Several Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies have been relieved of duty in connection with a federal investigation, authorities said Tuesday night.
The Sheriff’s Department confirmed the move was connected to an investigation “involving the United States Attorney’s Office” but declined to provide information on the exact number of deputies or the nature of the investigation.
Federal prosecutors declined to comment late Tuesday. An FBI spokesperson said the agency does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations “as a matter of longstanding policy.”
Multiple department sources – all of whom requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record – said one of the deputies who had been relieved of duty had worked in the Aero Bureau, while two others were detectives. One of the detectives had worked in the Operation Safe Streets Bureau, which investigates street gangs, the sources said.
The department said it is cooperating with the investigation, which is ongoing.