" [What's next for LA County's 33rd sheriff] (2023-01-14) - "No arrests or uses of force have been needed in getting the homeless to accept shelter and services, and no arrests have been made in these clean ups." [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] (2026-04-30) - Jails, use of force and mental-health response: Wants Men's Central Jail replaced, staffing raised to meet consent decrees, every use of force investigated, and 24/7 clinician-deputy teams. - "Improving the physical conditions of the jails, including tearing down Men's Central Jail and replacing it with a similarly secured facility is a must." [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] (2026-04-30) - "Every incident needs to be documented and investigated objectively." [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] (2026-04-30) - "The challenge is to get 24/7 coverage countywide" [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] (2026-04-30) - Public corruption investigations: Defends investigating county officials as the sheriff's duty and lists corruption as a top 2026 priority. - "the authority of the sheriff is to investigate crime, period." [LA County sheriff debate: Robert Luna criticizes Sheriff Alex Villanueva's record] (2022-09-22) - "Public corruption" [Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff] (2026-04-30) - District attorney: In 2022 said he would not pretend to work with DA Gascón. - "he is not a district attorney - he is a second public defender. And that is jeopardizing the safety of every single man and woman here in Los Angeles County." [LA County sheriff debate recap: Villanueva and Luna clash in combative exchanges] (2022-09-22) - Immigration enforcement: In 2020 touted removing ICE from LASD facilities and cutting transfers; no later statement in the samples. - "By removing ICE agents from LASD facilities, rejecting federal grant money in exchange for the database of undocumented inmates, and improving on SB54, we have now seen transfers to ICE custody drop by 53%." [Op-Ed: Los Angeles County Sheriff Villanueva slams L.A. Times editorial board for promoting a false narrative] (2020-01-09) Limitations: Most unscripted material is from 2021-2022 and comes as reporters' excerpts. The only 2026 sample is a written questionnaire, so it shows prepared positions but not how he handles questioning. The analysis cannot verify his factual claims; it notes only where a source in the set disputes one. ## Timeline (newest first) - **2026-10-02** — Published: 2026 general election voter guide: LA County Sheriff (LAist) - **2026-09-09** — DOJ informed Sheriff Luna of an investigation into conditions at Men's Central Jail (LAist) - **2026-06-11** — Published: Incumbent Robert Luna is set to face predecessor Alex Villanueva in November for LA County Sheriff's race (Los Angeles Magazine) - **2026-06-10** — Villanueva Instagram post on advancing to November (Los Angeles Magazine) - **2026-06-10** — Published: Luna, Villanueva LA County sheriff's race (Decision 2026) (NBC Los Angeles) - **2026-06-10** — Updated registrar tally released (NBC Los Angeles) - **2026-06-09** — Villanueva emailed statement on advancing to runoff (NBC Los Angeles) - **2026-06-03** — Eric Strong concedes (Los Angeles Magazine) - **2026-06-02** — Primary election; Luna and Villanueva advance to runoff (Los Angeles Magazine) - **2026-06-02** — Primary election for LA County Sheriff (scheduled) (Patch) - **2026-06-02** — Primary election (LAist) - **2026-06-02** — Published: LA County sheriff race features 8 candidates, differing visions for LASD (Daily Bruin) - **2026-06-02** — LA County Sheriff primary election (Daily Bruin) - **2026-05-07** — Published: 2026 California primary voter guide: Los Angeles County Sheriff (LAist) - **2026-04-30** — Published: Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff (Patch) - **2025-09-22** — Published: Deputies organization backs Villanueva in 2026 race for sheriff (KTLA) - **2025-09-22** — LASPA endorsement of Villanueva reported (KTLA) - **2025-09** — Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit alleging unconstitutional jail conditions (LAist) - **2025-09** — Attorney General Rob Bonta sues over county jail conditions (LAist) - **2025-07-22** — Published: Alex Villanueva running for LA County Sheriff again (FOX 11 Los Angeles) - **2025-07-22** — Villanueva announces 2026 run for sheriff (FOX 11 Los Angeles) - **2025-07-18** — Published: LA County Registrar contribution limit notice to Villanueva committee (Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk) - **2025-05-05** — Published: Former blue county sheriff unleashes on Dems after switching parties (Fox News) - **2024-11** — Luna said in an ABC7 interview that deputies would not initiate immigration enforcement (Daily Bruin) - **2024-06** — Villanueva sues county over 'do not rehire' list (FOX 11 Los Angeles) - **2024-03-06** — Published: Hahn beats Villanueva for third term (The Downey Patriot) - **2024-03-05** — Villanueva loses supervisorial primary to Janice Hahn (FOX 11 Los Angeles) - **2024-03-05** — Fourth District supervisorial primary; Villanueva finishes second to Hahn (The Downey Patriot) - **2024-01-18** — Scheduled FPPC vote on the settlement (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2024-01-12** — Published: Former LA County sheriff Alex Villanueva testifies on deputy gangs (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2024-01-12** — Villanueva testifies under oath before the Civilian Oversight Commission on deputy gangs (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2024-01-11** — Published: Former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva fined for 2018 campaign finance violations (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2024-01-10** — Villanueva comments to ABC7 on FPPC settlement (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2023-09** — Villanueva announces candidacy for supervisor (The Downey Patriot) - **2023-04-21** — Published: Former sheriff: politically driven California bill would undermine democracy (California Insider (Epoch Times)) - **2023-04-11** — Assembly Public Safety Committee voted 6-2 to pass AB 1090 (California Insider (Epoch Times)) - **2023-03-02** — Published: Special counsel report: LA sheriff deputy gangs are a 'cancer' on the department (LAist) - **2023-03** — Civilian Oversight Commission votes to accept special counsel report on deputy gangs (LAist) - **2023-01-14** — Published: What's next for LA County's 33rd sheriff (Spectrum News 1) - **2022-11-09** — Published: LA County DA investigating Sheriff Villanueva for soliciting donations from his deputies (CBS Los Angeles) - **2022-11** — Villanueva lost re-election to Robert Luna (Spectrum News 1) - **2022-11** — DA's Public Integrity Division opens investigation into Villanueva's solicitation video (CBS Los Angeles) - **2022-10-28** — Published: OpEd: Why I voted Villanueva (WEHOonline) - **2022-10-11** — Published: Sheriff candidate questionnaire: Alex Villanueva (LAist) - **2022-10-11** — Published: The Race For LA County Sheriff: Q&A With Robert Luna And Alex Villanueva (LAist) - **2022-10-06** — Published: LA County Sheriff Villanueva says decline in his agency's budget is 'very alarming' (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2022-10-05** — Villanueva news conference on the department's budget share (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2022-09-22** — Published: Villanueva, Luna face off in L.A. County sheriff debate (KTLA) - **2022-09-22** — Published: LA County sheriff debate: Robert Luna criticizes Sheriff Alex Villanueva's record (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2022-09-22** — Published: LA County sheriff debate recap: Villanueva and Luna clash in combative exchanges (The LA Local) - **2022-09-21** — Published: Chief Luna, Sheriff Villanueva trade criticisms in heated debate for LA County Sheriff (CBS Los Angeles) - **2022-09-21** — Televised Villanueva-Luna sheriff debate at the Skirball Cultural Center (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2022-09-21** — Villanueva-Luna televised debate at the Skirball Cultural Center (The LA Local) - **2022-08-18** — Published: LA County sheriff's race: Alex Villanueva, Robert Luna trade political jabs during virtual debate (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2022-08** — Villanueva and Luna virtual debate at a Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council meeting (ABC7 Los Angeles) - **2022-07-23** — Villanueva's office agreed to a WEHOville interview, according to the author (WEHOonline) - **2022-07** — Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to place sheriff-removal measure on ballot (The LA Local) - **2022-06-07** — 2022 primary; Villanueva and Luna advanced to runoff (The LA Local) - **2022-04-20** — Published: The Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Villanueva Launches Campaign Video Highlighting Key Issues (Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Villanueva (via Newswire)) - **2022-04-20** — Villanueva re-election campaign releases 'Bring Back the California Dream' video (Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Villanueva (via Newswire)) ## Sources ### 2026 general election voter guide: LA County Sheriff - LAist · voter guide · published 2026-10-02 · stance: neutral - LAist's November 3, 2026 general-election voter guide to the Los Angeles County Sheriff runoff between incumbent Robert Luna and former Sheriff Alex Villanueva. It explains the office's duties, lists issues for the next term (jail conditions, recruitment, use of force, deputy gangs, oversight), and profiles both candidates with endorsements and links. For Villanueva it summarizes his 2018-2022 tenure, his stated reasons for running, controversies reported during his term, and a post-tenure County Equity Oversight Panel finding he denied. The "In his own words" sections did not render in the stored text. - Villanueva says he wants to return to fix a department he alleges "has just fallen apart" since his defeat; Luna says his policies helped drive violent crime down and cut homicides 25% in deputy-patrolled areas. - Villanueva was sheriff 2018-2022 and a deputy for more than 30 years, rising to lieutenant, per the guide. - LAist describes his tenure as tumultuous, including clashes with the Board of Supervisors and investigations of critics, including a Los Angeles Times reporter. - After leaving office he was placed on a "do not rehire" list following County Equity Oversight Panel findings on discrimination and harassment policies; Villanueva denied the allegation. - Next-term issues listed: DOJ investigation into Men's Central Jail (notified Sept. 9), the AG's September 2025 jail lawsuit, recruitment, use of force, deputy gangs, and oversight subpoenas. - Reference: Villanueva campaign website - Reference: Villanueva endorsements list - Reference: Luna campaign website - Reference: Luna 2026 endorsements - Reference: DOJ notice of Men's Central Jail investigation - Reference: Attorney General's jail lawsuit (complaint) - Reference: Fox 11 interview with Villanueva - Reference: LAist Imperfect Paradise podcast on Villanueva ### Incumbent Robert Luna is set to face predecessor Alex Villanueva in November for LA County Sheriff's race - Los Angeles Magazine · news · published 2026-06-11 · stance: neutral - Los Angeles Magazine reports that incumbent Sheriff Robert Luna and former Sheriff Alex Villanueva advanced from the June 2, 2026 primary to a November runoff, with Luna at 44.18% and Villanueva at 21.71% per the county registrar. It quotes Villanueva's Instagram post thanking supporters and recaps his 2018 win and 2022 loss. - Per registrar results cited, Luna received 44.18% and Villanueva 21.71% in the June 2, 2026 primary. - Villanueva was sheriff from 2018 to 2022 after defeating incumbent Jim McDonnell, which the magazine says made him the first to unseat an incumbent in 100 years. - The magazine says Luna won 61% of the vote against Villanueva in 2022. - Villanueva posted on Instagram that voters are 'tired of waiting for someone to take their safety