We Deserve A District Attorney Committed to Reimagining “To Protect and Serve”
This DA race is one of the most important races on the March 3 ballot. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office is the largest prosecutorial office in the United States. With a staff of 1,000 attorneys, known as deputy district attorneys, the office should represent all the people of Los Angeles. Sadly, this is not the case. Black Angelenos make up only 8% of the county’s population, yet they comprise a third of LA’s jail population, which is the largest in the country. Over an eight year period, 25% of those killed in officer involved shootings have been Black.
As Angelenos go to the polls in March to vote for our next District Attorney, there are many key justice reform issues at stake including law enforcement accountability, the mass incarceration of Black and Brown residents, alternatives to incarceration for those with mental health and substance abuse issues, bail reform, and stopping the school to prison pipeline impacting African American and Latinx youth.
Gascón is a former police officer and Assistant Chief for the LAPD. Most recently he was the District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco giving him more than 40 years of experience in law enforcement. But more importantly, George Gascón is recognized nationally as being at the forefront of innovative criminal justice reform initiatives.
As DA, he charged over 20 police officers with crimes ranging from excessive force to embezzlement.
Gascón also created an independent unit to investigate officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, and excessive use of force cases.
Under Gascón’s leadership, San Francisco experienced a dramatic decline in youth crime, arrest and incarceration rates, and it became the first major city in the U.S. to close a juvenile hall.
Gascón was the first elected prosecutor in the nation to propose an end to money bail.
He co-authored Proposition 47 which is saving California $800,000 per day. Those funds are being reinvested in K-12 education as well as victim, substance abuse and mental health services.
He is a champion of creating alternatives to incarceration for those with mental illness, and community-based diversion programs to help lessen recidivism and proactive reentry programs.
He is also opposed to the death penalty and has never sought to condemn someone to death. The current District Attorney has sought the death penalty in 22 cases—all involving people of color.
Communities of color deserve a District Attorney that is committed to reimagining what “to protect and serve” means. We deserve a DA that will end decades of racist policing that has plagued Black and Brown communities in Los Angeles. We need to ensure that those sworn to protect and serve us also respect and understand us.
On March 3rd, we have the power to “step up” for South LA and hold the LA District Attorney’s Office accountable by voting for George Gascón. #StepUpandVote #StepUpforSouthLA #StepUp
