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Yaroslavsky on County Supervisors’ Authority Over Sheriff

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UCLA Luskin faculty member Zev Yaroslavsky spoke to CBS2 News and KPCC’s “AirTalk” about a motion from the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors to seek authority to remove an elected sheriff from office. The proposed change to the county charter, which would require voter approval, comes amid continuing strife between board members and Sheriff Alex Villanueva over funding, hiring, COVID-19 vaccination policies and claims of “deputy gangs” within the agency. “I think the board is right to be frustrated with this sheriff. … But they need to be careful that the remedy does not undermine their high-ground position,” said Yaroslavsky, a longtime public servant who now directs the Luskin School’s Los Angeles Initiative. The timing of the motion may be a “tactical mistake,” he said, as it could divert attention and resources to the supervisors’ action rather than Villanueva’s record as he faces a runoff election in November against former Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna.

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Sheriff’s Approval Ratings Point to Risk at the Polls

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A Los Angeles Times story on L.A. Democrats’ failure to agree on a consensus candidate to back in the race for county sheriff cited results from this year’s UCLA Quality of Life Index, produced by the Los Angeles Initiative at UCLA Luskin. The actions, policies and rhetoric of Sheriff Alex Villanueva have alienated local Democratic clubs and progressive advocacy groups, but infighting and indecision kept them from mounting a united campaign against the incumbent, the article said. The Quality of Life Index, directed by Zev Yaroslavsky and published in April, found that 37% of voters had a “very or somewhat favorable” view of Villanueva, 33% have a “very or somewhat unfavorable” view, and 30% have no opinion or are unfamiliar with him. The results suggest that Villanueva could have trouble getting 50% of the vote in the June 7 primary, needed to avoid a runoff. The index, a survey of 1,400 L.A. County residents, includes favorability ratings of local officials.

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Leap Questions Villanueva’s Plan to Overhaul Sheriff’s Department

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Adjunct Professor of Social Welfare Jorja Leap spoke to the Los Angeles Daily News about newly elected L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva. Leap questioned whether Villanueva’s plan for a “truth and reconciliation” committee would be worth it. “Change is a delicate process that takes time and energy. To focus on what has already passed is questionable,” she said. “I would think the new sheriff would want to focus on the future.” Leap, director of the UCLA Health and Social Justice Partnership and co-founder of the Watts Leadership Institute, said she hopes Villanueva will use meaningful intention and collaboration when looking at the department’s needs. “He’s taking a lot of action, but [is it] really going to lead to the reform and transformation of the department?” Leap asked.

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