Release of 33,000 California Prisoners Will Create 'Wave of Crime' For L.A. if City Doesn't Act, Says LAPD Union

By Dennis Romero Tue., May 24 2011 at 7:09 AM

Alex Thompson

The police union wants the city to reconsider cutting LAPD funding.

The union representing Los Angeles police is predicting certain mayhem for the city if a U.S. Supreme Court-ordered release of about 33,000 California prisoners goes through and, at the same time, funding and staffing for the LAPD is reduced.

In the shadow a looming, $300 million-plus deficit in the city and proposed cuts for the LAPD, the court ruling "sets up a perfect storm for a wave of crime to overtake recent gains in public safety," according to a Los Angeles Police Protective League statement.

The union wants Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the City Council to reconsider proposed cuts in the shadow of the decision.

The LAPPL notes that:

L.A. County is the largest [county] in the state, accounting for about a third of the entire state prison population ... [and] we can assume more inmates will return here than to any other county in the state.

The decision would cut down California's estimated 140,000 inmate population significantly but still keep prisons well above capacity.

The Supreme Court majority argued that the overcrowding amounted to cruel and unusual punishment. The state has two years to reduce the number of inmates by 37,000.

Tags:

City Council, inmate release, LAPD, LAPPL, police union, state prisons, U.S. Supreme Court, Villaraigosa

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John Armstrong

They will, like Castro did in the 1980's, release the bad ones if possible to punish the public for not giving them all they can get rather than the harmless potheads which they should be releasing. Everything's political. Everything's about money and power anymore.

Abc1t2

Start by killing all on death row. And if thats not enough move to the life sentence arrestees and work your way down from there

John Armstrong

I'd vote for you for Governor. It would be a big improvement over anything we've seen in this state in decades.

Briansays

need to get a ccw permitneed to change the law to allow the use of deadly force to protect property above a certain amount say $5,000

Terry Chodosh

Retired LEOs, if you carry a firearm are your assets protected if you use deadly force? Today most probation officers cannot handle their existing caseload, what will happen when that caseload is at least doubled (or quadrupled) when these "non-violent" criminals are released? We will all be less safe with home invasion robberies, carjackings, and street violence increasing dramatically.Active & retired officer involved shootings will also increase, If you are a retired LEO you must protect your assets (no-one else will) remember "every bullet that leaves your barrel has a lawyer attached"! $250-$300 purchases 300K-500K in PRIMARY liability protection. Questions? contact terrychodosh@verizon.net cell#310-809-8795 www.leosa-hr218selfdefenseprot...

thomasjcoleman

Actually there appears to be a fair amount space for the state prison inmates in our county jail facilities, some of which are nearly empty, into which the more "dangerous" inmates could be transferred, especially all those confined due to parole violations (may be better to have them closer to home anyway). That would mean more $ to the state to arrange for the transfers (which Gov. Brown has already requested) and to the county since it runs the county jails, but not to the LAPD, at least not at this time. Of course that would leave out "the fear factor" which is a proven, long established "tried and true" gimmick for local politicians, certain interest groups and the media looking for cheap, reliable headlines ("if it bleeds, it leads"), all of which serve the psychological needs of all those perpetually nervous and anxious Angelinos out there in the dark, particularly the love me I'm a liberal types on the Westside.