News
Whittier Seeks Injunction for Zero-Bail
Post Date: 09/29/2023 3:00 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 29, 2023
CITY OF WHITTIER WILL FILE ACTION SEEKING
INJUNCTION FOR ZERO-BAIL SCHEDULE TO SAFEGUARD
PUBLIC SAFETY
Whittier, CA — The City of Whittier, in partnership with 11 cities across Los Angeles County, is taking proactive measures to protect public safety as a new bail schedule is set to take effect in LA County on October 1, 2023.
Under this new schedule, individuals arrested for a variety of misdemeanors and non-violent felonies may now be cited in the field and released with a notice to appear in court with no individual assessment of the risk to public safety. That court appearance could be weeks, if not months, following the incident. This change undoubtedly poses a threat to public safety due to a glaring absence of any oversight or accountability for an entire group of serious offenders, raising significant concerns within the community and among local law enforcement agencies.
At a time when residents are increasingly victimized by these lower-level offenses against their homes and businesses, the zero-bail schedule as presented shows an egregious lack of regard for public safety across Los Angeles County. The decision to pursue an injunction to postpone implementation of the new bail schedule reflects a joint commitment between the City of Whittier and the cities of Arcadia, Artesia, Covina, Downey, Glendora, Industry, Lakewood, La Verne, Palmdale, Santa Fe Springs, and Vernon to prioritize the safety and security of residents, businesses, and law enforcement personnel.
The new bail schedule applies to a broad range of offenses including car thefts, car burglaries, thefts of property of any value, retail and commercial thefts and burglaries, possession of stolen property, forgery, and drug sales among others. For certain cases involving individuals who pose a "greater risk to the public," including sexual battery, crimes against children or elders, contact with minors with an intent to commit a sexual offense, and those involving guns, a "magistrate review" will be conducted electronically by an on-call judge to assess the arrestee's criminal history and other factors. This review will determine whether immediate release, with a notice to appear in court later, is more appropriate than detention in jail. “At the local government level, our number one responsibility is to keep people safe,” said Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri on behalf of the Whittier City Council. “It has become increasingly difficult to ignore the challenges our communities are facing and what happens when there are no consequences for breaking the law,” he added. “This zero-bail schedule is just another policy that leaves us less safe than we should be.” Having previously experienced the consequences of “catch and release” policies, where officers in the field are often unaware of an arrestee's prior citations or bookings for similar offenses in other jurisdictions, the City is emphasizing the need for more comprehensive case review. The City is urging an in-depth examination of such Return to full list >>
cases due to concerns that the zero-bail schedule poses an imminent threat to public safety, particularly where someone arrested for a crime while already out on zero bail gets released immediately to re-offend.
The City of Whittier remains steadfast in its commitment to public safety and will continue to contest changes that weaken cities’ ability to protect their citizens. The Whittier City Council urges communities and stakeholders to join them in advocating for sensible and responsible criminal justice. For more updates on the City of Whittier's efforts and updates on this matter, please visit our website at www.cityofwhittier.org.
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