The newly appointed U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California will review the conviction of Deputy Trevor Kirk, a Santa Clarita resident found guilty of a 2023 civil rights violation in Lancaster, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Professional Association.
Kirk was found guilty of one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law for an incident that occurred in June 2023 when responding to a call for service regarding a robbery at a Lancaster grocery store, where two suspects allegedly assaulted the security officers.
“Body worn camera footage shows Kirk detaining a combative suspect with pepper spray – a mild, department approved tool – after she resisted, swung at him, and ignored commands,” the LASPA said in a news release.
Cellphone video of the incident went viral on social media, and LASPA contends that media coverage misrepresented the suspect as an innocent bystander “sparking activist pressure and leading to Kirk’s federal indictment for deprivation of rights under color of law,” the news release stated.
U.S Attorney Bill Essayli will review the civil rights conviction of Kirk, and LASPA says it offers “hope that this wrongful and politically charged prosecution will finally receive the fair consideration it deserves,” the release said.
This comes after more than 20 sheriff’s stations, including the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, boycotted the historic Baker to Vegas race in solidarity with Kirk, which amplified the “outrage over Kirk’s case and its threat to law enforcement and public safety,” the release said.
The annual run encourages camaraderie and fitness among law enforcement professionals with a 120-mile foot relay race across the desert held in the spring, which made its debut in 1985, according to the Baker to Vegas website.
Deputy Robert Jensen, a spokesman for the SCV Sheriff’s Station, shared a statement a few weeks ago with The Signal on behalf of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau:
“Despite allegations to the contrary, this case was not referred to the FBI nor the U.S Attorney’s Office by anyone within the department, as indicated in the official court transcript,” the SIB statement said, and “the department recognizes that having one of our employees convicted by a federal jury is a significant matter and we understand the frustration it has caused among our personnel.”
LASPA acts as a voice for L.A. County sheriff’s deputies, advocating for their rights, safety, and dignity since its founding and representing thousands of deputy sheriffs across the county’s 46 stations, according to the news release.
