City of Diamond Bar
21810 Copley Drive | Diamond Bar, CA 91765-4178
(909) 839-7000 | Fax (909) 861-3117
www.DiamondBarCA.gov
Stan Liu
Mayor
At-Large
Chia Yu Teng
Mayor Pro Tem
District 4
Andrew Chou
Council Member
District 3
Ruth M. Low
Council Member
At-Large
Steve Tye
Council Member
District 1
October 15, 2024
Attorney General Rob Bonta
Office of the Attorney General
1300 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-2919
RE: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – Penal & Vehicle Code Enforcement
Dear Attorney General Bonta,
The City of Diamond Bar is one of 42 cities that contract with the Los Angels County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) for law enforcement services. We recently became aware of ongoing negotiations between your office and Los Angeles County that could severely limit LASD’s ability to enforce penal (PC) and vehicle code (VC) violations throughout Los Angeles.
We are deeply concerned that the results of these negotiations would limit LASD’s ability to enforce existing laws in our communities. As you may be aware, not every city in Los Angeles and Southern California contracts with LASD. These restrictions are very likely to adversely impact public safety in our cities and would create a disparate application of the law throughout Los Angeles County. This could potentially cause confusion among neighboring jurisdictions, as it could be difficult to ascertain which laws are enforceable across jurisdictions. The City of Diamond Bar shares borders with the City of Pomona who has their own Police Department.
Holding LASD to a different set of rules than all other law enforcement agencies in California is a disservice to deputies and to the communities they serve, including Diamond Bar. As with other cities, we place public safety as our highest priority, which is the primary reason these negotiations are so concerning. While we appreciate the confidential nature of the negotiations, the 42 cities that contract with LASD for law enforcement services have a significant vested interest and should have an opportunity to participate in those discussions as the results may drastically alter the effectiveness of public safety within our communities.
Attorney General Bonta
LASD Penal & Vehicle Code Enforcement
October 15, 2024
Diamond Bar fully supports progressive policing policies in accordance with applicable constitutional guidelines and holding law enforcement accountable when these tenets are violated. A significant part of the move toward more progressive policies should include state funds for training and technology.
We encourage you to include representatives from the California Contract Cities Association (CCCA) and other cities that contract with LASD for law enforcement service at the table to discuss our concerns further in Los Angeles or Sacramento at your convenience. We are certain our concerns are valid and appreciate your partnership in ensuring our residents and communities have the resources they need to uphold the highest levels of public safety.
Sincerely,
Stan Liu
Mayor
cc: City Council
Marcel Rodarte, Executive Director, California Contract Cities Association Jennifer Quan, Executive Director, LA County Division, League of California Cities
Damon Michael Brown, Department of Justice – [email protected]