HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council - 2018-02 RESOLUTION NO. 2018-02
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
SUPPORTING THE REDUCING CRIME AND
KEEPING CALIFORNIA SAFE ACT OF 2018.
WHEREAS, protecting every person in our State, including our most vulnerable children,
from violent crime is of the utmost importance. Murderers, rapists, child molesters and other
violent criminals should not be released early from prison; and
Since 2014, California has had a larger increase in violent crime than the rest of the
United States. Since 2013, violent crime in Los Angeles has increased 69.5%. Violent crime in
Sacramento rose faster during the first six months of 2015 than in any of the 25 largest U.S.
Cities tracked by the FBI; and
The FBI Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report for 2017, which tracks crimes
committed during the first six months of the past year in U. S. Cities with populations over
100,000, indicates that last year violent crime increased again in most of California's largest
cities; and
Recent changes to parole laws allowed the early release of dangerous criminals by the
law's failure to define certain crimes as "violent." These changes allowed individuals convicted
of sex trafficking of children, rape of an unconscious person, felony assault with a deadly
weapon, battery on a police officer or firefighter, and felony domestic violence to be considered
"nonviolent offenders"; and
As a result, these so-called "non-violent" offenders are eligible for early release from
prison after serving only a fraction of the sentence orderer by a judge;; and
Violent offenders are also bein,, a`oFv% J to ,-r. ^.vriirr.!.mMes even when
they commit new crimes and violate the terms of their post release community supervision, like
the gang member charged with the murder of Whittier Police Officer, Keith Boyer; and
This measure reforms the law so felons who violate the terms of their release can be
brought back to court and held accountable for such violations; and
Nothing in this act is intended to create additional "strike" offenses which would increase
the state prison population, nor is it intended to affect the ability of the California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation to award educational and merit credits; and
18-6374/176256/MV 1
RESOLUTION NO. 2018-02
Recent changes to California law allow individuals who steal repeatedly to face few
consequences, regardless of their criminal record or how many times they steal; and
As a result, between 2014 and 2016, California had the second highest increase in theft
and property crimes in the United States, while most states have seen a steady decline.
According to the California Department of Justice, the value of property stolen in 2015 was $2.5
billion with an increase of 13 percent since 2014, the largest single-year increase in at least ten
years; and
Grocery store operators around the state have seen unprecedented increases in the amount
of losses associated with shoplifting in their stores, with some reporting up to 150% increases in
these losses from 2012 to present, with the largest jumps occurring since 2014; and
Shoplifting incidents have started to escalate in such a manner that have endangered
innocent customers and employees; and
Individuals who repeatedly steal often do so to support their drug habit. Recent changes
to California law have reduced judges' ability to order individuals convicted of repeated theft
crimes into effective drug treatment programs; and
California needs stronger laws for those who are repeatedly convicted of theft related
crimes, which will encourage those who repeatedly steal to support their drug problem to enter
into existing drug treatment programs. This measure enacts such reforms; and
Collecting DNA from criminals is essential to solving violent crimes. Over 450 violent
crimes including murder, rape and robbery have gone unsolved because DNA is being collected
from fewer criminals; and
DNA collected in 2015 from a convicted child molester solved the rape-murders of two
six-year-old boys that occurred three decades ago in Los Angeles County. DNA collected in
2016 from an individual caught driving a stolen car solved the 2012 San Francisco Bay Area
rape/murder of an 83-year-old woman; and
Recent changes to California law unintentionally eliminated DNA collection for theft and
drug crimes. This measure restores DNA collection from persons convicted for such offenses;
and
Permitting collection of more DNA samples will help identify suspects, clear the
innocent and free the wrongly convicted; and
18-6374/176256/MV 1
RESOLUTION NO. 2018-02
This measure does not affect existing legal safeguards that protect the privacy of
individuals by allowing for the removal of their DNA profile if they are not charged with a
crime, are acquitted or are found innocent.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach hereby supports
the Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2018.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach at a
regular meeting thereof held on the /qlk-'J day of �'Md 6rt-k-J , 2018.
b
Mayor
REVIEW APPROVED: APPROVED A ��Ij ORM:
ity Manager /� ity Attorney bvz '�X k--\k b
✓ rV v
/IN'ITIATED AND APPROVED:
Assistant to the City Manager
18-6374/176256/MV 2
Res. No. 2018-02
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss:
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH )
I, ROBIN ESTANISLAU the duly elected, qualified City Clerk of the
City of Huntington Beach, and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of said City, do
hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach is seven; that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted
by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the members of said City Council
at a Regular meeting thereof held on March 19, 2018 by the following vote:
AYES: O'Connell, Semeta, Peterson, Posey, Delgleize, Hardy
NOES: None
ABSENT: Brenden
RECUSE: None
`lam
City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the
City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach, California