ALL RIGHT. WE LIKE TO CALL
SUB-COMMITTEE. NUMBER SIX ON
PUBLIC SAFETY TO ORDER. WE DO
HAVE SOME ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THE
ORDER OF THE OVERSIGHT. UM
RETAIL THEFT COMMITTEE PANEL.
ONE WILL BE NOW PANEL TO PANEL
TWO WILL NOW BE PANEL ONE TO GO
FIRST TO MAKE WAY FOR THE THOSE
THAT CAN PARTICIPATE. UM AND
THEN PANEL THREE WILL STILL STAY
. PANEL THREE. SO SORRY ABOUT
THAT. SO GOOD AFTERNOON, AND
TODAY'S, UM, MARKS THE FIRST,
UM, SUBCOMITTEE HEARING ON
PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THIS BUDGET
CYCLE. UH, 2024 25 AND OUR SUB
CHAIR. I PRIORITIZE TODAY'S
DISCUSSION ON ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT TO FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON
THE RESOURCES PROVIDED AS PART
OF THE 2022 BUDGET ACT AND TO
HEAR ABOUT STRATEGIES FROM OUR
LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS. I WANT
TO ENSURE THAT THE SPENDING
MEETS THE GOALS OF IMPROVED
COMMUNITY SAFETY, AND AS THE
FUNDING HAS ONLY BEEN RELEASED
LESS THAN SIX MONTHS AGO, WE
WILL NEED SOME TIME TO EVALUATE
THE IMPACT. I WANT TO THANK THE
GOVERNOR AND THE SPEAKER AND THE
PRO TEM FOR PROPOSING THESE
RESOURCES AND FOR THEIR
LEADERSHIP ON THESE ISSUES BASED
ON CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, MANY OF
THESE THEFTS AND BREAK INS HAVE
TIES TO CRIMINAL GANGS, CREWS
INVOLVING VERY HIGH COLLAR
DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND IN CERTAIN
INSTANCES, ACTORS FROM OUTSIDE
OF CALIFORNIA. OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS ARE HAVING
TO USE TECHNOLOGY. IN OTHER
CREATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS
THE EVOLVING CRIME OF RETAIL
THEFT. IN ADDITION, ADDRESSING
THE THIS PROBLEM ISN'T A ONE
AGENCY SOLUTION. THE
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP
NEEDED TO ADDRESS ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT SPEAKS TO THE
COMPLEXITIES AND COOPER
OPERATION NEEDED TO INVESTIGATE
AND PROSECUTE THESE CRIMES. WE
WILL HEAR FROM OUR PANELISTS ON
THE VARIOUS STRATEGIES THEY ARE
USING HOW ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT
HAS EVOLVED AND WHAT THIS SUB
COMMITTEE SHOULD CONSIDER AS WE
CONTINUE TO THINK OF BUDGET
SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS THIS
PROBLEM. ONE LAST THING I WANT
TO KNOW. BEFORE WE START THIS
HEARING. WHILE MUCH DISCUSSION
AND MEDIA ATTENTION HAS BEEN
FOCUSED ON ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT THESE LAST FEW YEARS, I
ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME
AREAS THAT THIS COMMITTEE WILL
CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO ONE OF
THOSE AREAS DEALS WITH NATIVE
AMERICAN COMMUNITIES FACING
CRITICAL CHALLENGES DUE TO THE
LACK OF SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO
ADDRESS MISSING AND MURDERED
INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND INDIGENOUS
PERSONS ON INDIAN RESERVATIONS
AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. UM SO WE
WANNA LOOK AT THE INSUFFICIENT
REENTRY SERVICES AND HOUSING
RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME.
AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR OUR
YOUTH. ARE ALSO CRITICAL. I LOOK
FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THESE
ISSUES MOVING FORWARD IN THIS
CALENDAR YEAR. I WANT TO THANK
OUR PANELISTS FOR PARTICIPATING
IN OUR HEARING TODAY, SOME OF
WHOM GOT ON PLANES TO GET HERE
EARLY, AND WE ALSO HAVE A PANEL
THAT JOINING US VIRTUALLY FROM
THE LOS ANGELES AREA. UM AT THIS
TIME WE DO WANT TO MOVE FORWARD
AND ANNOUNCE OUR FIRST PANEL,
WHICH IS NOW WAS PANEL IS PANEL
TWO. WE'LL GO FIRST. SO OUR
FIRST PANEL WILL BE OUR PANEL ON
CO ORDINATION AND COLLABORATION.
