LOS ANGELES (April 28, 2016) — In response to a recent Los Angeles Times article exposing numerous offensive and derogatory emails sent by Tom Angel, the current Chief of Staff to Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles issues the following statement:
“We are deeply troubled by and condemn the offensive and derogatory emails sent by Tom Angel, the current Chief of Staff to Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, as recently as 2013 from his Burbank Police Department work account, and his subsequent inadequate apologies. Rather than an isolated instance, Mr. Angel appears to have circulated numerous emails that denigrated Muslims, Blacks, Latinos, and women.
Law enforcement officials are supposed to protect public safety and to uphold the public trust with integrity and fairness. It is absolutely unacceptable for any public official, much less a senior ranking member of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department, to have disseminated racist, sexist, and Islamophobic jokes that denigrate the very community members that law enforcement is supposed to serve. Mr. Angel’s dismissive responses to the media regarding the matter indicate that he clearly continues in failing to understand the expectations of his position.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA calls on Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell to take appropriate disciplinary action by removing Mr. Angel from his position as Chief of Staff of the Sheriff’s Department. If Mr. Angel is to remain in this role, public trust in the Sheriff’s Department will be severely undermined and a message sent to the public that racism, sexism, and Islamophobia are tolerated by the department. It is imperative that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department demonstrate a zero tolerance policy against bigotry and prejudice.”
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (Advancing Justice – LA) is the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). Through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building, Advancing Justice – LA focuses on the most vulnerable members of Asian American and NHPI communities while also building a strong voice for civil rights and social justice.
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