Mike Bornman Announces Candidacy for LA County Sheriff in 2026 Race

Campaign Announcement and Motivation

• 📌 Mike Bornman, a retired Captain with 36 years in the LA County Sheriff's Department, is running for LA County Sheriff in the 2026 election.
• 🎯 He is challenging incumbent Sheriff Robert Luna, citing a "race to the bottom" within the department.
• 💡 Bornman feels compelled to run because he has watched the department he dedicated his life to with "horror" over the past few years.

Bornman's Background and Qualifications

• 🧠 With 36 years of experience, Bornman has a wide range of assignments including custody, patrol, operations, administrative, criminal, and administrative investigations, and federal task forces.
• 🛠️ He has created bureaus and programs within the department that are still in place today.
• ✅ Bornman believes he has the well-rounded background, education, training, experience, wherewithal, ability, and desire to lead the department out of its current state.

Strategy for the 2026 Sheriff's Race

• 🤝 Bornman plans a grassroots campaign, focusing on knocking on doors and making visits to different parts of the community.
• 🗣️ He acknowledges that name recognition might be a challenge but is committed to ensuring people in the county know who he is.

Key Priorities and Proposed Changes

• 💰 A complete 100% forensic audit of every dime spent by the sheriff's department is a top priority to ensure funds are allocated effectively.
• ⚠️ Bornman aims to address the critical issue of personnel shortages and burnout, referring to deputies working triple double shifts and feeling unsupported.
• 🚀 He believes a leader who genuinely cares about the deputies can slow the exodus of officers who are retiring early or leaving due to dissatisfaction.
• 📈 While acknowledging a reported increase in applicants, Bornman emphasizes the need for efficient recruitment and retention to keep up with attrition rates.
• 💬 He believes the best recruitment tool was always having deputies who loved their jobs and recommended it to others, a sentiment he aims to restore.