WE HAVE PANELISTS BANYON HUTTER,
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF HEALTH
AND TECHNOLOGY FROM THE CARUSO,
UM, AREAS. CARUSO MANAGEMENT,
EUGENE KI¾M LIEUTENANT BEVERLY
HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT MANNY
NAVARRE SERGEANT FROM THE
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL.
MICHAEL REDDING SPECIAL
ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, AND
STEFAN WOOLERY, DIRECTOR OF
BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS FROM
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. IF
YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE SOME SEATS
, AND IF WE COULD CHECK OUR
TECHNOLOGY AND START WITH, UM
OUR PANELIST BON HUTTER. CAN YOU
HEAR ME? YES. PERFECT I
APPRECIATE THE TIME TODAY AND
MAKING IT THE OPPORTUNITY TO,
UH, COME IN REMOTELY, AND I
APOLOGIZE IF I'M NOT THERE IN
PERSON. UH, HOWEVER, THIS IS AN
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT
WE ARE CONTINUING TO DEAL WITH,
ON OUR END, AND SOMETHING AT
LEAST FROM THE RETAIL SIDE IS OF
THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE TO US. I
AM WITH CARUSO. WE OVERSEE 18
BRANDED PROPERTIES HERE IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, INCLUDING
ON ANOTHER A NUMBER OF ASSETS.
THEY'RE NOT BRANDED, UH, WE
SUPPORT THE BUSINESS ENTITIES
AND THE RETAILERS WITHIN OUR
PROPERTIES. IT'S USUALLY ABOUT
261 DIFFERENT RETAILERS THAT
EXIST WITHIN OUR PROPERTIES
ACROSS THE BOARD. UH AND I'M A
MEMBER OF A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT
BOARDS AND COMMITTEES. THE FBI
IS IN REGARD PROGRAM. UH I'M THE
CHAIRMAN FOR A LOT ORCA, UH,
OVERSEEING THE ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME ASSOCIATION IN L, A AND
PART OF THE LAPD FOUNDATION
BOARD, LAF Dð FOUNDATION BOARD
AND COLLABORATE WITH A MULTITUDE
OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES. UM, I
THINK WHAT I WANT TO START OFF
ON AND JUST TALK ABOUT IS WHAT
WE'VE SEEN. FROM A RETAILER
SPECIFIC SESSION OVER THE PAST
10 YEARS OR SO. UM WHICH IS
WE'VE SEEN AN EVOLUTION IN A
SIGNIFICANT ONE IN THAT WHEN IT
COMES TO ACTIONS ACROSS OUR
PROPERTIES AND OUR PORTFOLIO
DEALING WITH OUR RETAILERS,
THESE WERE USUALLY BEFORE
OPPORTUNISTIC CRIMES. WHAT WE
SAW IN 2014 IN THE SUBS
SUBSEQUENT YEARS. BUT WHAT WE'VE
SEEN, ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS OR WE'VE SEEN
REALLY SOPHISTICATED OPERATIONS
MOVING IN FROM OUTSIDE OF THE
STATES AND FROM OTHER COUNTRIES,
AS WELL, UH, THEY HAVE EMPLOYED
NOT ONLY MORE BRAZEN ACTIONS AND
AGGRESSIVE TACTICS, BUT THEY'VE
THEY'VE ALSO EMPLOYED TECHNOLOGY
BASED APPLICATIONS TO CIRCUMVENT
SOME THINGS LIKE ACCESS CONTROL
SYSTEMS THAT ARE PROPERTIES IN A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AREAS IN
ORDER TO GAIN ACCESS TO AREAS IN
WHICH THEY NORMALLY WOULD NOT
HAVE THEM. WHAT WE'VE ALSO SEEN
IS WE'VE SEEN AN EVOLUTION OF
CENTRALIZED AND DECENTRALIZED
NETWORKS. WE'VE SEEN GROUPS THAT
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THIS
TERMINOLOGY BEFORE THE SPIDER
AND THE STARFISH. UM 10 YEARS
AGO, WE SAW WHAT WAS INITIALLY
CONSIDERED A SPIDER, WHERE YOU
HAD A SINGLE ORGANISM THAT HAD
EIGHT LEGS THAT WOULD REACH OUT
AND TOUCH A MULTITUDE OF
DIFFERENT ENTITIES. AND NOW WHAT
WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE BOARD IS
WHAT WAS MORE MORE COMMONLY
REFERRED TO AS A DECENTRALIZED
NETWORK OF STARFISH. THEY
COLLECTIVELY WORK FOR AN
ORGANIZATION. NÓ ONE HAD, UH,
YOU GO AFTER ONE GROUP OR ONE
APPARATUS OF THAT GROUP, AND THE
OTHER ONE CONTINUES TO LIVE ON,
AND THEY CONTINUE TO COORDINATE
THEIR EFFORTS ACROSS THE BOARD.
