A new Homeless Court launched in Long Beach last summer in hopes of getting homeless people out of the criminal justice system and into services they need. What other ways could the prosecutor’s office help alleviate homelessness?
Allowing our homeless population to live on the streets is not only inhumane, but it also creates a significant public health and safety risk for Long Beach residents. Mental health and addiction treatment, housing, and economic opportunity are all critical components to solving this crisis, and we must do a better job at creating and effectively delivering those services.
However, the city prosecutor is also responsible for enforcing the law and protecting quality of life for Long Beach residents—including public right of way laws. As city prosecutor, I will do everything in my power to ensure we provide important resources to those in need, and at the same, maintain public safety for our residents by enforcing the law.
Crime is consistently mentioned as a leading issue for voters. What kind of programs do you think can work to reduce crime and how would you implement them if elected?
Ensuring public safety is the most fundamental responsibility for any elected official, and right now, our leaders are failing. First and foremost, we must enforce the law and hold violent criminals accountable. We cannot allow violent street gangs and career criminals to terrorize our communities. Long Beach families deserve to feel safe walking in their own neighborhoods. I also support expanding early intervention and afterschool programs to give our kids a chance and help prevent crime before it starts.
I believe we need a balanced approach to criminal justice that both maintains public safety and helps keep people out of the system through meaningful reform and support services. As a current hardcore gang prosecutor for Los Angeles County, I understand how to implement this balanced approach because it is what I do every day. I believe that firsthand experience is desperately needed in the Long Beach city prosecutor’s office.
Last year California ended cash bail for those who can’t afford it. Do you support ending cash bail entirely for people arrested in the city?
No. The wholesale elimination of cash bail without any meaningful risk assessment jeopardizes public safety. However, the use and amount of cash bail should be tied to whether someone represents a danger to society or is likely to reoffend, not an individual’s economic status.
Fireworks have been a quality of life concern for residents, and the issue has received increasing attention from city officials in recent years. What will you do to help ensure that the city’s ban is followed?
As city prosecutor, I will enforce the laws on the books and prosecute crimes that affect quality of life, including the use of fireworks. In addition to the legal violation, fireworks can pose a significant threat to property and life, so we must take this issue seriously.