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A comment on Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA Sheriff’s Department. Parent comment

Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by kodah on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @10:09AM (#35069887)
> The report identifies at “least a half dozen” active gangs and cliques — and names them: the Executioners, the Banditos, the Regulators, the Spartans, the Gladiators, the Cowboys, and the Reapers.

This list isn't exhaustive but many of these are civilian gangs, so it's probably a case of both.

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Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by aerostable_slug on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @02:53PM (#35073912)
The law enforcement Banditos are not affiliated with the outlaw-motorcycle-centric gang of the same name. A Sheriff's "Bandito" might earn his ink by shooting a 1% "Bandito".

There are of course corrupt members of law enforcement who collaborate with organized crime for various nefarious purposes, but the in-department gangs are a distinct issue.

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Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by sli on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @03:18PM (#35074179)
I know what you're saying, but it needs to be stated that police are also civilians.
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Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by kodah on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @03:37PM (#35074414)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/civilian

It specifically mentions armed services, police, and firefighters are not civilians.

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Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by true_religion on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @04:00PM (#35074651)
I’m more surprised that firefighters aren’t civilians, but EMTs are. Its not a blanket definition for all emergency services.
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Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by whythre on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @04:59PM (#35075323)
Bizarrely, we Americans treat our EMTs worse than other first responders. They are trained to a lower standard and paid less but still have demanding hours and lots of stress.
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Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by nradov on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @05:32PM (#35075699)
That dictionary definition is simply factually and legally wrong. US law is very clear about who is and is not a civilian. Anyone acting as a sheriff's deputy is 100% a civilian. (Some deputies are also military Reserve or National Guard members, but when activated they are no longer acting as civilian peace officers.)
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Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by kodah on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @06:24PM (#35076177)
Your definition is correct under international law, but that definition mainly aims to serve policies governing war, so it's not especially apt here.

Civilian in law enforcement jargon means a non-sworn position: https://www.discoverpolicing.org/explore-the-field/civilian-...

To make this more interesting, Posse Comitatus employs the language to signal "non-Federal forces" eg: National Guard activated by a state to operate domestically are referred to as "civilian law enforcement".

In any of the above cases, calling LEOs civilians would be incorrect and would eschew them of many of their responsibilities.

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Re:Gang Members Hold Positions at ‘Highest Levels’ of LA She... by the_lonely_road on Wednesday March 08, 2023 @03:27PM (#35074303)
I googled civilian and the dictionary response Google presented disagrees with you. I don't have an opinion on the topic just pointing it out.
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