Robert Luna secures second term as Los Angeles County Sheriff
LOS ANGELES - Incumbent Robert Luna has secured a second term as Los Angeles County Sheriff, successfully fending off a challenge from his predecessor, Alex Villanevua.
By the numbers:
With 55% of votes counted, AP called the race at 9:42 p.m. with numbers showing that Luna had 70% of the vote while his rival, Villanueva, had 30%.
He now maintains his position as the leader of the nation's largest sheriff's department.
Robert Luna projected to win re-election in LA Sheriff's race
Incumbent Robert Luna reacts to being projected winner in the race for Los Angeles County Sheriff.
The backstory:
Luna's re-election campaign for LA County Sheriff highlights his 40-year background in law enforcement – including seven years as Chief of the Long Beach Police Department – and emphasizes a "relationship-based" policing philosophy inspired by his upbringing in East Los Angeles.
First elected as Sheriff in 2022, his platform centers on maintaining institutional stability, expanding department accountability, and continuing strategies focused on crime reduction.
A primary focus of Luna's platform is the reduction of violent and property crime, according to his website. His campaign points to statistical declines in homicides and overall violent crime during his term, alongside increased crime clearance rates, according to his campaign website.
To maintain these trends, his platform outlines a combination of targeted law enforcement tactics – such as the creation of a Crime Strategy Unit, enhanced safety measures on the Metro system, and coordination with regional partners like the Los Angeles Police Department to hold repeat offenders accountable – balanced with long-term prevention methods, social services, and community engagement.
To rebuild public trust and modernize the department, Luna highlights internal reforms, including the establishment of the Office of Constitutional Policing and an explicit policy banning law enforcement gangs.
His platform emphasizes improved transparency through a public data dashboard tracking crime, uses of force, and personnel complaints, as well as adherence to legal settlement agreements.
On the operational side, Luna details his efforts to update aging infrastructure, such as replacing a decades-old Computer Aided Dispatch system, procuring new inmate transport buses, expanding academy classes, and hiring a civilian CFO for oversight.
Luna's campaign also prioritizes department personnel wellness and regional challenges like homelessness.
For employee wellness, Luna advocates expanding mental health services, supporting peer counseling, and reducing the stigma around care to support staff handling high-stress workloads.
Regarding homelessness, his platform highlights the enforcement and engagement of the LASD Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST), alongside his political support for regional ballot initiatives focused on affordable housing, mental health, and substance abuse treatment.
The Source: This report is based on election data provided by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's Office, as well as information from the Office of LA County Sheriff Robert Luna and previous FOX 11 reports.