seriously.' - Third-place finisher Eric Strong, with just under 15%, conceded on June 3. - Reference: LA County Registrar-Recorder election results ### Luna, Villanueva LA County sheriff's race (Decision 2026) - NBC Los Angeles · news · published 2026-06-10 · stance: neutral - NBC Los Angeles reports that Sheriff Robert Luna and former Sheriff Alex Villanueva will meet in the November 2026 runoff, their second general-election matchup. As of June 10, 2026, Luna had 44.18% (856,069 votes) and Villanueva 21.71% (420,683 votes), per the county registrar. It quotes Villanueva's emailed statement on advancing. - Primary tally as of June 10, 2026: Luna 44.18% (856,069), Villanueva 21.71% (420,683). - NBC says Luna unseated Villanueva in 2022 with about 61% of the vote. - In 2018 Villanueva defeated Sheriff Jim McDonnell, the first to oust an incumbent in the department in more than a century, NBC reports. - Villanueva said voters are 'tired of waiting for someone to take their safety seriously.' - Eric Strong finished third with 14.95%. - Reference: NBC LA: 2022 Luna-Villanueva election result ### LA County sheriff race features 8 candidates, differing visions for LASD - Daily Bruin · interview · published 2026-06-02 · stance: neutral - Daily Bruin overview of the eight candidates in the June 2, 2026 LA County Sheriff primary. Alex Villanueva did not respond to interview requests; the article describes his record and pledges as stated on his campaign website and in a campaign video, and covers incumbent Robert Luna and six other candidates in more detail. - Villanueva did not respond to interview requests, per the Daily Bruin. - His campaign website says that as sheriff (2018-2022) he prioritized transparency, integrity and recruitment, established the Public Corruption Unit, and expanded Mental Health Evaluation Teams and Homeless Outreach Services. - His website says he challenged vaccine mandates and divested from a COVID-19 testing firm over alleged ties to the Chinese government; the article notes the firm denied the allegations, per the Los Angeles Times. - In a campaign video, Villanueva said he would hire 2,000 new deputies in two years and stand up for his deputies. - Luna, in an emailed statement, said it is his job "to be responsive and collaborative with everyone in Los Angeles County"; his website lists a Crime Strategy Unit, Office of Constitutional Policing, jail body cameras, and a deputy-gang ban. - Reference: LASD crime statistics dashboard - Reference: California DOJ crime clearance data - Reference: AB 958 (deputy gangs law) - Reference: LA Times on Villanueva and COVID testing firm - Reference: ABC7 interview with Luna on immigration ### 2026 California primary voter guide: Los Angeles County Sheriff - LAist · voter guide · published 2026-05-07 · stance: neutral - LAist's voter guide for the June 2, 2026 Los Angeles County Sheriff primary (published May 7, updated October 19, 2026) explains the office, lists issues facing the next sheriff (jail conditions, recruitment, use of force, deputy gangs, oversight), and profiles eight candidates. For Alex Villanueva it notes his 2018-2022 term, his 30-plus years as a deputy, his description of his tenure, criticism of his tumultuous term, his placement on a 'do not rehire' list, which he denies, and his endorsements. - LAist says Villanueva was sheriff 2018-2022 and a deputy for more than 30 years, rising to lieutenant. - Villanueva says he led the department to work 'hand in hand' with the community and is running to restore the department's luster. - LAist describes his term as tumultuous, including clashes with the Board of Supervisors and investigations into critics, including an LA Times reporter. - After he left office he was placed on a 'do not rehire' list following County Equity Oversight Panel findings; Villanueva denied the allegation. - Endorsements listed: L.A. County Republican Party, L.A. County Taxpayers Association, Los Angeles School Police Officers Association. - The guide frames the next term's agenda: AG lawsuit over jail conditions, recruitment, use of force, deputy gangs, and response to oversight subpoenas. - Reference: Alex Villanueva campaign site - Reference: Villanueva endorsements list - Reference: FOX 11 interview with Villanueva - Reference: LAist Imperfect Paradise podcast on Villanueva - Reference: Attorney General's lawsuit over jail conditions - Reference: L.A. County Registrar campaign finance search ### Meet Alex Villanueva, candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff - Patch · position statement · published 2026-04-30 · stance: neutral - Patch candidate Q&A in which Alex Villanueva answers, in his own words, questions about his background, top public-safety challenges, use of force, mental-health and homelessness calls, jail conditions, deputy gangs, and why he is the better choice, ahead of the June 2, 2026 primary. - Villanueva names three top challenges: a staffing crisis with "a staggering 3,000 sworn vacancies," rising fear of lawlessness furthered by homeless encampments, and public corruption. - On use of force he says every incident should be documented and investigated objectively, with excessive-force claims assessed by the Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau and sent to the DA's Justice System Integrity Division. - He praises the Homeless Outreach Services Team and Mental Observation Teams ("MET teams") and calls for 24/7 countywide coverage of the latter. - On jails he proposes raising staffing to meet consent decrees and Title 15, tearing down and replacing Men's Central Jail, and rethinking Correctional Health Services. - He calls the deputy gang narrative "a calculated political hoax" and says tattoos do not make a person a gang member. - He cites his record: fighting attempts to defund the department, opposing the vaccine mandate, body-worn cameras, a transparency portal, turning a deficit into a surplus, hiring over a thousand deputies in his first year, and full staffing by April 2020. ### Deputies organization backs Villanueva in 2026 race for sheriff - KTLA · endorsement · published 2025-09-22 · stance: neutral - KTLA reports that the Los Angeles Sheriff's Professional Association (LASPA) endorsed Alex Villanueva for sheriff in the 2026 election, with 81.5% of the members' vote according to the group. The article notes, citing the Los Angeles Times, that LASPA was founded in the late 1990s by Villanueva and his allies, and quotes Villanueva and the LASPA president. - LASPA endorsed Villanueva for the 2026 sheriff's race. - LASPA said 81.5% of its members voted for the endorsement. - KTLA, citing the LA Times, notes Villanueva and allies founded LASPA in the late 1990s. - Villanueva pledged to 'rescue, rebuild, and restore the Sheriff's Department.' - The Luna campaign did not respond to KTLA before publication. - Reference: LA Times 2018 profile of Alex Villanueva ### Alex Villanueva running for LA County Sheriff again - FOX 11 Los Angeles · news · published 2025-07-22 · stance: neutral - FOX 11 reports Alex Villanueva's July 2025 announcement, in a video posted on X, that he will run for sheriff again in 2026 to unseat Robert Luna. It quotes his announcement on crime and department 'dysfunction' and recaps his tenure: his 2018 win, 2022 loss, 2024 supervisor primary loss, clashes with the Board of Supervisors and oversight commission, criticism of his handling of deputy gangs and vaccine mandates, and a 2024 lawsuit over a 'do not rehire' list. - Villanueva announced his 2026 candidacy in a video on X. - He said he would 'rescue this department from polarizing dysfunction, rebuild it back to full strength' and take politics out of public safety. - FOX 11 reports Luna defeated him 61.26% to 38.74% in 2022. - He lost the March 5, 2024 supervisorial primary to incumbent Janice Hahn. - In June 2024 he sued the county over placement on a 'do not rehire' list after an oversight panel investigation into harassment and retaliation complaints. - Reference: FOX 11 video: Villanueva announces campaign - Reference: FOX 11: Villanueva sues county over 'do not rehire' list - Reference: FOX 11: Villanueva to testify on deputy gangs ### LA County Registrar contribution limit notice to Villanueva committee - Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk · campaign finance · published 2025-07-18 · stance: not_applicable - ### Former blue county sheriff unleashes on Dems after switching parties - Fox News · interview · published 2025-05-05 · stance: neutral - Fox News Digital report that former Sheriff Alex Villanueva left the Democratic Party and registered as a Republican, quoting his remarks at the Unite Inland Empire Conservative Conference and his post on X, plus reactions from Republican officials and critics. Despite its catalog label, this is a short news article, not an interview. - Villanueva said: "As of today, I'm leaving the party of paid protests, purple hair, and pronouns. And I'm joining the party of faith, family, and freedom — the Republican Party." - On X he said he was ending "44 years as a registered Dem" and called it "Time to make [California] purple again!" - California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin and Los Angeles Republican Party chair Roxanne Hoge welcomed him. - Podcaster Scott Moore and Democratic strategist Michael Trujillo posted critical reactions. - Reference: CalMatters on California Republican gains ### Hahn beats Villanueva for third term - The Downey Patriot · news · published 2024-03-06 · stance: neutral - A City News Service report in The Downey Patriot on the March 2024 Fourth District supervisorial primary: incumbent Janice Hahn led with 54.7% in unofficial results, enough to avoid a runoff, with former Sheriff Alex Villanueva second at 30.6%. It recaps Villanueva's sheriff tenure and quotes his campaign criticism of the Board of Supervisors. - Unofficial results: Hahn 54.7%, Villanueva 30.6%, John Cruikshank 14.7%. - The article says Villanueva often clashed with the Board of Supervisors as sheriff and was accused of mishandling deputy gang investigations and refusing to enforce COVID-19 vaccine mandates, criticisms he rebuffed. - Villanueva said the board had 'failed absolutely miserably' on the county's health, safety and welfare. - He said he wanted to rebuild the sheriff's department 'after it was gutted by the defunding movement' and advocated repealing Proposition 47. ### Former LA County sheriff Alex Villanueva testifies on deputy gangs - ABC7 Los Angeles · interview · published 2024-01-12 · stance: neutral - ABC7 reports that former Sheriff Alex Villanueva, after years of resisting subpoenas, testified under oath before the Civilian Oversight Commission about deputy gangs on January 12, 2024. He described discipline after the Banditos investigation but maintained that this did not make the deputies gang members, and said the commission painted a false image of the department. - Villanueva testified under oath at Loyola Law School before the Civilian Oversight Commission. - A 2023 commission report found at least half a dozen deputy gangs or cliques active, ABC7 reports. - Villanueva said an internal affairs investigation led to four terminations and 22 suspensions without pay, plus transfers. - ABC7 reports Villanueva has insisted deputy gangs do not exist, while acknowledging subgroups that occasionally engage in misconduct. - The testimony came while he was running for county supervisor against Janice Hahn. - Reference: ABC7: 2023 commission report on deputy gangs - Reference: ABC7: Banditos alleged attack on younger deputies ### Former LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva fined for 2018 campaign finance violations - ABC7 Los Angeles · campaign finance · published 2024-01-11 · stance: neutral - ABC7 reports that Alex Villanueva and his 2018 campaign treasurer agreed to a $7,500 Fair Political Practices Commission fine for omitting donor-employer information, in a case where a restaurant manager, Manuel Gomez, used straw donors to give his 2018 campaign $21,000. The FPPC filing states there is no evidence the campaign knew of the laundering; Villanueva called the reporting