Town of Torrance is the most recent to hitch a quickly increasing variety of cities suing to finish Los Angeles County’s controversial zero-bail coverage for these arrested for non-violent crimes.
The Torrance Metropolis Council voted unanimously at Tuesday’s assembly to hitch the lawsuit, which now entails greater than two dozen cities.
Below the brand new protocol, many individuals arrested for crimes together with automobile theft, retail theft, housebreaking, vandalism, possession of stolen property, forgery and different “non-serious” and non-violent offenses could be cited and launched, or booked and launched, as an alternative of being held on bond.
L.A. County Superior Court docket introduced the brand new protocols in July, arguing the earlier bail schedule inherently discriminated towards the poor.
“A low-risk arrestee shouldn’t be held in jail just because they can not publish the mandatory funds to be launched pending arraignment,” Presiding Decide Samantha Jessner mentioned on the time.
The zero-bail coverage took impact on Oct. 1 and was roundly condemned by regulation enforcement and plenty of civic leaders as a menace to public security.
Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore introduced his opposition days earlier than it went into impact.
“Regulation enforcement is averse to the record of ‘ebook and launch’ offenses as a result of that strategy gives little to no deterrence to these concerned in a variety of great legal offenses,” Moore mentioned. “We’re asking the courtroom to not launch people who pose dangers to the neighborhood security, together with these with repeated situations of prior critical offenses.”
Los Angeles has not but joined the lawsuit.
Present plaintiffs are the Metropolis of Arcadia, Metropolis of Artesia, Metropolis of Azusa, Metropolis of Baldwin Park, Metropolis of Beverly Hills, Metropolis of Cerritos, Metropolis of Covina, Metropolis of Downey, Metropolis of Duarte, Metropolis of Glendora, Metropolis of Trade, Metropolis of Irwindale, Metropolis of La Mirada, Metropolis of La Verne, Metropolis of Lakewood, Metropolis of Lancaster, Metropolis of Manhattan Seashore, Metropolis of Norwalk, Metropolis of Palmdale, Metropolis of Paramount, Metropolis of Rosemead, Metropolis of San Dimas, Metropolis of Santa Clarita, Metropolis of Santa Fe Springs, Metropolis of Santa Monica, Metropolis of Torrance, Metropolis of Vernon, Metropolis of West Covina, and Metropolis of Whittier.
“The Metropolis of Torrance stays dedicated to public security and urges communities and stakeholders to hitch in advocating for wise and accountable legal justice,” the town mentioned in an announcement.
