I Joined FOX 11—Here’s What I Said

I sat down with FOX 11 to talk about this race and what Los Angeles County actually needs right now.

I was clear: we need accountability, real solutions for mental health—not more people cycling through jails—and leadership that tells the truth.

I’m not here to protect the status quo. I’m here to change it.

Watch the interview and hear directly from me:

If you’re ready for a Sheriff’s Department that works for the people, stand with me.

Chief Eric Strong
Candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff

New Sheriff. Same Lawsuits. Bigger Checks.

Let me break this down in plain terms, because the pattern here is impossible to ignore.

Back in 2022, the Los Angeles Times reported that Los Angeles County agreed to pay $47.6 million to settle claims tied to misconduct by sheriff’s deputies under former Sheriff Alex Villanueva. That number alone should have raised serious concerns about leadership, accountability, and culture inside the department.

Fast forward to 2026, and the same Los Angeles Times reports that the county has now spent over $100 million just defending the Sheriff’s Department in lawsuits under current Sheriff Robert Luna.

Read that again: we’ve gone from paying tens of millions to settle misconduct… to spending over a hundred million fighting accountability in court.

Different sheriff. Same cost to taxpayers.

This isn’t progress. It’s a more expensive version of the same problem.

Because when a department is truly committed to transparency and reform, you don’t see legal bills climbing like this—you see them going down. You see fewer lawsuits, not more aggressive defenses against them.

What these two reports show, side by side, is simple: the culture hasn’t changed enough. And the people of Los Angeles County are still the ones paying the price.

You can change the tone, but if the costs keep climbing, the culture hasn’t changed. The people of this county deserve more than a quieter version of the same problem.

When It Comes to the LA Sheriff’s Department, Don’t Confuse Quiet with Change

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna and former sheriff Alex Villanueva

Los Angeles County didn’t vote for a quieter version of the same problem.

But that’s exactly what we got.

Let’s be honest about something folks in power are hoping you won’t say out loud: Sheriff Robert Luna is not meaningfully different from former Sheriff Alex Villanueva. The tone changed. The posture softened. The press conferences got less combative.

But when it comes to accountability? Transparency? Respect for oversight?

Same playbook. New volume setting.

Because here’s the part that matters: if you are suing the Civilian Oversight Commission — the very body created to ensure the Sheriff’s Department answers to the public — then you are not leading a transparent department.

You are actively fighting transparency.

And I don’t care how politely it’s done.

We all remember the chaos under Villanueva. The open hostility. The defiance. The headlines that made Los Angeles County a national case study in what happens when a sheriff refuses to be accountable.

Voters were promised a reset.

What we got instead was a rebrand.

Sheriff Luna may not yell at the Board of Supervisors. He may not dominate the news cycle with public feuds. But when it comes time to make a choice — transparency or control — he has shown us exactly where he stands.

And it’s not with the public.

You cannot claim to support oversight while simultaneously dragging that oversight into court. You cannot say you believe in accountability while using taxpayer dollars to avoid it.

That’s not leadership. That’s strategy.

And the strategy is clear: keep the system intact, just make it less noisy.

But communities across Los Angeles County are not asking for quiet. They are asking for honesty. They are asking for accountability that is real, not performative. They are asking for a Sheriff’s Department that understands it works for the people — not around them, not above them, and certainly not against them.

This isn’t about personality. It’s about power.

And right now, that power is still being used to resist the very oversight that voters demanded.

If we truly want a Sheriff’s Department that is transparent, accountable, and worthy of public trust, then we have to stop confusing a lower volume with real change.

Because silence doesn’t equal progress.

Sometimes, it just means the same thing is happening — just quieter.

And Los Angeles County deserves better than that.

With over 30 years of law enforcement experience, Chief Eric Strong is running for Sheriff in Los Angeles County.

Eric Strong Calls for “72-Hour Jail Safety Reset” After Surge in Deaths in LA County Custody

Los Angeles, CA — Following reports that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has demanded a comprehensive jail safety plan and a timeline to close Men’s Central Jail amid a surge in in-custody deaths, Los Angeles County Sheriff candidate Eric Strong is calling for immediate emergency reforms inside the county jail system.