IT IS CAUSING A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF WORK AND RESOURCES AND
DEDICATED EFFORTS IN ORDER TO
DEAL WITH THOSE TYPES OF
ACTIONS. UM FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT I
WANNA TALK ABOUT, REALLY IS
TAKING KIND OF A NATIONAL LOOK.
A LOCAL WALK IN A MORE SPECIFIC
LOOK TO OUR PROPERTIES AND HOW
IT'S IMPACTED US OVER THE YEARS.
UM YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN ESTIMATED
THERE WOULD BE A $95 BILLION ON
A NATIONAL LEVEL. UM UH, LOSS IN
RETAIL CRIME FROM LAST YEAR, AND
WHAT DID END UP BEING IS ALMOST
$118 BILLION, AND THAT WAS PUT
OUT BY THE NATIONAL RETAIL
FEDERATION. UH, AND THOSE
NUMBERS ARE, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY
PUBLISHED SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT
WHAT WAS ESTIMATED AS 95
BILLION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A 12.
INCREASE FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR,
AND IT ENDED AT 100 AND 15
BILLION, WELL ABOVE WHAT WAS
PREDICTED EVEN WITH THE RECENT
TRENDS THAT ARE ONGOING, AND IF
YOU LOOK AT CALIFORNIA AND HOW
THAT IMPACTS US, IT ALMOST WENT
UP 27% COMPARED TO WE THE
ESTIMATES IN CALIFORNIA THE
PREVIOUS YEAR, BEFORE, UM THAT
OUR PROPERTIES I'LL TAKE ONE AND
I'LL GO. REALLY REALLY, MICRO.
WE HAD A NORDSTROM, UH, AT OUR
PROPERTY AT THE GROVE, ONE OF
OUR FLAGSHIP PROPERTIES IN L, A
IN 2019. WE HAD 16 RETAIL THEFTS
THAT FELL UNDER THE PURVIEW OF
WHAT WAS GOING ON WITHIN THE
CITY ITSELF. IN 2020 THREE, WE
ENDED UP WITH 228. THAT'S A
1300% INCREASE OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS JUST AT ONE OF OUR
ASSETS AT ONE OF OUR MAJOR
RETAILERS ACROSS THE BOARD, AND
THAT'S A ESTIMATED ANNUAL NET
LOSS OF THREE MILLION DOLLARS A
YEAR FROM THAT ONE RETAILER,
WHICH I THINK ANYBODY THAT WOULD
HEAR THOSE NUMBERS UNDERSTAND
WHAT THAT MEANS, BUT UNDERSTAND
IT'S PROBABLY NOT IN THEIR BEST
INTEREST TO CONTINUING BUSINESS
IN THESE TYPES OF AREAS KNOWING
THAT THEY'RE GETTING HIT ON THAT
SIGNIFICANT OF A LEVEL EVEN WITH
ALL THE INVESTMENTS. MADE THERE.
FROM A CITY STANDPOINT, I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND TOO
IN 2014. THERE WERE 4885 RETAIL
CRIME REPORTS. AND IN 2023.