omission a clerical error. - Villanueva and treasurer Cine Ivery agreed to pay $7,500 for omitting required information on campaign statements. - Donor Manuel Gomez agreed to a $50,000 fine and to admit 10 counts of campaign money laundering. - Gomez gave the $1,500 maximum and then reimbursed 14 straw donors at $1,500 each, totaling $21,000. - The FPPC filing says there is no evidence the Villanueva campaign knew about the scheme. - The settlement was pending an FPPC vote on Jan. 18, 2024. - Reference: FPPC January 2024 meeting agenda ### Former sheriff: politically driven California bill would undermine democracy - California Insider (Epoch Times) · interview · published 2023-04-21 · stance: neutral - California Insider (Epoch Media Group) news article by Brad Jones on Assembly Bill 1090, which would let county boards of supervisors remove an elected sheriff for cause by a 4-5 vote. It quotes former Sheriff Alex Villanueva at length opposing the bill as "politically driven," along with the bill author's rationale, law-enforcement associations opposed, and advocacy groups in support. Villanueva also denies allegations made about him in a supporting group's comments. - Villanueva told The Epoch Times: "This is all about power. It has nothing to do with elected sheriffs doing something wrong." - He said the bill is "a way to purge all the sheriffs from being Republican and to put in place puppets" and "what one-party rule looks like in California." - He said the supervisors "defunded me; they defamed me" and claimed one of Luna's first acts was dismantling the Public Corruption Unit. - He mocked enforcing outdoor mask rules as "supreme stupidity." - Bill author Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer wrote that "No government official should have unchecked power." - Oakland Privacy alleged Villanueva obstructed an in-custody death investigation and threatened a reporter; Villanueva said "There was no obstruction." - Reference: AB 1090 bill text - Reference: AB 797 - Reference: AB 1185 ### Special counsel report: LA sheriff deputy gangs are a 'cancer' on the department - LAist · official analysis · published 2023-03-02 · stance: oppose - LAist reports on a 70-page special counsel report for the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission (March 2023) that calls deputy gangs a 'cancer' on the Sheriff's Department and urges Sheriff Robert Luna to adopt a clear prohibition. Regarding Alex Villanueva, the article says he downplayed the issue and dismissed the commission's investigation as a 'kangaroo court' designed to hurt his reelection; the report itself is about the department, not primarily about him. - The special counsel's report, based on hearings and interviews with 75 people, found at least a half dozen deputy gangs or cliques currently in the department. - Commissioner Lael Rubin contrasted Luna as 'a willing partner' with Villanueva, who LAist says downplayed the issue. - LAist reports Villanueva had dismissed the investigation as a 'kangaroo court' designed to harm his reelection chances. - The report names the deputies' union ALADS as an obstacle; ALADS disputed the characterization and cited a legal analysis that a ban would be unconstitutional. - Recommendations include an explicit prohibition, reporting gang-member witnesses to the DA, supervisory support and station rotation. - Reference: LAist: East L.A. deputies' lawsuit over Banditos - Reference: LAist: RAND survey on deputy subgroups - Reference: LAist Imperfect Paradise podcast on Villanueva ### What's next for LA County's 33rd sheriff - Spectrum News 1 · interview · published 2023-01-14 · stance: neutral - Spectrum News 1 "Inside the Issues" segment in which host Alex Cohen interviews former Sheriff Alex Villanueva at his Whittier gym about a month after he left office. Villanueva describes what he says he changed in the department, says the local Democratic Party moved left while he did not change, criticizes Mayor Karen Bass's homelessness approach, and says he has not decided on his next role. - Villanueva said: "The department that I left behind in 2022 was not the department of 2018." - He said deputies regained control of the jails and "The inmates feel safer in the jail than before." - He said: "We were building relationships, not arresting people as a priority." - He said the "political establishment" acted "to delegitimize my effort and discredit everything we were doing." - On the Democratic Party: "I haven't changed a bit. I'm exactly where I was in 2018," and the local party "has gone so far to the left that it doesn't recognize moderates." - He said Bass's homelessness plan "is destined to fail" and that without investment in mental health, substance abuse and shelter capacity "we're wasting everybody's time." ### LA County DA investigating Sheriff Villanueva for soliciting donations from his deputies - CBS Los Angeles · news · published 2022-11-09 · stance: neutral - CBS Los Angeles reports that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Public Integrity Division opened an investigation into then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva over a video in which he asked deputies to contribute '$20 to $1,500' to his 2022 campaign. - A DA spokesperson said a formal Public Integrity Division investigation was initiated. - The video shows Villanueva in civilian clothes asking deputies for contributions. - Villanueva said in the video that the deputies' union ALADS endorsed him but did not fund a significant independent expenditure, unlike in 2018. ### OpEd: Why I voted Villanueva - WEHOonline · third party analysis · published 2022-10-28 · stance: support - An opinion piece by a WEHOonline (WEHOville) writer, not by Alex Villanueva, explaining why the writer and the outlet endorsed and voted for Villanueva for sheriff in 2022. The writer describes getting an in-person interview with Villanueva but only written answers from Robert Luna's campaign, and credits Villanueva with a sheriff command post in West Hollywood during unrest. Reader comments below the piece are largely