The people of Whittier are tired of crime. More so, they are tired of a DA that protects criminals and does not care how many victims his policies create. Now the City Council wants to prosecute crimes, to get the criminals off the streets.
“Whittier City Council members voted Tuesday, March 9 to ask Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon for permission to allow the city to hire its own prosecutor to handle misdemeanor crimes.
Councilmembers, who voted 5-0, contend that Gascon’s office has not been prosecuting lesser crimes, including most drug charges, under the influence and trespass violations.
“We want to prosecute violators so we can demonstrate there are consequences to actions,” Councilman Fernando Dutra said in a Wednesday telephone interview.”
Whittier wants to take over prosecuting misdemeanors from LA County DA’s Office
Whittier needs permission from the DA’s Office to move forward with its effort.
By MIKE SPRAGUE, Whittier Daily News, 3/9/22
Whittier City Council members voted Tuesday, March 9 to ask Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon for permission to allow the city to hire its own prosecutor to handle misdemeanor crimes.
Councilmembers, who voted 5-0, contend that Gascon’s office has not been prosecuting lesser crimes, including most drug charges, under the influence and trespass violations.
“We want to prosecute violators so we can demonstrate there are consequences to actions,” Councilman Fernando Dutra said in a Wednesday telephone interview.
“When cops do their jobs and it’s not followed through on the prosecution side, it demoralizes everybody who is trying to do the right thing.”
IN 2021, 622 cases — 450 of which were drug related — were not prosecuted in Whittier, according to city numbers.
Whittier needs permission from the DA’s Office in order to prosecute misdemeanors.
Alex Bastian, special advisor to the DA, in an email said that Whittier City Council has not reached out to the office.
“We are open to meeting with them and want to ensure that public safety remains a top priority in cities across Los Angeles County,” Bastian wrote.
Whittier isn’t the only city seeking permission.
Manhattan Beach’s City Council has approved a draft contract with Redondo Beach that would have the neighboring city prosecute state misdemeanors and municipal violations, as well as to administer homeless court, a diversion program requiring mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and housing placement for people without permanent shelter who commit misdemeanor crimes in Manhattan Beach.
The one-year agreement would cost Manhattan Beach $300,000.
Pico Rivera and Santa Fe Springs city officials also are considering seeking permission from the DA’s Office.
Whittier City Attorney Dick Jones has said he could provide the service to the city for $500,000.
This dispute is over Gascon’s Special Directive 7 — issued in December 2020 — that bans prosecution of some crimes, including disturbing the peace, driving without or on a suspended license, drug and paraphernalia possession, littering, loitering to commit prostitution, making a criminal threat, minor in possession of alcohol, public intoxication, resisting arrest, trespassing and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Gascón’s directive said prosecution of the offenses driving the bulk of misdemeanor cases “have minimal, or even negative, long-term impacts on public safety.”
However, Whittier Police Chief Aviv Bar said prosecution is needed to bring individuals into a courtroom to face a judge where they would be given probation or referred to treatment.
“There are no repercussions or accountability on the county court side,” Bar said.
“We know drug use is a major driver of crime,” Bar said. “It’s the reason why people have packages stolen from the front of their homes, their cars broken into overnight or their businesses window smashed for change. It’s because we have a very large number of people dependent on that money to afford their next drug quantity or hit.”