THERE WERE 11,945. THAT'S AN
INCREASE OF 100 AND 44% OVER
THAT NINE YEAR SPAN, AND THAT
COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE L, A
CRIME STATISTICS AND THE DATA
THAT'S PROVIDED THERE. SO THOSE
TRENDS MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO BE
MORE COLLABORATIVE AND MORE, AND
WE HAVE TO LEAN FORWARD AND
PARTNER WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT
GROUPS IN WAYS THAT WE HAVE
NEVER DONE BEFORE. UM I WORK
DIRECTLY WITH LAP Dð L S¼, Dð CP
, GLENDALE P Dð BURBANK, P Dð
BEVERLY HILLS, P Dð, VENTURA
COUNTY SHERIFF'S FBI AND
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
AND A NUMBER OF OPERATIONAL
MEASURES AND TASKS. SOME THAT
TOUCH ON ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
AND SOME THAT DON'T BUT THEY ALL
HAVE INTERSECTIONS ACROSS THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE COMMITTING THESE
CRIMES, WHICH I THINK IS
IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY TO TAKE
A MOMENT AND REALIZE AND JUST
SETTLE IN ON AS THESE PEOPLE
COMMITTING THESE CRIMES ARE NOT
JUST COMMITTING ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME AND LEAVING THEY HAVE
THEIR EVOLVING SITUATIONS THAT
ARE IMPLICATED IN OTHER CRIMINAL
TASKS THAT EXIST IN THIS WORLD.
SOME OF THE WAYS THAT WE HAVE CO
ORDINATED AND WHAT WE'VE DONE
ESPECIALLY SINCE, UH THE Ó R
èC GROUP HAS STOOD UP AND SOME
OF THE WAYS THAT WE PARTNERED
WITH OUR OUR, UH, LAW
ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS THEMSELVES.
AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE
THIS PARTNERSHIP? WHEN SOMETHING
HAPPENS, HAVING LAW ENFORCEMENT
UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR CAPABILITIES
ARE, WHAT WE HAVE AT THEIR
DISPOSAL HOW THOSE THINGS CAN BE
RELAYED AND THE QUALITY OF
INFORMATION MEANING IS IT GOOD
INFORMATION? IS IT SANITIZED
DATA OR NOT, AND HOW THAT CAN BE
USED AS A HUGE IMPACT ON
FORENSICALLY UNDERSTANDING WHAT
HAPPENED DURING AN INCIDENT AND
OR HOW TO PREVENT THOSE
INCIDENTS FROM HAPPENING
ELSEWHERE? IN AUGUST. 8TH OF
2020 THREE. WE HAD 31 PEOPLE
RUSH INTO THE Y S¼ L STORE
LOCATED THE AMERICANA BRAND, UH,
DURING BROAD DAYLIGHT HOURS, IT
WAS THREE 31 PM. ALL 31 OF THEM
WERE IN AND OUT IN LESS THAN A
MINUTE AND CONDUCTED ALMOST
$480,000. WORTH OF LOSS FROM
THAT STORE IN LESS THAN A
MINUTE'S WORTH OF TIME. BECAUSE
OF OUR COLLABORATION AND THE CO
ORDINATION IN THE SYSTEMS AND
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE HAVE IN
PLACE. WITHIN HALF AN HOUR. WE
WERE ABLE TO HAVE ALL OF THAT
DATA, ALL OF THE INFORMATION
FACIAL SHOTS. PROFILES VEHICLE
MAKES MODELS. WE WERE ABLE TO
GET THE, UH, THE DATA OFF
PEOPLE'S PHONES THAT CONNECTED
TO OUR ROUTERS OR WI FI OR
BLUETOOTH SYSTEMS WITH OUR
LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION
SYSTEMS AND OUR OBJECT
RECOGNITION SYSTEMS AND ALL OF
THAT DATA AVAILABLE AND IN THE
HANDS OF GLENDALE P Dð SO THEY
COULD IMMEDIATELY START WORKING
ON THAT CASE AND IMMEDIATELY
PUSH THAT OUT TO ALL OF THE
OTHER AGENCIES IN THOSE AREAS
THAT MAY BE LOOKING TO PREVENT
SIMILAR ACTIONS FROM OCCURRING.
WHICH IS CRITICALLY ESSENTIAL.
