Villanueva denies existence of deputy gangs as L.A. County officials seek accountability

During four hours of combative testimony in front of the Civilian Oversight Commission on Friday morning, former Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva attempted to minimize the problem of deputy gangs, refusing to acknowledge their existence and alleging the problem of tattooed subgroups is "actually disappearing" from the department.

"You're still trying to pretend that deputy gangs exist and that they operate in the countryside pillaging and plundering," he told special counsel Bert Deixler. Minutes before, Villanueva testified that if the department got rid of all deputies with controversial tattoos the county would have to fire so many people that it would create a "gargantuan public safety crisis."

The former to once being a member of the Grim Reapers, linked to the now-closed Lennox station.