Dear Friends:
I am writing this message from self-quarantine after coming in close contact with one of the two employees in my office who tested positive for COVID-19. Fortunately, I have tested negative but, in accordance with county public health guidelines, I will work remotely for 14 days.
In this rapidly changing landscape, I want you to know that my office is committed to keeping Los Angeles County safe from criminal activity and helping to stop the spread of this pandemic.
 I have directed my roughly 1,000 deputy district attorneys to consider the public safety and health risks in every decision they make. I asked them to find ways to keep nonviolent felony and misdemeanor offenders out of jails and courthouses to protect all of the people who work within and use the criminal justice system from potential exposure to the virus.
In the first days of the crisis, we responded to a run of cases involving low-level offenders who, before the pandemic, were ordered by law enforcement officers to appear in court in lieu of being arrested. We also responded to a three-day court closure, which, though necessary, created a flood of cases when courtrooms reopened for business. Fortunately, those days are behind us.
Throughout, we have been collaborating with others in the criminal justice system to take action. To date, we have agreed to release 574 inmates from county jail on their own recognizance while awaiting trial. We also agreed to release an additional 45 county jail inmates in the Early Disposition Program. In each case, my deputy district attorneys looked at the inmate’s current charges and criminal history to determine if he or she could be released safely back into the community.
To reduce the exposure for attorneys and others still working in our courtrooms, we have begun staffing video arraignments in downtown Los Angeles and Pomona. We continue to explore other ways to reduce our footprint in courthouses and offices across the county.
Finally, we have issued a series of Fraud Alerts warning consumers about some of the most common scams that may surface during this public health crisis.
I am proud of how the people in my office have responded to these unprecedented times.
Please know that we are doing our best to serve all the residents of Los Angeles County.
Together, we will get through this.
Jackie Lacey
Los Angeles County District Attorney
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