A former long-time Los Angeles police sergeant has come forward with allegations that the SWAT unit is controlled by a group of veteran officers known as the “SWAT Mafia,” who have a preference for using deadly force. The sergeant, Timothy Colomey, filed a whistleblower retaliation lawsuit in January 2021, claiming that candidates who were more inclined to shoot were favored over critical thinkers.
Colomey joined SWAT in 2008 and eventually became the most senior sergeant in the unit. In response to a motion by the City Attorney’s Office to dismiss his case, arguing that he does not meet the criteria of a whistleblower under the state Labor Code, Colomey submitted a sworn declaration countering their claims.
He stated that during his time as the supervisor in charge of the LAPD SWAT training school from 2013 to 2019, he witnessed how candidates were chosen and how the school was operated. Colomey observed that the selection process favored candidates who were more inclined to use force quickly, rather than those who took a slow and methodical approach. Officers who exhibited critical thinking skills or were unwilling to conform to the aggressive SWAT culture during training were disqualified.
In 2018, the LAPD’s Internal Affairs group began an investigation into an anonymous complaint that compared the culture within SWAT to the infamous Rampart scandal of the late 1990s. Colomey revealed to an Internal Affairs interviewer that there was a powerful group of officers within SWAT who influenced the unit’s conformist and aggressive culture, promoting the use of lethal force.
According to Colomey, on various SWAT calls where he was the supervisor, certain officers attempted to sideline him and minimize his involvement. They would tell him to move away or stay in a specific location while they engaged with a suspect. This behavior implied that they did not want him present during critical moments of the operation.
Colomey was eventually cleared of any misconduct by the Internal Affairs probe, despite allegations made against him and other SWAT supervisors. He joined the LAPD in 1995 and served in the SWAT unit as a sergeant 2 from September 2008 to October 2019.
The lawsuit filed by Colomey states that SWAT lieutenants and sergeants are aware of the alleged SWAT Mafia’s existence and influence. Many supervisors both acquiesce to the group and undermine officers and supervisors who do not conform to their practices.
Colomey has since left SWAT and taken a post at Los Angeles International Airport. A hearing regarding the city’s dismissal motion is scheduled for August 15th.
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