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Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies say gangs targeting “young Latinos” operate within department
Los Angeles Mar 02, 2021
© 2021 CBS Interactive Inc.
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A CBS News investigation has uncovered allegations of gangs existing within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, possibly for decades. Current deputies out of the East Los Angeles station say the existence of gangs within law enforcement has been a problem in the area.
The deputies, who do not want to be identified for fear of reprisal, claim the most prevalent are called the Banditos — comprised of mostly Latino deputies who serve predominantly African American and Latino neighborhoods.
“They operate as a gang. They commit crimes, they assault people,” one deputy told CBS News’ Maria Elena Salinas.
The deputy said the gang is based out of East L.A., and that members who have become Banditos there have been promoted and “they’ve spread all over the county.”
Members of the gang identify themselves with a tattoo, another deputy claimed.
They said the “initiation” process could involve “getting a shooting,” adding that potential members would “do anything for these guys.”
“If you get in a shooting that’s a definite brownie point,” the deputy said.
According to the deputies, members would plant weapons on suspects to justify those shootings.
“There’s been multiple occasions where … they say, ‘Hey, we got a […]