critical of Villanueva. - The author, an outlet writer rather than the candidate, says WEHOville endorsed Villanueva even though he finished third in West Hollywood in the primary behind Eric Strong and Robert Luna. - The author says Villanueva granted an in-person interview while Luna's campaign answered questions in writing. - The author credits Villanueva with setting up a county command post in West Hollywood during riots. - The author argues the department faced personnel losses, budget cuts and a hiring freeze imposed by the Board of Supervisors. - Reader comments attached to the page mostly criticize Villanueva, citing investigations, deputy gangs and his COVID stance; the author replies that meeting Luna might have changed his view. - Reference: WEHOville interview with Sheriff Alex Villanueva, part 1 - Reference: WEHOville written interview with Robert Luna - Reference: WEHOville piece supporting the sheriff ### Sheriff candidate questionnaire: Alex Villanueva - LAist · other · published 2022-10-11 · stance: neutral - ### The Race For LA County Sheriff: Q&A With Robert Luna And Alex Villanueva - LAist · other · published 2022-10-11 · stance: neutral - ### LA County Sheriff Villanueva says decline in his agency's budget is 'very alarming' - ABC7 Los Angeles · interview · published 2022-10-06 · stance: neutral - ABC7 report on an October 2022 news conference at which then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva argued his department was being "defunded" and understaffed, with ABC7's analysis of his figures. ABC7 reports that federal statistics put the department's sworn-officer ratio above the national average, contrary to his claim. - Villanueva said: "We're down to 8.3% of the county's budget. That is very alarming." - He compared net county cost shares: Orange County 25%, Riverside 38%, San Bernardino 22%, Ventura 32%, and L.A. County 16%. - He said the department operates at "0.9 cops per 1,000 residents" versus a 2.5 national average, calling it "a skeleton operation." - ABC7 reports DOJ data show a 2.3 average for jurisdictions over a million people and that LASD's roughly 10,000 sworn officers for about 3 million residents is more than three per thousand. - ABC7 says Villanueva "incorrectly" said the national average excluded non-patrol officers. ### Villanueva, Luna face off in L.A. County sheriff debate - KTLA · debate · published 2022-09-22 · stance: neutral - KTLA report on the first 2022 debate between then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva and Robert Luna. It reports exchanges over the Attorney General taking over the department's investigation of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, each man's handling of unrest after George Floyd's death, and Villanueva's allegation that Luna was part of a racist police department in Long Beach. - Luna said the Attorney General took over the Kuehl investigation because "the sheriff had no business investigating this" and "You can't investigate your political opponents." - Villanueva said Luna would not touch public corruption "with a 10-foot pole because his job as a puppet is to look the other way." - Villanueva asked where Luna was "When Long Beach was burning down" and said Luna acquiesced to the city's political establishment; Luna said more mutual aid from the sheriff would have helped Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Long Beach. - Villanueva alleged Luna was part of a racist police department and that complainants faced retaliation; Luna disputed that account, saying he referred the matter to an administrative investigation. - Both named "The Big Bang Theory" as their favorite TV show. - Reference: Villanueva demands supervisors stop using phrase 'deputy gangs' - Reference: California AG taking over Kuehl investigation ### LA County sheriff debate: Robert Luna criticizes Sheriff Alex Villanueva's record - ABC7 Los Angeles · debate · published 2022-09-22 · stance: neutral - City News Service report (via ABC7) on the September 21, 2022 televised debate at the Skirball Cultural Center between then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva and challenger Robert Luna. It reports Villanueva calling Luna a "puppet" of the Board of Supervisors, defending a deputy search of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl's home as part of a corruption investigation, defending his actions on alleged deputy gangs, and criticizing District Attorney George Gascon. It reports Luna criticizing Villanueva for investigating political opponents, his handling of deputy gangs, and defying oversight subpoenas. The article also gives background on criticism of Villanueva's tenure. - Villanueva called Luna a "puppet" for the Board of Supervisors and said Luna would not touch corruption "with a 10-foot pole." - Villanueva defended the search of Supervisor Kuehl's home, saying his office alerted the FBI and state Attorney General and that "the authority of the sheriff is to investigate crime, period." - On deputy gangs, Villanueva said he had taken "all the action we could legally" and challenged Luna to "name a single deputy gang member." - Villanueva called DA Gascon a "second public defender" and said he would not "play pretend" about working together. - Luna said Villanueva was wrong to "investigate your political opponents or enemies" and that the public does not trust the department. - Reference: California attorney general takes over LASD investigation involving Supervisor Kuehl ### LA County sheriff debate recap: Villanueva and Luna clash in combative exchanges - The LA Local · debate · published 2022-09-22 · stance: neutral - LAist recap (republished by Boyle Heights Beat / The LA Local) of the September 21, 2022 televised debate between then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva and Robert Luna, organized by issue: homelessness, deputy gangs, a question about Villanueva's comments on Black people, lawsuit costs, and relations with DA George Gascón, plus extensive background on both candidates. - Villanueva said Luna would be a "puppet" and framed