IT MAY HAPPEN IN ONE PLACE, BUT
MAKING SURE IT'S NOT A
REOCCURRING ISSUE IS THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE COIN THERE AND WHY
THE COLLABORATION IS SO
IMPORTANT. SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT WE CONTINUE TO
FACE IN PRIVATE SECURITY AND OUR
RETAIL LOCATIONS ARE THE QUICK
RELEASES OF PERSONNEL AND THE RE
OFFENSES. AND THESE PEOPLE, YOU
KNOW THESE ARE CAREER CRIMINALS
THE BUT THE ESSENTIAL ROLE OF
DATA SHARING AND TECHNOLOGY AND
COMBATING ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
IS WHAT'S MOST ESSENTIAL. EVERY
SINGLE DATA POINT THAT WE HAVE
IS A SINGULAR PIECE TO THE
PUZZLE DID ANOTHER LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY COULD BE
NEEDING IN ORDER TO CLOSE ONE OF
THEIR CASES OR IDENTIFY SOMEBODY
WHO HAS COMMITTED A CRIME?
SOMEWHERE ELSE OR FOLLOW UP ON A
CASE THAT'S ONGOING AND COULD
LEAD TO ADDITIONAL CHARGES FOR
THAT INDIVIDUAL TO HOPEFULLY
HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR OTHER
PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF
THESE CRIMES BEFORE. PRIVATE
SECURITIES IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER
HERE IN CALIFORNIA, AND IT IS
ACROSS THE ENTIRE NATION. IN
2022. IT WAS ESTIMATED THERE
WERE ONLY 76,000 SWORN PERSONNEL
IN CALIFORNIA LAW ENFORCEMENT
PERSONNEL. IT WAS ALSO ESTIMATED
IN THE SAME TIME FRAME THAT
THERE ARE JUST UNDER 200,000
SECURITY OFFICERS IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. THAT'S ADDITIONAL
200,000 PEOPLE THAT CAN EYES
EARS AND THE CAN SUPPORT THE
EFFORTS OF THOSE LAW ENFORCEMENT
PARTNERS IN THE EVENT. SOMETHING
HAPPENS, WHETHER IT'S
PREVENTATIVE OR IT'S
OBSERVATIONAL AND MAKING SURE
THAT THOSE PEOPLE HAVE THAT
INFORMATION AND THOSE PERSONNEL
CAN REACT AND RESPOND
ACCORDINGLY. SOME OF THE MOST
EFFECTIVE DATA SHARING
STRATEGIES THAT WE HAVE AND
STANDING UP THESE REAL TIME
COMMAND CENTERS AND WHAT WE'RE
BUILDING WITH THESE PARTNERS AND
THOSE INDIVIDUALS YOU'LL SPEAK
TO AFTER ME TODAY ARE LEVERAGING
THOSE TECHNOLOGIES THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER. YOU KNOW,
THE HIGH DEFINITION CAMERA
SYSTEMS, THE L PR READERS, THE
RECOGNITION SYSTEMS OBJECT
FACIAL GAIT, MAKING SURE THAT
THE ROUTER INFORMATION AND THE
WIFI INFORMATION ON BLUETOOTH
DATA IS ALL AVAILABLE FOR OUR
DETECTIVES AND THESE PEOPLE THAT
ARE ACTIVELY WORKING THESE CASES
TO HAVE ACCESSIBILITY. AND THE
GREAT NEWS IS ALMOST EVERY
PROPERTY. EVERY RETAILER EVERY
ASSET. THAT'S OUT THERE HAS ONE
OR MORE OF THESE OPTIONS
AVAILABLE TO THEM JUST AS PART
OF THEIR STANDARD FORENSIC
SETUPS WHAT THE ESSENTIAL PART
OF THAT IS TAKING THAT
INFORMATION AND TYING IT
DIRECTLY INTO OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS, WHICH
WE'VE STARTED TO DO HERE WITH
THESE ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
TASK FORCES AND THE SUCCESS THAT
WE'VE SEEN ACROSS THE BOARD
STANDS APPARENT ITSELF. A
PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT SUCCESS
IS OUT OF THE 31 PEOPLE THAT RAN
INTO THE Y S¼ L STORE LAST YEAR
IN AUGUST. WE HAVE MORE THAN 28
OF THEM IDENTIFIED AND MOST OF
THEM HAVE BEEN APPREHENDED.
