L.A County Sheriff Candidate Eric Strong Discusses Public Safety, Mental Health and Reforming Police Culture
LOS ANGELES — The Voice of Black Los Angeles sat down with sheriff candidate Eric Strong for an exclusive conversation about public safety, mental health, policing, and the cultural challenges facing law enforcement agencies today.
Strong is a Marine veteran with more than three decades of experience spanning four agencies, running on a platform centered around accountability, transparency, community trust, and departmental reform. His law enforcement career includes service with the Compton Police Department, Pasadena Police Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Los Angeles County Probation Department.
Strong emphasized that effective public safety requires more than simply increasing enforcement. He argued that law enforcement agencies must be better equipped to respond to mental health crises and substance abuse issues that increasingly impact communities across Los Angeles County.
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“Many of the challenges we see on our streets today are connected to mental health and addiction,” Strong explained. “Law enforcement cannot arrest its way out of these problems. Deputies need the training, resources, and partnerships necessary to respond appropriately while connecting people to the services they need.”
Strong said he supports expanding de-escalation training and strengthening partnerships between law enforcement, mental health professionals, and community organizations. His campaign platform highlights the importance of treating mental health and substance abuse as public health issues while maintaining a focus on violent crime reduction.
One of the most significant topics discussed during the interview was deputy gang culture and the broader internal culture within law enforcement agencies. Strong acknowledged the long-standing concerns surrounding deputy gangs within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and said meaningful reform requires more than policy changes alone.
According to Strong, culture within law enforcement can sometimes create divisions among deputies based on where they work, what assignments they hold, and how those positions are viewed internally. He described a system where some deputies are valued differently than others depending on their station or assignment, creating barriers that can negatively impact morale and accountability.
For Strong, changing that culture starts with leadership.
He argued that agencies must recruit, promote, and elevate leaders who reflect the diversity and lived experiences of the communities they serve. Strong believes that when leadership understands the realities facing residents throughout Los Angeles County, departments are better positioned to build trust both internally and externally.
His campaign has also prioritized addressing deputy gangs and eliminating what he describes as an “us versus them” mentality that has damaged public confidence in law enforcement. Strong has pledged to confront misconduct, increase accountability, and create a department culture focused on professionalism and community service.
Throughout the interview, Strong repeatedly returned to the idea that trust must be earned.
He spoke about his own experiences both within law enforcement and as someone who has witnessed the impact policing can have on communities. Those experiences, he said, have shaped his belief that public safety and accountability must work together rather than compete against one another.
Strong has positioned himself as a candidate focused on reforming departmental culture, improving responses to mental health crises, and restoring public confidence in law enforcement through leadership, transparency, and accountability.
For Black communities throughout Los Angeles County, the conversation around policing remains deeply connected to issues of public trust, representation, and safety. Whether discussing deputy gangs, mental health response, or leadership diversity, Strong argues that the future of policing will depend on a department willing to evolve alongside the communities it serves.
