Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva warned potential vandals, arsonists, and rioters on Monday that he will have a “zero tolerance” policy for violence and other crimes as the region prepares for possible social unrest in the aftermath of the contentious presidential election.
“Don’t try it in L.A. County,” Villanueva advised.
The leader of the nation’s largest sheriff’s department told FOX 11 News that law enforcement is ready for “an organized effort” to create atmospheres of chaos and disorder like the county experienced earlier this year.
“I think the group of people that is willing to do something stupid like start vandalizing and looting is not that big of a group, and we’re going to be ready for them and we will take action immediately,” Villanueva said. “The last thing we want to do is communicate that lawlessness will be tolerated, because all that does is make the problem bigger.”
NEW/THREAD: LA County Sheriff @LACoSheriff tells me he will have a "zero tolerance" policy on any looting/violence this week. All patrols now on 12 hour shifts. 3 mobile field forces, SRT teams ready to deploy anywhere. Will be watching DTLA, WeHo, Beverly Hills, SM. @FOXLA
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) November 3, 2020
FOX 11 L.A. reported that all L.A. County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) patrol personnel are currently working 12-hour shifts, and:
Three mobile field forces, as well as multiple Sheriffs Response Teams (SRT), will be ready to respond anywhere in L.A. County…with special attention being paid to downtown LA, Beverly Hills, retail corridors near West Hollywood and the Fairfax District, and Santa Monica, all areas that have been targeted by looters before.
Criminals hit several popular L.A. County shopping areas in May after the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who died while in the custody of Minneapolis police officers. The circumstances of his death sparked nationwide protests against alleged racially-biased policing that sometimes turned turbulent and confrontational.
A very dark day in #LosAngeles and across America. These pics represent a tiny glimpse of our view of the looting, fires, and rioting in the Fairfax area, from #Air7HD. @ABC7 #abc7eyewitness pic.twitter.com/NQZrt4nMeL
— Chris Cristi (@abc7chriscristi) May 31, 2020
Additionally, street celebrations that followed the Lakers NBA championship run and Dodgers World Series title were “marred by violent revelers clashing with police,” as reported by the L.A. Times. The outlet also noted, “Just this weekend, a rally for President Trump turned violent in Beverly Hills, where supporters and protesters clashed.”
As a precaution, businesses throughout L.A. have spent thousands of dollars boarding up their storefront windows and doors with plywood. Locals are comparing those images to Floridians bracing for a major hurricane.
Driving through downtown LA…so many businesses boarded up & in the process of boarding up. Same thing happening in Beverly Hills & Santa Monica in anticipation of election night. All 3 areas hit hard by looters & rioters during George Floyd unrest. pic.twitter.com/wxrfs3ErDN
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) October 30, 2020
Most businesses boarded up in downtown Santa Monica. pic.twitter.com/du9eX6RkRW
— eric spillman (@ericspillman) November 3, 2020
ATMs, bike and jewelry shops along with pharmacies are all boarding up downtown. There is a sense of caution, frustration & anxiety. #LosAngeles #Election2020 pic.twitter.com/8pEgWxJMsw
— Andrew J. Campa (@campadrenews) November 2, 2020
“When all the counting is done, we need to respect the results, plain and simple,” Villanueva said. “It’s not the end of the world because your party didn’t win; what counts is that democracy works, and it works because we respect the rule of law, and we respect the results.”
According to the FOX 11 report:
Villanueva added that law enforcement has learned lessons since the George Floyd unrest and that LASD will be prepared to respond to problem areas immediately without having to deal with the politics of mayors and city councils like municipal police departments sometimes have to…
Villanueva said he alone will decide whether or not the National Guard needs to be requested in a worst-case scenario. He said that during the Floyd unrest, he requested the Guard, but L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti opposed it, going on television and saying “This isn’t 1992.” The Guard was officially requested a few hours after that statement was made.
“I was the one who called in the National Guard, then the Mayor reversed course and called it after I called it in. I’m the coordinator for region one, so the municipalities, including L.A., they ask for our help as a mutual aid request and then if we don’t have the resources, we call in the National Guard from Cal OES,” Villanueva said.
Cal OES is the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
Villanueva has a long-running feud with some of L.A. County’s top elected Democratic officials. Two members of the powerful Board of Supervisors recently co-authored a motion to explore ways to remove the sheriff from office. The body could consider the proposal this month. Critics accuse Villanueva of being resistant to oversight and transparency.