August 2020 Newsletter

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August 2020 Newsletter  | Volume 5, Issue 7

Dear Friends:

As the first African American and the first woman to lead the largest local prosecutor’s office in the nation, I condemn racism and criminal acts of violence committed by civilians as well as law enforcement officers.

My parents moved to California from the segregated South in the 1950s. I will never forget the stories they shared of what life was like back then for Black people. These stories shape who I am as a person and influence how I lead the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. I believe in justice and I want people of color who are victims or defendants to be treated justly.

The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is one of the most diverse offices in the nation. We acknowledge that racism exists. I was one of the first department heads in the County to mandate unconscious bias training.

I acknowledge that the justice system is not perfect. We have led the charge to make substantial changes in how we administer justice. We published “A Blueprint for Change” in 2015. We have trained more than 2,000 law enforcement personnel on de-escalation techniques. We advocated for reallocating resources to mental health services. We encouraged the county to create more co-deployed teams to respond to emergency calls. As a result of our efforts, we inspired the creation of the Office of Diversion and Reentry.

We realize that because we are a constitutional office invested with the responsibility to address crime that we are guardians of justice. We will continue to show courage in addressing violent crime, but we will also show empathy and compassion for all who are affected by our decisions.

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Jackie Lacey
Los Angeles County District Attorney


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District Attorney Jackie Lacey spoke to members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving about the office’s innovative approach to prosecuting impaired driving cases during the 2020 MADD Law Enforcement Recognition Virtual Awards. Click here to watch her remarks.


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The District Attorney’s Office has provided free mental health awareness training to more than 2,000 first responders since 2016. It’s a major component of District Attorney Jackie Lacey’s efforts to save lives by improving how the criminal justice system interacts with people with mental illness.


DA-NL202008-Fraud-Alert

Criminals are finding new ways to cash in on the coronavirus pandemic by pretending to gather information about COVID-19 cases. Click here to read the Fraud Alert.


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Remembering John Lewis

 

District Attorney Jackie Lacey had the honor of meeting U.S. Rep. John Lewis during a 2014 Prosecutors Against Gun Violence summit at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. Also pictured is Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce Dudley.