Judge finds flaws in whistleblower retaliation suit

LOS ANGELES (CNS) — A Los Angeles County sheriff’s commander will have to shore up his whistleblower suit in which he alleges he was wrongfully reassigned to a less prestigious position after questioning why deputies involved in the 2021 service of a search warrant, in which nearly 70 shots were fired, were not disciplined, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin agreed with attorneys for the county that Cmdr. William E. Jaeger did not provide facts showing he reasonably believed the shooting information he disclosed demonstrated a breach of a state or federal statute, or a violation of a local, state or federal rule or regulation.

The alleged violation of internal LASD polices asserted by Jaeger do not amount to an infringement of local rules or regulations, the judge said in giving Jaeger 20 days to file an amended complaint.

Jaeger was hired in November 1990, was promoted to captain in 2019 and to commander in April of this year, according to his suit. As commander of the Professional Standards Division, Jaeger oversaw the Internal Affairs Bureau, the Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Advocacy Bureau.

That same month, Jaeger began service on an executive force review committee tasked with reviewing the Internal Affairs Bureau investigation of a 2021 incident involving a search warrant executed by the Operation Safe Street Gang Team of the detective division and personnel from the Industry Sheriff Station and the District Attorney’s Office, the suit states.

The service of the warrant resulted in 69 rounds of fire and as part of the review, a panel consisting of three commanders, chaired by Jaeger, was assigned to make recommendations with respect to any corrective action and/or discipline deemed necessary for any LASD personnel found to have violated department policy, the suit, filed Nov. 9, states.

During a hearing, LASD Chief Chris E. Marks of the detective division and Chief Jorge A. Valdez of the east patrol division repeatedly opined that no discipline should be imposed on any of those involved in the shooting “despite clear issues with the tactics used on that day, the pre-planning of the search execution and the shooting itself,” the suit states.