UNDER THOSE CASES. SEVERAL
OTHERS ARE STILL UNDER
OBSERVATION, AND THEY'VE ALL LED
BACK TO A CASCADING EFFECT OF
ADDITIONAL CRIMINAL ACTIONS THAT
OTHER AGENCIES OTHER DEPARTMENTS
ARE WORKING ON. THAT WOULD NOT
HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. IF IT
WASN'T FOR THE CREATION OF THIS
TASK FORCE AND THE MONIES THAT
WERE ALLOCATED IN ORDER TO
MANAGE IT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT I THINK I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT IS JUST THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE CRUCIAL ROLE THAT THESE
PARTNERSHIPS EXIST. HOW WE
COLLABORATE COLLECTIVELY
TOGETHER AND THAT THIS IS JUST
THE FIRST STEP IN THIS DIRECTION
. AND WHILE IT'S FOCUSED ON
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME, THE
CASCADING EFFECT THAT IT HAS
ACROSS THE BOARD ON OTHER
ACTIONS AND OTHER CRIMINAL
EVENTS IS GONNA BE
TRANSFORMATIVE, AND IT'S
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. THAT WE
CONTINUE TO SEE THIS PROGRAM
SUPPORTED AND IT'S CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT THAT WE SEE IT FUNDED
AS A LONG TERM MEASURE TO ENSURE
THAT THESE COLLABORATION EFFORTS
ARE ONGOING. THANK YOU. WELL,
THANK YOU, UM FOR THAT, UH,
INSIGHTFULNESS, UM IN YOUR
TESTIMONY. THE NEXT WE'RE GONNA
BE ABLE TO MOVE. UH TO MR EUGENE
KI¾M LIEUTENANT BEVERLY HILLS
POLICE DEPARTMENT. GOOD
AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS EUGENE
KI¾M. AND I'M A POLICE
LIEUTENANT WITH THE BEVERLY
HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT. I
WORKED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR
OVER 20 YEARS AND HAVE BEEN
FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE SPENT
THE MAJORITY OF MY CAREER
LEADING INVESTIGATIONS AND
TRAINING SOME OF THE BEST AND
BRIGHTEST MEN AND WOMEN IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT. I WORKED ON
MULTIPLE TASK FORCES OVER THE
YEARS, AND MY GOAL TODAY IS TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME AREAS WHERE WE
CAN IMPROVE OUR EFFORTS IN
COMBATING ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT. I CURRENTLY OVERSEE OUR
REAL-TIME WATCH CENTER PROGRAM
OR R Tð W èC IN SHORT. OUR R Tð
W èC HAS OPERATED 24 HOURS A
DAY WITH OVER 2400 VIDEO CAMERAS
AND NEARLY 100 AUTOMATIC
AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS
BOTH FIXED AND MOBILE ON EVERY
MARK POLICE VEHICLE. WHAT SETS
US APART IN OUR DAILY OPERATIONS
IS THE HIGH LEVEL OF
INVESTIGATIVE EFFORT THAT IS PUT
INTO EVERY FIELD ARREST AND
SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY OUR
DEPARTMENT. ONE OF THE GOALS OF
OUR REAL TIME WATCH CENTER IS
NOT JUST TO RECORD THE CRIME OR
TO REACT TO IT, BUT TO PREVENT
IT. LAST YEAR, ONE OF OUR
RETAILERS FELL VICTIM TO AN Ó
Tð SMASH AND GRAB INCIDENT THAT
RESULTED IN HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN LOSSES.
OUR DETECTIVES IMMEDIATELY BEGAN
WORKING ON THE CASE AND WERE
ABLE TO GENERATE MULTIPLE
SUSPECTS AND IDENTIFY SOME OF
THEIR CORRESPONDING VEHICLES.
