Sheriff Alex Villanueva is on the June 7 ballot alongside challengers who have worked inside the department. Many of them are campaigning on a platform rooted in reform and transparency. LAX Police Chief Cecil Rhambo was the first out the gate to declare his candidacy, which is now shrouded in controversy related to his involvement in two narcotics operations that involved him shooting two of his colleagues.
In 1988, days before Christmas, a narcotics operation was taking place in South LA on 92nd Street. An eleven member team descended upon the home to perform a “buy-bust” operation. Rhambo was on the scene in the rear of the house.
Once the deputies realized they were going to penetrate the house, one of the deputies left to go to his car. On his way back, he was identified as a “man with a gun” and was shot in his leg.
The Deputy Involved Shooting memo, addressed to then Sheriff Sherman Block, detailed three deputies, including Rhambo, shot seven rounds at the “suspect”, striking him in the leg. Three rounds weren’t accounted for.
The Deputy Involved Shooting memo, addressed to Sheriff Sherman Block, detailed the wounded deputy changed his jacket when he went to his car.
The operation netted five kilos of cocaine. No weapons were recovered.
In Nov. 1987, Rhambo, who was a member of the narcotics team, was assisting a burglary team with a narcotics surveillance on a home in Compton. When that team made the decision to enter the home, after witnessing what they described as “multiple” drug buys, Rhambo went to the rear of the home and encountered three pit bulls. He shot at dogs, and missed, however, he did manage to shoot and wound his supervisor.
When the Times wrote their article on the shooting, Rhambo was not identified as the shooter.
After the Dec. 1988 shooting, Rhambo would encounter someone at a bank ATM, who pulled a gun on him. Rhambo recalls having time to get his weapon, and let off multiple shots at the suspect, who then drove himself to the hospital.
Rhambo has declined to comment on either shooting that involved fellow deputies.
4 Comments
Shame on all who are endorsing him, and our King is still on His throne and have this too 🙏🏼
Anthony Ward?! Is this the same guy in charge of Code Enforcement at Compton? So did Rhambo hook up his old pal before he left.
Shady ass shit
According to Transparent CA Ward started with Compton in 2017. Did he replace Dent?
Well, well, well, now we have a glimpse at the not so photo glam side of those James T Butts and his team are so happy to endorse ….. another of who knows how many officers have for so long been protected by the failure to disclose police reports!
This guy and apparently 2 other “trained” officers couldn’t tell the difference between a fellow officer who simply changed jackets and a “supposed criminal” ??? Was the wounded by Rhambo officer pointing his weapon at his fellow officers, or did they shoot at anyone who happened to be in front of them ? Unfortunately this seems like a snippet of reality that movies about bad cops are based on!!!!!
Every round that leaves ANY officers gun should only be headed in the direction of someone who is threatening another’s life.
Could incidents like this and the others discussed in the interview with Rhambo (which a prior 2urban girls article provided a link to) be why Butts and Company have made certain that Police Records are to be and have been destroyed and why the Police Oversight Committee has not met?
Are there even worse incidents of bad officer behavior endorsed, encouraged, or excused by Butts and Pals why the Butteam voted to destroy Police Records not just once before a state law on transparency went into effect and again more recently?
Going back to the 1988 incident -Is anyone else wondering if there were more than 5 kilos in the house when the trigger happy officer arrived on scene?
Could this provide us insights or explain how the 21 year Inglewood officer, who was recently arrested by the FBI, came by the drugs he was having another sell?
Yes RHAMBO does deserve a few votes but not for sheriff rather for TERMINATION and a HALL OF SHAME AWARD….
The very sad fallout is those of us who believed police officers were all decent, dedicated to protect and serve types now think twice and wonder hmmm was that another Santa or Easter Bunny tale.