“Ten people have died in LA County custody in just the first two months of 2026, following 46 deaths in 2025,” Strong said. “That is not normal and it is not acceptable. When people die in government custody at this rate, it signals a profound failure of leadership, urgency, and accountability.”

Strong said the public should not have to wait for another death or scandal before basic safety measures are enforced in facilities operated by the Sheriff’s Department.

“The Board of Supervisors is right to demand immediate action,” Strong said. “But motions and memos sitting on a shelf won’t save lives. Leadership means implementing real reforms with deadlines, transparency, and accountability.”

Strong said that if elected Sheriff he would immediately implement a “72-Hour Jail Safety Reset” focused on three urgent priorities:

• Continuous supervision accountability: Enforce functioning camera coverage, mandatory safety checks, and real-time alerts when required rounds are missed.
  

• Immediate overdose prevention: Expand naloxone availability inside housing units and strengthen intake screening and monitoring for individuals at high risk of overdose.
  

• Public transparency: Release weekly public reports on in-custody deaths, overdoses, use-of-force incidents, and non-functioning cameras — facility by facility — so the public can track whether reforms are actually being implemented.

Strong also addressed the long-standing effort to close Men’s Central Jail.

“Men’s Central Jail has been under a closure mandate for years, yet progress has stalled,” Strong said. “Whether the County closes MCJ tomorrow or years from now, the responsibility today remains the same: keep people alive in our custody, protect staff, and stop preventable deaths. Leadership means owning that responsibility and delivering results.”

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Eric Strong Qualifies for the Ballot in the Race for Los Angeles County Sheriff

LOS ANGELES, CA — Veteran law enforcement executive Eric Strong has officially qualified for the ballot in the June 2026 primary election as a candidate for Los Angeles County Sheriff, marking a significant step in a campaign focused on accountability, public safety, and restoring trust between the Sheriff’s Department and the communities it serves. Strong, a Democrat who made a strong showing in the 2022 race finishing in third place, plans on building on that momentum.

A veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Strong is running on a platform centered on transparency, constitutional policing, and rebuilding a department that has too often lost the confidence of the public.

“I’m running for Sheriff because Los Angeles County deserves leadership that puts people first,” said Strong. “Our communities deserve a department that is accountable, professional, and committed to protecting everyone equally. This campaign is about restoring integrity and making sure the Sheriff’s Department works for the people of Los Angeles County.”

Strong’s campaign has drawn support from community members, advocates, and residents across the county who are seeking meaningful reform and responsible leadership in one of the largest sheriff’s departments in the nation.

A 32-year law enforcement veteran and longtime reform advocate, Strong has built his career around improving transparency, strengthening community relationships, and addressing corruption and misconduct within the department. As Unit Commander over patrol and specialized units in the Sheriff’s Department as well as Chief of Campus Safety & Security Operations for the Los Angeles County Probation Department, Strong brings a unique combination of insider knowledge and independent oversight experience to the race.

He went on to serve in the Sheriff’s Department, taking on a wide range of assignments before retiring as Chief of Campus Safety & Security Operations for the L.A. County Probation Department. Over three decades, he has built a reputation for leadership rooted in accountability, fairness, and community trust.

Strong is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Blue Courage Leadership Program, Pepperdine School of Law’s Conflict and Mediation program, and the L.A. County Management Development Program. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Management and a Master’s in Criminal Justice Leadership.

If elected, Strong would make history as the first Black Sheriff of Los Angeles County, while also bringing a vision of modern leadership rooted in public safety, fairness, and collaboration with the communities the department serves.

“Public safety and civil rights are not in conflict,” Strong said. “We can have both. The future of policing in Los Angeles County must be rooted in accountability, transparency, and respect for the communities we serve.”

The June 2, 2026 election will give voters the opportunity to choose new leadership for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at a time when many residents are calling for reforms, improved oversight, and a renewed and realized commitment to public trust.

For more information on his campaign please visit strong4sheriff.com. 

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