the race as "about the independence of the Sheriff's Department, and checks and balances against the unlimited power of the Board of Supervisors." - Asked for one word on the department, Villanueva said "persevering"; Luna said "disarray." - On homelessness Villanueva said law enforcement's job is to "regulate public space"; Luna said the status quo is "absolutely not working." - On deputy gangs Villanueva said his policy became a model for state legislation but called deputy gangs "a political buzzword... just like unicorns" and challenged anyone to "name a single deputy gang member." - Asked about comments to the L.A. Times on Black people and criminality, Villanueva did not answer and instead accused Luna regarding racist literature at the Long Beach police department in the 1990s; Luna denied it. - Villanueva said he has "no confidence" in Gascón, calling him "a second public defender"; Luna said "my obligation is to work with him." - Reference: LAist original debate article - Reference: Oversight panel calls for Villanueva's resignation - Reference: Oversight panel full-scale deputy gang investigation - Reference: Voters to decide on supervisors' power to remove sheriff - Reference: Deputies search Supervisor Kuehl's home - Reference: Jury award in Kobe Bryant crash photo case ### Chief Luna, Sheriff Villanueva trade criticisms in heated debate for LA County Sheriff - CBS Los Angeles · debate · published 2022-09-21 · stance: neutral - CBS Los Angeles report on the September 2022 televised debate (hosted by Fox 11, the Los Angeles Times, Univision and KPCC) between then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva and Robert Luna. It covers Villanueva's charge that Luna would be a "puppet" of the Board of Supervisors, his objection to a county hiring freeze, and both men's positions on the Sheila Kuehl corruption investigation. - Villanueva said: "When the Board of Supervisors recruits eight candidates to run against me they did it for one reason only... They want a puppet." - Villanueva defended objecting to a hiring freeze: "Of course, I'm going to object to that." - On the Kuehl case, Villanueva said the investigation began in September 2019 and that consulting the Attorney General is his practice in complicated or politically sensitive cases. - Luna said working with people "doesn't mean you're a puppet" and that he would "stop this us versus them culture." - Luna said the sheriff "had no business investigating this from the very beginning." - Reference: CBS video of the debate segment ### LA County sheriff's race: Alex Villanueva, Robert Luna trade political jabs during virtual debate - ABC7 Los Angeles · debate · published 2022-08-18 · stance: neutral - ABC7 report on a virtual (Zoom) debate between then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva and Robert Luna held during a Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council meeting in August 2022. The piece consists mainly of exchanged personal criticisms, centering on the Board of Supervisors and homelessness cleanups. - Villanueva said Luna "would've rather eaten his own liver then go into Venice" and accused him of attending "cocktail parties in ivory towers" with politicians and supervisors. - Villanueva said the department relies on the Board of Supervisors "for funding and that's about it," citing his "101 town halls" as direct contact with the community. - Luna criticized Villanueva for demeaning the supervisors, who control the department's budget. - Luna said appearing at a cleanup "with a cowboy hat" does not mean Villanueva was fully engaged in fixing it. ### The Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Villanueva Launches Campaign Video Highlighting Key Issues - Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Villanueva (via Newswire) · position statement · published 2022-04-20 · stance: support - A 2022 press release from the Campaign to Re-Elect Sheriff Villanueva announcing a campaign video, 'Bring Back the California Dream,' focused on homelessness, opioid addiction and crime. It quotes Villanueva criticizing the 'political establishment' and the homeless services industry, outlines his homelessness plan, and lists new endorsements. - The campaign video focuses on homelessness, opioid addiction and crime. - Villanueva's stated homelessness plan: safe RV parking and campgrounds with wraparound services, calling in FEMA, expanding the Homeless Services Outreach Team (HOST), dismantling the 'homeless industrial complex,' funding drug rehabilitation and mental health treatment, and regulating public space. - Villanueva criticized Measure HHH housing costs of up to $800,000 per unit and county contracts with service providers. - New endorsements included retired District Attorney Steve Cooley and several local officials. ### Bid fails to dismiss Kobe Bryant crash photos lawsuit - NBC News (AP) · news · published 2022-01-06 · stance: neutral - An AP report that a federal judge refused Los Angeles County's bid to dismiss Vanessa Bryant's lawsuit over deputies taking and sharing photos of the 2020 helicopter crash scene. Its only direct reference to Alex Villanueva is that, as sheriff, he quickly ordered deputies to delete the images. - U.S. District Judge John F. Walter rejected the county's summary judgment motion, citing genuine issues of material fact. - The suit alleges emotional distress after deputies took and shared crash-scene photos. - Sheriff Villanueva ordered deputies to delete the images, according to the AP. - County attorney Skip Miller said the county disagreed with the ruling. - Reference: LA Times report on the ruling ### Villanueva responds after RAND report says gang-like cliques continue to exist among deputies - ABC7 Los Angeles · interview · published 2021-09-23 · stance: neutral - ABC7 reports Sheriff Alex Villanueva's response in September 2021 to a RAND Corporation study, commissioned by the county in 2019, which found that deputy gangs and cliques still exist in the Sheriff's Department. Villanueva criticized the researchers, said most of the report's