THIS VEHICLE INFORMATION WAS PUT
BACK INTO OUR REAL TIME WATCH
CENTER IN CASE THE SUSPECTS
DECIDED TO RETURN. WEEKS LATER
AT THREE 30 AM ONE OF THE
VEHICLES RETURNED TO BEVERLY
HILLS, ALONG WITH MULTIPLE OTHER
LOADED VEHICLES IN TOW. THROUGH
THE RTW èC VIDEO. WE WERE ABLE
TO WATCH THESE SUSPECTS AND STOP
THEM BEFORE THEY COMMITTED THEIR
NEXT WINDOW SMASH. MANY OF THE
VEHICLES FLED THAT NIGHT. WHEN
WE TOOK ENFORCEMENT ACTION, WE
ALSO CHOSE TO ALERT OTHER
AGENCIES IN OUR GENERAL REGION
THAT WE KNEW HAD THAT HAD LARGE
SHOPPING CENTERS THAT COULD FALL
VICTIM AND WE WERE ABLE TO ALSO
STOP AND AVERT SMASH AND GRABS
AT SOME OF THEIR STORES THAT
NIGHT AS WELL. THE CREATION AND
THOUGHTFUL UTILIZATION OF REAL
TIME WATCH CENTERS CAN BE
EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE AT COMBATING
Ó Tð THROUGH PRECISE
INVESTIGATIONS AND STRATEGIC
ENFORCEMENT. ONE OF THE MAJOR
CHALLENGES LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHEN
THE MAJOR CHALLENGES IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT STATEWIDE IS
INFORMATION SHARING. AGENCY A IN
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COULD MAKE
AN ARREST WHERE THE DRIVER OF A
CAR HAD ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A
FIREARM WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
AGENCY B IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
WILL BE INVESTIGATING A WINDOW
SMASH Ó R Tð INCIDENT INVOLVING
THE SAME VEHICLE ON A DIFFERENT
DATE. IT IS LIKELY THAT NEITHER
AGENCY WILL KNOW THAT THEY ARE
RUNNING PARALLEL CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATIONS. AS THE
INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATIONS
DEVELOP, EACH AGENCY WILL LIKELY
HAVE SOMETHING THAT THE OTHER
ONE WILL NEED. AS A DEPARTMENT.
WE WANT TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENCY
AND AT THE SAME TIME, MAKE SURE
WE HOLD THOSE WHO COMMIT
CRIMINAL ACTS ACCOUNTABLE UNDER
THE LAW. WE WERE THE FIRST
AGENCY IN OUR REGION TO USE
INVESTIGATIVE DECONFLICTION AS
AN AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN
FURTHERING OUR CASES. MUCH OF
OUR ARREST INFORMATION IS
SUBMITTED TO THE REGIONAL
INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEM OR
RISK. THIS INCLUDES FIELD
ARRESTS AND NEW INFORMATION OR
LEADS DEVELOPED BY OUR
DETECTIVES. IN THE LAST YEAR,
WE'VE HAD OVER 500 ENTRIES, MANY
OF WHICH HAVE YIELDED
INVESTIGATIVE LEADS WITH OTHER
POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN OUR AREA.
RISK IS DIVIDED INTO SIX
NATIONWIDE REGIONS. OUR NATION
IS THE WESTERN STATE INFORMATION
NETWORK, OR WIZ, N. THIS SYSTEM
IS USED STATEWIDE IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA AND IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA UNDER THE SAN DIEGO
LAW ENFORCEMENT CO ORDINATION
CENTER, OR LE, èC AND THE LOS
ANGELES REGIONAL CRIMINAL
INFORMATION CLEARING HOUSE, OR
L, A CLEAR OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS. OTHER AGENCIES HAVE ALSO
FOLLOWED OUR LEAD. AND WE HAVE
DISCOVERED TIME AND TIME AGAIN
THAT IT'S VERY COMMON FOR
MULTIPLE LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO
BE CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS ON
THE SAME SUSPECTS, RISK HAS
PROVEN TO BE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION TOOL FOR OUR
INVESTIGATORS. RISK IS FEDERALLY
FUNDED THROUGH THE U S¼
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. IT'S FREE
FOR US IN CALIFORNIA, AND ALSO
IT'S AVAILABLE TODAY TO ALL LAW
ENFORCEMENT. USE OF
INVESTIGATIVE DECONFLICTION CAN
CONNECT OR CASES NOT JUST FROM
WITHIN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
BUT NATIONWIDE. IT'S ALSO AN
OFFICER SAFETY TOOL AS ONE
JURISDICTION COULD BE
INVESTIGATING A SUSPECT FOR A
PROPERTY CRIME BUT NOT KNOW THAT
ANOTHER JURISDICTION IS
INVESTIGATING THE SAME SUSPECT
FOR A FAR MORE HEINOUS AND
VIOLENT CRIME. ONE OF THE
BENEFITS OF USING INVESTIGATIVE
DECONFLICTION IS THE POTENTIAL
OF PRESENTING MULTIPLE CASES TO
THE LOCAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY OR
TO THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL. IT HELPS DEMONSTRATE
THE ORGANIZED COMPONENT OF
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT AND THE
REPEATED REGIONAL NATURE OF
THESE CRIMES THROUGH HARD
EVIDENCE THAT CAN EASILY BE
PRESENTED BY PROSECUTORS.
