Officers of the Law Should Know Better : Sheriff’s Department is right to crack down in sexual harassment case

Los Angeles County Sheriff Sherman Block is sending a strong message to his deputies. Anyone who hazes--or encourages others to harass--a woman deputy could lose a valuable job.

Five deputies have been fired by the department for allegedly hazing a female colleague, and encouraging inmates to harass her at the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho, a county jail. The allegations are serious. According to the victim’s complaint, her colleagues encouraged male inmates to expose themselves to her, and to throw eggs, tomatoes and water balloons at her. The inmates also allegedly screamed obscenities at the new deputy and threatened her safety. What an outrage--fellow deputies subjected this woman to treatment no prisoner should have to endure.

After an internal investigation that lasted five months, the department fired the men in question. Assistant Sheriff Richard Foreman told reporters, “We do not take the firing of any individual lightly.” In fact, only about 30 deputies are dismissed every year for a variety of violations. But, in this case, the department decided--and we agree--that dismissal was the appropriate punishment for the serious misconduct.

The terminations are scheduled to take effect next Friday, but the case isn’t over yet. The deputies have appealed to the Civil Service Commission. That is their right. They could have their punishment reduced--to suspension without pay, for example--or be reinstated.

Whatever the final result, the internal investigation and forceful action put all deputies on notice that so-called hazing rituals and offensive behavior will not be tolerated.

That notice is important as more women join the predominantly male department. The authorized strength is currently at 8,243 deputies; 13% are women. These women do not ask for special treatment or any other break. They simply want to do their job--and without having to throw down the gauntlet with their own peers.

Harassment is not harmless. It can affect the victim’s ability to work effectively. Sexual or racial harassment is also against the law. Men and women who work in law enforcement know that.

The Sheriff’s Department has been criticized in the past for doing too little too late in addressing disciplinary problems. That is changing.

Sheriff Block has initiated serious reforms and management changes that impose greater discipline on deputies. No doubt everyone now gets the message that sexual harassment, in any form, is out.