recommendations were already being implemented, argued that banning groups outright is unconstitutional, and said he would not attend a Civilian Oversight Commission hearing he had been subpoenaed to. - A county-commissioned RAND report found deputy gangs still exist and recommended leadership do more to discourage membership. - Villanueva said of RAND's 37 recommendations, 30 were already being implemented and seven were under consideration. - Villanueva argued that outlawing groups outright is not constitutionally permissible and that he can intervene when a subgroup engages in misconduct. - Villanueva framed the report as an attempt by the Board of Supervisors to smear him. - Villanueva said he would not appear before the Civilian Oversight Commission despite a subpoena, calling it a 'kangaroo court.' - Reference: ABC7: Maxine Waters calls for federal investigation into deputy 'gangs' ### Villanueva abuse of power, subpoena, criminal investigations of oversight officials - LAist · interview · published 2021-07-16 · stance: neutral - LAist reports that in July 2021 the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission voted to subpoena Sheriff Alex Villanueva to defend his department's criminal investigations of critics, including Inspector General Max Huntsman and commissioner Patti Giggans. Commissioners said the investigations chill oversight; Villanueva called the allegations 'false accusations,' said he had recused himself, and has said he is free to investigate anyone he believes committed a crime. - The commission voted to subpoena Villanueva over alleged abuse of power. - His department opened criminal investigations into the inspector general and a commission member, and investigated a former constitutional policing advisor, Diana Teran; none had produced charges, LAist reports. - Villanueva publicly accused former county CEO Sachi Hamai of an illegal conflict of interest; the county later settled her harassment claims for $1.5 million plus private security. - Villanueva said he recused himself and put Undersheriff Tim Murakami in charge of the investigations. - The commission had voted unanimously the previous fall to call on him to resign. - Reference: Commissioner Kennedy's memo on LASD investigations of oversight officials - Reference: Villanueva's letter to the commission - Reference: LAist: commission calls for Villanueva's resignation - Reference: LAist: Hamai settlement - Reference: LAist: how Villanueva is accused of blocking oversight ### Has Sheriff Alex Villanueva acted unlawfully? New OIG report says yes - WitnessLA · third party analysis · published 2020-12-16 · stance: oppose - A WitnessLA article by Celeste Fremon (December 2020) on a 17-page Office of Inspector General report, requested by the Civilian Oversight Commission, documenting what the OIG calls 'unlawful conduct' by the Sheriff's Department under Alex Villanueva. It highlights three court rulings against the department, failures to release names of deputies in shootings, and threats against county officials. The author's framing is critical of Villanueva; the long reader comment section is split and partly abusive. - Inspector General Max Huntsman's report documents what it calls examples of unlawful conduct and efforts to remove reforms and oversight mechanisms. - Per the report, Villanueva holds that his power as elected sheriff comes from the state Constitution and cannot be limited by charter, statute or ordinance; the IG says the law does not support this. - Judge Mitchell Beckloff ruled on Sept. 28, 2020 that Villanueva's attempt to reinstate former deputy Caren Carl Mandoyan was unlawful. - A court vacated Villanueva's order barring the coroner from releasing an autopsy report on a deputy shooting. - Judge Holly Fujie ordered Villanueva to a January 21, 2021 hearing on why he should not be held in contempt for defying a commission subpoena. - The article says Villanueva repeatedly and falsely claimed then-CEO Sachi Hamai refused to pay COVID-afflicted deputies, after which she received threats. - Reference: OIG report: Unlawful Conduct of LASD - Reference: Mandoyan ruling, Sept. 28, 2020 - Reference: Measure R proposed ordinance - Reference: LAist: Hamai settlement and threats ### Op-Ed: Los Angeles County Sheriff Villanueva slams L.A. Times editorial board for promoting a false narrative - Los Cerritos News · position statement · published 2020-01-09 · stance: support - An op-ed written by then-Sheriff Alex Villanueva, published in Los Cerritos Community News at the start of 2020, reviewing his first year (2019) in office and rebutting what he calls the Los Angeles Times editorial board's "false narrative" about the department. He lists crime, jail-violence, hiring, diversity, discipline and immigration figures and defends his rehiring of deputies including one he names as Karen Mandoyan. - Villanueva says he campaigned on "reforming, rebuilding, and restoring" the department and has "delivered on that promise." - He reports violent crime down 7% in LASD areas, homicides and burglaries each down 15%, and drops in inmate-on-inmate assaults (33%), inmate-on-staff assaults (27%) and deputy force on inmates (10%). - He reports a 65% increase in hiring over the prior four-year average and says recruitment is now local only. - He says new disciplinary policies "ban the formation of subgroups and cliques" while honoring due process, and that he terminated 30 employees in 2019 and rehired six. - He defends rehiring Mandoyan as "falsely accused and wrongfully terminated." - He says removing ICE agents from LASD facilities and related steps cut transfers to ICE custody by 53%, and that he tripled the Homeless Outreach Service Team. ### Deputies organization backs Villanueva in 2026 race for sheriff - KTLA · endorsement · published undated · stance: neutral - ## Suggested use Ask me neutral questions about this subject using the material above. Distinguish what the sources say from your own background knowledge, cite the source titles you rely on, and say when information may be out of date given the dates shown.