Family of slain deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer announce lawsuit against LA County

LOS ANGELES - The grieving parents of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who was murdered in Palmdale on September 16, 2023, have announced they are suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) and Board of Supervisors.

The family, represented by attorney Brad Gage, accuses the department and county leaders of knowingly putting the lives of law enforcement officers at risk by enforcing excessive amounts of mandatory overtime.

The LASD is currently dealing with a staffing crisis, leading deputies to take on increased overtime hours to compensate for vacancies. 

However, Monday’s government claim, filed as a precursor to a lawsuit, argues that mandatory overtime is not only jeopardizing the safety of the public but also endangering the lives of the deputies themselves.

According to Gage, Deputy Clinkunbroomer was forced to work over 100 hours of overtime each month.  

"I know that he talked to his family about how many hours he was having to work and how fatigued he was, he complained about being tired," Gage said.  

The attorney says the department's practice of mandating excessive overtime creates a known danger and intentionally puts deputies at risk.

The claim asserts that the fatigue resulting from these demanding work schedules impairs the deputies' ability to stay alert and respond effectively in the line of duty. 

This claim is supported by a former LA County Deputy Sheriff, Saren Prime, who revealed that the department's mandatory overtime has been causing serious problems for many deputies, leading to exhaustion and compromised performance. 

While the LA County Sheriff’s Department would not address the claim, it did issue the following statement: 

"The senseless ambush murder of Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer was the epitome of evil and the Department continues to mourn his death.  We lost a valued member of our Department family who was committed to serving our communities.  The Sheriff’s Department remains committed to securing a successful prosecution against the individual responsible for Ryan’s murder. Our thoughts continue to remain with the entire Clinkunbroomer family." 

Meanwhile, Brad Gage contends that the Clinkunbroomer family seeks justice for Ryan and aims to protect other deputies from the potential dangers associated with forced overtime. 

"They need to stop forcing officers to work overtime when they are tired and exhausted because it can lead to tragedy," he said.