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Extracted from Consolidated Report

This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.

Los Angeles County Grand Jury • 2025-2026

2025-2026 Los Angeles County Civil Grand Jury Final Report

519 pages

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⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.

⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings 11 findings

1 The two-Captain system initially implemented at three Sheriff stations shows promise for improving station culture and community relations, due to the splitting of managerial duties of Station leadership into more manageable spans of control. One Captain focuses on administrative duties (Human Resources, Scheduling, Deputies on medical leave, Union issues) while the other Captain focuses on patrol deputies in the field (monitoring stops, use of force, citizen complaints) and community relations.

1 The public has a negative impression of the foster care system and DCFS, mostly driven by adverse and sensationalized media coverage of events and lawsuits.

1 The Medical Examiner creatively developed “workarounds” and (toxicology) efficiencies which allowed him to apply for and achieve national accreditation.

1 Closing the Zoo is not a solution if the deterioration continues.

1 The City EMD’s and County OEM’s responsibilities are not well understood by some elected officials, making it difficult for these departments to secure adequate funding and staffing.

1 A central concern addressed in this report is the vulnerability of our essential commercial “Lifeline” ports to emergencies and disasters, specifically whether a lack of preparation could compromise their effectiveness. After careful evaluation, the Grand Jury determined, and this report confirms, that the ports and harbors currently possess the readiness required to manage future incidents.

1 The CGJ learned the RR/CC makes rigorous efforts to prevent cyber-attacks that otherwise would pose threats to election integrity.

1 The CIFD focus on the integration of servicing families may well be one of the strongest benefits of consolidation. The CIFD focus on youth, economic, and workforce development may diminish the full scope of services currently being provided to seniors. Creative programming will be necessary to achieve the full promise of this integration.

1 LASD’s Civilian Oversight Commission generally focuses on incarceration and officer use-of-force issues but does not regularly review and report on LASD’s use of technologies at every meeting.

F10

1 The Vision Zero Steering Committee, co-led by representatives from the Mayor’s Office and the Department of Transportation, never developed a program balanced between the four components of the Vision Zero program. The engineering component predominated while enforcement was relegated to a secondary role. After the Steering Committee ceased functioning and LADOT took sole leadership of Vision Zero, this imbalance became even more pronounced, compounded by poor communication between LAPD and LADOT, and no broad education and evaluation efforts. Only with the formation of a Program Oversight Committee led by mayoral staff can Vision Zero be effectively directed toward easing the inherent tension between speed and safety necessary to save lives. Ibid. Engineering alone cannot coerce safe driving nor protect pedestrians. The current “failed” status of Los Angeles’ engineering focused VZ effort testifies to that fact. The Mayor’s involvement in 2023 regarding Safe Routes to Schools infused energy into direct action and the resultant projects completed on the streets of Los Angeles demonstrated that leadership makes a difference to program success.

F11

1 The FIP Program has been managed up to now by its MHA inmate founders, together with Correctional Health Services and sheriff staff. However, as MHAs are sentenced to state prisons or released, the FIP program loses continuity, resulting in weakened leadership.

Recommendations 10

R1

1 Expand the two-Captain structure to additional Sheriff Stations.
R2

1 To improve the public’s perception of DCFS and foster care, the Office of Strategic Communications of DCFS should implement a public communication strategy highlighting positive changes and outcomes in foster care, particularly personal success stories of children in foster care. Featuring success stories of celebrities and public figures who were in foster care either as a child or parent may serve to inspire children and families. Partnering with news agencies such as Los Angeles Times and The Imprint may ensure these positive stories get sufficient video and print coverage.
R3

1 The Board of Supervisors should continue to express its support for acquiring and maintaining national accreditation of the ME’s office and budget for additional pathology staff to effectively and efficiently process an increasing number of cases.
R4

1 By April 1, 2027, the Mayor’s Office, in conjunction with the Zoo Director, should develop a Request for Proposal (RFP) to identify a contractor/expert with experience in the P3 model of zoo governance to assist in the transition of governance.
R5

1 The City EMD and the County OEM should develop an upwards communications strategy to better inform officials about the vital missions of these two departments.
R8

1 CIFD should create an integrated youth/senior program to provide services to both groups, with possible training programs for youths to assist MPCs in a variety of tasks such as office/program support or transportation assistance. Youth should be given the opportunity for paid internships in working with seniors for school credit. 335
R9

1 LASD’s Civilian Oversight Commission should fortify its oversight of technologies by creating a permanent AI, Data Gathering and Drones Committee that reports regularly to the COC.
R10

1a To create a successful Vision Zero program, the Mayor’s Office should create a Program Oversight Committee, led by the Senior Transportation Director, including representatives from the CAO, LADOT, the City Planning Department, the LAPD (TCD), and the Public Works Department administrative staff. Meetings should be bimonthly. The Mayor’s 428 representative should motivate and direct the Committee in a way that gives equal status to each of the four VZ program components: education, enforcement, engineering, and evaluation.
R11

1 Appoint a permanent Correctional Health Services staff member to fully manage the FIP Stepdown Program. A full-time director/coordinator should be hired to ensure the integrity and continuity of the program.
R23-24

Case Management – Care 6,374 7,614 Planning Case Management- Case 18,789 18,895 Monitoring Case Management – Service 12,312 13,445 Auth/Arrangement Chore – Heavy Housework 2,376 3,800 Chore – Yard Work 114 135 Homemaker – Light 10,123 12,572 Housework Homemaker – Preparing 13 19 Meals Homemaker – Shopping 1,494 2,096 Personal Information and Assistance 105,402 110,126 -Assistance Information and Assistance 4,959 4,207 Assistance – Spanish Information and Assistance 53,353 70,862 – Follow-up Information and Assistance 4,521 1,911 – Follow -up (Spanish) Information and Assistance 203,646 161,414 – Information Information and Assistance 7,473 6,479 – Information (Spanish) Personal Care 3,337 7,208 Comprehensive Assessment 7,370 7,915 Legal Assistance 7,476 5,593 Outreach 33,391 31,919 Personal Affairs Assistance 13,485 10,316 Senior Center Activities 33,537 39,976 Telephone Reassurance 37,440 26,389 Visiting 6,941 11,581 TOTALS 573,926 554,472 17Chart sta�s�cal informa�on provided by Los Angeles Department of Aging on January 5, 2026 326 The following chart shows the cumulative number of congregate meals served, home delivered meals and transportation trips provided by the 19 MPCs. This information is separate from the information provided in the previous chart because it is paid for by a different funding source and is not a duplicated count of services.18 CHART 2 PROGRAM FY 23-24 FY 24-25 Congregate Meals 576,142 557,329 Home Delivered Meals 907,408 920,506 SUBTOTAL MEALS 1,483,550 1,477,835 Transportation – Prop A19 85,980 95,282 TOTAL 1,569,530 1,573,117 The Committee’s investigation focused on whether the CIFD could provide the same focus and attention to the MPCs and whether services to seniors would be adversely impacted or eliminated. This concern was based on the LADOA primary function was to provide services and programs for the aged. The Committee investigated whether including the operations and services for the aged in a multi-tiered department might impact or cause the services to be changed. Chart informa�on provided by Department of Aging, Accessed December 3,2025. 19 htps://www.metro.net/about/local_return_pgm, Accessed March 24,2026.