County Orders Meetings Over Racism Charges

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday ordered Sheriff John Gillespie, Fire Chief George Lund and county officials to meet with minority sheriff’s deputies and firefighters to discuss recent allegations of racism.

The Sheriff’s Department acknowledged Tuesday that racial remarks had been made by deputies on two occasions and that a deputy sold a knife with the Ku Klux Klan insignia to another deputy. Officers were disciplined in those cases.

The supervisors’ order came after some in a group of 50 firefighters, deputies, community leaders and their families asked the panel to appoint an affirmative-action officer to investigate complaints of racism.

“Not funding this position will lead to an increase in discrimination complaints,” said Sgt. Kenton Rainey, the highest-ranking black in the Sheriff’s Department. “This problem is not going to just go away.”

Eleven of the 15 black sheriff’s deputies are expected to file more than $1 million in claims against the county today, a step necessary before filing lawsuits, said Bert Voorhees III, the Los Angeles attorney representing them.

Voorhees said the claims show that deputies have been exposed to a racially hostile work environment. “They are forced to work in situations where they know because they are African-American they are going to be exposed to discriminatory treatment.”

The supervisors also called for a separate meeting with Rainey, Gillespie and county officials to discuss Rainey’s job status. Voorhees said Rainey, who is on paid leave, was taken off active duty in December, partly in retaliation for allegations of racism that he made.

Sheriff’s officials denied the allegation but said they could not comment on the personnel matter. Rainey also declined to comment on his job status.

Undersheriff Larry Carpenter said Tuesday, “As far as racism as a component of the administration and management, I categorically deny that. As far as individual incidents that are race-related and not in good taste, I acknowledge that some have occurred.”

Carpenter and Lund said they were happy to meet with the deputies and firefighters and would consider hiring an affirmative-action officer.

Rainey and other deputies and firefighters said they were encouraged by the supervisors’ actions. But they said they still want an affirmative-action officer hired from outside the two departments to look into future allegations of racism and investigate why affirmative-action goals have not been met.

The county now has one affirmative-action officer who handles the needs of 6,788 employees, officials said. Supervisor John K. Flynn, who has met with several of the black deputies, said he would push to restructure the county’s affirmative-action program--perhaps by adding officers or increasing scrutiny of department heads--to make it more effective.

Of the 607 officers in the Sheriff’s Department, 15, or 2.5%, are black. There are 62 Latino deputies, or 10.2%; 10 Asian-American deputies, or 1.6%; and one American Indian deputy, or 0.2%, records show. According to a countywide affirmative-action plan, the Sheriff’s Department goal is to have 4.3% black deputies, 13.7% Latinos, 1.2% Asian-Americans and 0.3% American Indians by December.

Of 380 firefighters, 9, or 2.4%, are black, officials said. There are more than 30 Latino firefighters, or 7.9%; 3 Asian-Americans, or 0.8% and one American Indian, or 0.3%, officials said. The affirmative-action plan sets Fire Department goals of 6.6% blacks, 20.8% Latinos, 4.6% Asian-Americans and 0.8% American Indians.

Blacks make up 2.2% of the county’s population, Latinos, 26.5%, Asian-Americans, 4.9%, and American Indians 0.5%, according to census figures.

Firefighters attended the meeting Tuesday to show concern over affirmative-action problems and support the deputies, said Capt. Charles Merricks, the highest-ranking black in the Fire Department.

“If deputies feel they’re being discriminated against, I don’t know how a 19-year-old black male is going to fare on the streets,” Merricks said.