Where: 500 W. Temple in front of the Board Hearing RoomLos Angeles Sheriff-Deputy Abuse Must End Now!Mass incarceration directly affects Black and Brown communities and is being used at every level of government as the primary solution to dealing with so-called “crime.” L.A. County houses anywhere from 15,000-20,000 daily inmates, making them the biggest jailer in the world. But, what we also know about the jails is that its the most dangerous and violent jail, not because of the people incarcerated but rather the Sheriff-Deputies who “guard” the jails. In the last 2 years of reports by the ACLU and due to the recent findings of the Citizen’s Commission on Jail Violence, the public has been notified that L.A. Sheriff-Deputies have systematically used vigilante brutality towards people incarcerated in L.A. county jails.

Many of our coalition members have described their experience inside L.A. county jail as an environment that is akin to torture. Deputies twist hand-cuffs so tightly that a person’s skin tears, they force people to put their hands out of the “tray-slot” and handcuff them so they are unable to fully stand or sit for hours, leave them naked in their cells to sleep on the concrete without blankets or mats, break bones, knock out teeth, and regularly taze those who are incarcerated. Deputies often disrupt the basic livelihood of those jailed in Los Angeles; often denying them regular access to their mail, food, or restricting their access to showers for up to three weeks. In addition, deputies frequently manipulate race wars and place rivals in the same cells. All of these are conscious techniques that deputies utilize to not only physically brutalize those incarcerated but also cause deep psychological trauma that affects our families and communities.

Sheriff Baca and the Sheriff’s Department have lied time and time again. They have refused to confront the allegations of violence, and have labeled “inmates” as an unreliable source. Let’s demand a Los Angeles that is safe for communities of color and working class people! Join us at the Final Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence!The Coalition to End Sheriff Violence in L.A. Jails is demanding:1.Civilian Review Board~ Get rid of OIR and Separate Custody and Patrol
2. No new construction of any L.A. Jails, particularly Men’s Central Jail-Use dollars towards community-based programs
3. Reduce the L.A. county jail population- Overcrowded jails creates and impacts VIOLENCE!
4. Respect and Dignity for all Incarcerated People-and End to all Sheriff-Deputy Abuse