It is important that our law enforcement officers enforce all of the laws on the books. Over the years, various state laws, court decisions, and ballot propositions have changed how the City and LAPD interact with criminals, homeless people, and residents. In 2011, the California Legislature passed AB 109 which shifted parole supervision for certain offenders from the State to County. In 2014, voters passed Proposition 47 which converted many nonviolent offenses, such as drug and property offenses, from felonies to misdemeanors. In 2016, voters passed Proposition 57 which changed the parole and sentencing provisions across the state so that nonviolent prisoners can be released once they serve the full sentence for their primary criminal offense. Both of these voter-passed propositions save money and reallocate those funds to programs such as mental health and drug treatment. However, the net impact on crime rates remains contested and a concern.
Although these legal constraints do exist, I regularly meet with the LAPD’s local senior lead officers, chiefs, and even the chief of police himself to discuss quality of life issues and the best way to fight crime. Although I wish I could, I cannot direct the LAPD to allocate patrols to one area over another. However, when you report a crime it does help the LAPD determine where they should patrol. The LAPD patrols are data-driven and the police reports are a major factor in that process. Also, I encourage you to work with your senior lead officer (SLO), neighborhood watch and continue to report suspicious behavior to prevent any future attacks or other crimes. Your reporting will help assist the LAPD in determining problem areas and reallocating patrols. I helped launch a volunteer patrol to help increase police visibility and add more tools to the LAPD crime-fighting toolbox. To read about this, please see this press release. I will continue to advocate for more and better enforcement tools that the LAPD needs to respond to issues like these and I will continue to push for more funding for LAPD patrols. Every year I have been on the City Council we have not only increased funding, but successfully pushed for technology fixes and civilian hires that allow more officers to spend more time on patrol.