LA sheriff rips push to fire 4,000 unvaccinated deputies amid crime wave: 'Immoral position'

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. - As Los Angeles County residents endure rising crime and increasing homelessness, Sheriff Alex Villanueva is slamming what he describes as a political push fueled by defund police activists to fire 4,000 sheriff department employees who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus.Villanueva, who oversees the largest sheriff's department in the nation, said he’s the "only one left standing" when providing counterbalance against the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, which has progressive Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón "in their back pocket." RELATED: LA County Supervisors move to take COVID vaccine enforcement out of Villanueva's hands"This is nothing but a power grab by the board.

And it's shameful, and it's going to be harmful to public safety," Villanueva told Fox News Digital. He noted that the board endorsed Gascon, who is now facing a second recall effort backed by wealthy Democratic donors and Hollywood honchos.Villanueva estimates the LASD could lose up to 4,000 deputies if this is enforced.

It goes up for a vote in March.This week, investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Police Department warned residents to remain vigilant after a homeless man followed home and assaulted two women in separate broad daylight incidents in Los Angeles and West Hollywood Tuesday.RELATED: Man wanted for assaulting two women in Hollywood area in custodyOne of the women was nearly raped, but no arrest has been made.

The assaults happened in the same neighborhood where UCLA graduate student Brianna Kupfer was stabbed to death while working at a luxury furniture store last month.