L.A. County sheriff’s elite unit commander departs amid dishonesty investigation

A July 14 internal memo recommended the discharge of Oscar Barragan, commander of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Enforcement Bureau, citing violations of honesty policies and obstruction of an investigation. In an interview with department investigators, Barragan attributed discrepancies to poor memory and denied knowingly providing false statements. The memo also noted that Barragan had previously authored a supervisory inquiry and a request for a criminal investigation into a lieutenant’s banking error, despite evidence clearing the officer.

The Special Enforcement Bureau, responsible for high-risk tactical missions, has been scrutinized after a 2023 grenade blast at the Biscailuz Center Training Academy that killed three bomb- squad detectives. Additional controversies involve a lawsuit filed by the daughter of one deceased deputy alleging prior warnings of training shortcomings. The department has not provided further comment on Barragan’s departure.