You probably haven’t heard of the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice. That’s by design. They keep it low-key—just a little cog in the mighty Civil Rights Division, they’ll tell you. But don’t let the humble label fool you. When they roll into town, it’s not for tea and small talk. These folks are the Justice Department’s special forces—trained, relentless, and undefeated.
No exaggeration. They’ve never lost a case. Not one.
So when former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi asked them to take a peek under the hood of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) for what she alleges is a full-blown trampling of Californians’ Second Amendment rights, let’s just say Sheriff Robert G. Luna might want to cancel his weekend plans.
The Quiet Power of the Special Litigation Section
The Special Litigation Section (or SLS, if you want to sound cool at cocktail parties) isn’t just for show. Their mission? Protecting the vulnerable. Think people in prisons, youth facilities, the disabled, and—you guessed it—anyone forced to interact with your friendly neighborhood police or sheriff’s department.
And while that might sound noble and soft-focus, their methods are anything but. When they investigate, it’s scorched-earth. They gather data, conduct interviews, dissect policies, and when they’re done, you’re either signing a consent decree or getting steamrolled in federal court.
Sheriff Luna, take notes.
California’s 18-Month “Gun-Free” Shuffle
At the heart of this mess is LASD’s glacial pace when it comes to issuing concealed carry licenses. Eighteen months. That’s how long it can take for a law-abiding citizen to be granted permission to exercise a constitutional right. Eighteen months of red tape, bureaucratic acrobatics, and a quiet hope you’ll just give up and go away.
Bondi isn’t buying it. Neither is the DOJ.
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” she said. “And under my watch, the Department will actively enforce it just like any other fundamental constitutional right.”
Translation: buckle up, Luna.
What Happens When the Feds Come Knocking
Here’s the thing about SLS: they don’t just show up and wag fingers. They bring receipts. After months (sometimes years) of investigation, they present two documents: a federal complaint and a consent decree. They’re nearly identical. The only difference? One ends in negotiation. The other ends in court. And the court option, let me remind you again, is one they always win.
So unless Luna wants his name chiseled into the DOJ’s win column like so many others before him, he might want to sharpen his pen.
This Ain’t Their First Rodeo
If you’re wondering how serious these folks are, let me take you back to 2003. I was working as an investigative reporter at the Virgin Islands Daily News when I dropped a little bombshell called “Deadly Force – A Special Investigative Report.” Forty-four pages detailing how the Virgin Islands Police Department had made a sport of excessive force.
Some findings? Oh, just the usual:
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65 of 85 people shot by police were unarmed.
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28 people killed.
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Less than 25% of the survivors were ever charged.
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Officers hadn’t had annual firearm qualifications in years.
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They were still using outdated, unconstitutional deadly force policies.
I could go on.
Naturally, DOJ’s Special Litigation Section didn’t appreciate the publicity. But they read the report, dug in, and eventually slapped the Virgin Islands PD with a consent decree. And here we are, 22 years later, and guess what? The department is still under federal supervision. That’s how deep these roots go when a law enforcement agency refuses to get its house in order.
Some Can Change. Some Don’t.
Not every agency drags its feet. Delaware’s prison system and psychiatric hospital were also investigated by SLS after my reporting exposed serious issues there. Unlike the Virgin Islands, Delaware cleaned up its act in just a few years and avoided a long-term federal babysitting arrangement. It can be done—if the will is there.
Which brings us back to Sheriff Luna.
He’s been on the job for just 17 months, taking over after a long tenure as Chief of Long Beach PD. On paper, he looks the part—seasoned, experienced, in charge of more than 17,000 employees. But in practice, we’ll see. The question is whether he’ll cooperate and clean house or try to play chicken with the DOJ’s most relentless investigators.
Here’s a hint, Sheriff: they don’t blink.
Don’t Be the Next Headline
Bondi didn’t mince words when she said LASD was dragging its feet on carry permits, trampling on the rights of ordinary citizens in a state already infamous for gun control laws that border on authoritarian. She knows the law. The DOJ knows the law. And most importantly, the Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that the Second Amendment is a fundamental, individual right.
Luna’s team, on the other hand, seems to be operating as if they’ve never read Bruen, Heller, or McDonald.
That’s the kind of willful ignorance that gets a sheriff removed from office—and replaced by someone who actually respects the Constitution.
The Verdict Isn’t In—But It’s Coming
Nobody knows exactly how this is going to play out. The DOJ plays the long game. Their investigations are quiet, thorough, and devastating. By the time you see the headlines, the damage is done. And judging by what Bondi’s already uncovered, it doesn’t look good for LASD.
Sheriff Luna can cooperate, clean up the licensing delays, and start respecting the Second Amendment. Or he can become another cautionary tale. Another name on the DOJ’s very long list of “reformed” lawmen who didn’t take the warning signs seriously until the federal complaint hit their desk.
Here’s hoping he picks the smart path.
But if history tells us anything, smart isn’t always the default setting in California’s government.
