After careful consideration, the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association (LAAPOA) Board of Directors has unanimously voted to endorse Alex Villanueva for re-election as the sheriff of Los Angeles County.

A retired Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) lieutenant with nearly 35 years of experience serving our communities, Villanueva defeated Jim McDonnell in the 2018 election to become the 33rd sheriff of Los Angeles County. The victory made him the first candidate to unseat an incumbent L.A. sheriff in more than 100 years and the first Spanish speaker to ever hold the office. In the past four years, he has been an outspoken advocate for law enforcement, pushing for reform and smart solutions to our county’s biggest challenges, including out-of-control homelessness, drug addiction and rising crime.   

“Sheriff Villanueva was voted into office by the citizens of Los Angeles County by an overwhelming margin, and despite the attempts by certain special interest groups, politicians and activists to derail his work, he has been a champion for law and order,” LAAPOA President Marshall McClain said. “He has been more accessible than any previous sheriff, regularly hosting town hall meetings and hearing directly from the people rather than from those groups that do not truly speak for the people. Sheriff Villanueva stands by his convictions and has no problem with speaking truth to power, whether it’s by supporting the recall of District Attorney George Gascón or calling out the County Board of Supervisors’ defunding of the police and refusal to lift the hiring freeze for deputy sheriffs. The outcome of this race affects all law enforcement in this county and impacts the rest of the state and country. LAAPOA believes Sheriff Villanueva has earned our endorsement and is the only candidate who has proven he is unafraid to stand up for the residents of L.A. County.”