Approval of Measure A ("Measure") would amend the Charter of the County of Los Angeles ("Charter") to grant the Board of Supervisors ("Board") authority to remove an elected Sheriff from office for cause, by a four-fifths (4/5) vote of the Board. This Measure was placed on the ballot by ordinance and resolution passed by amajority vote of the Board.
The Charter currently does not give the Board authority to remove an elected Sheriff. This Measure would grantthe Board with the authority to remove an elected Sheriff from office for cause after a Sheriff has been served with a written statement of the alleged grounds for removal and provided with a reasonable opportunity to beheard regarding any explanation or defense. The Measure further provides the following grounds as cause toremove an elected Sheriff: (1) Violation of any law related to the performance of a Sheriff's duties; (2) Flagrantor repeated neglect of a Sheriff's duties as defined by law; (3) Misappropriation of public funds or property as defined in California law; (4) Willful falsification of a relevant official statement or document; or (5) Obstruction, as defined in federal, State, or local law applicable to a Sheriff, of any investigation into the conduct of a Sheriff and/or the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department by any government agency, office, or commission with jurisdiction to conduct such investigation. The Board may provide procedures for how to conduct the removal proceedings. If approved by the voters, the removal for cause provisions in Section 13.5 of Article IV of the Charter shall not be applied to interfere with the independent and constitutionally and statutorily designated investigative function of a Sheriff.
This Measure requires approval by a majority of the qualified voters voting in the election.