ANOTHER UNDERUTILIZED
INVESTIGATIVE TOOL EXISTS IN THE
GAP BETWEEN PRIVATE RETAILERS
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE RETAIL
SPACE AT ANY GIVEN TIME SITS ON
AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF DATA ON
SUSPECTS INVOLVED IN ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT. THIS INFORMATION
MAY OR MAY NOT REACH LAW
ENFORCEMENT. TO COMBAT THIS.
VARIOUS RETAILERS AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES HAVE COME
TOGETHER TO CREATE INFORMAL
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
ASSOCIATIONS, ALSO KNOWN AS ORCA
GROUPS. EMPIRE ORCA MEET
REGULARLY TO TRADE CASE
INFORMATION AND CONTACT
INFORMATION. BRIDGE THAT GAP.
ANOTHER EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
METHOD IS THE CREATION OF
CONTROLLED ACCESS WEBSITES FOR
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PRIVATE
RETAILERS HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT
WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS AT RISK,
AND THEY HAVE RECENTLY CREATED A
PLATFORM WHERE BOTH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND PRIVATE RETAIL
ESTABLISHMENTS CAN SAFELY
EXCHANGE INFORMATION TO TRY AND
IDENTIFY AND STOP ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT. ANOTHER TOOL THAT
HELPS BRING THE INFORMATION TO
LAW ENFORCEMENT IS LEADS ONLINE.
THIS IS A NEW PRIVATE VENDOR
PLATFORM THAT HOUSES SECONDHAND
DEALER TRANSACTIONAL DATA, MUCH
LIKE THE STATE CAP SYSTEM FOR
SECONDHAND PAWN DEALERS, BUT ON
A NATIONWIDE SCALE THE SYSTEM
UPLOAD HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
TRANSACTIONS EVERY DAY, ALLOWING
INVESTIGATORS TO IDENTIFY WHERE
SUSPECTS MAY BE LIQUIDATING
THEIR HIGH END STOLEN
MERCHANDISE. DURING THE TRIAL
PERIOD OF THIS PLATFORM, OUR
DETECTIVES WERE ABLE TO LOCATE
STOLEN GOODS FROM ONE OF OUR
MAJOR THEFT CASES IN SAN
FRANCISCO AT A HIGH END
SECONDHAND STORE THAT WE NEVER
WOULD HAVE FOUND OTHERWISE. BUT
WITH ALL THIS BEING SAID
PLACEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY ALONE IS
NOT GOING TO SOLVE ALL OF OUR
PROBLEMS. IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT
LEVERAGE THE TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE
THEIR INVESTIGATIONS MORE
EFFICIENT. AND EFFECTIVE THAT
ULTIMATELY MAKE EVERYTHING COME
TOGETHER. AND UNDERUTILIZED
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT TOOL IS
THE CALDERON J. ADVANCED
TRAINING CENTER PERSONALLY
BENEFITED MANY TIMES FROM THIS
TRAINING CENTER, AND I FULLY SEE
ITS POTENTIAL VALUE TO ALL OF
LAW ENFORCEMENT. I WOULD ASK FOR
CREATION OF A MULTIDAY
STANDARDIZED COURSE IN THE
INVESTIGATION OF RT CRIMES. THIS
COURSE WOULD INCLUDE THE RIGHT
VENDORS AND THEIR TECHNOLOGY
PLATFORMS AND THE INTRODUCTION
OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST.
INSTRUCTORS IN CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATIONS. THE GOAL IS TO
STANDARDIZE OR T INVESTIGATIONS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. AND TO
BRING THE BEST TECHNOLOGY AND
INSTRUCTION TO ANY AGENCY
WILLING TO SEND THEIR STAFF TO
THIS COURSE. THE STATE HAS SHOWN
THAT THEY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT O R
T AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY
GENEROUS AND FUNDING TO BACK IT
UP. WHAT I WANT TO DO TODAY IS
THE HIGHLIGHT SOME AVENUES WHERE
WE CAN DO EVEN MORE WITH WHAT WE
HAVE AND TO BE EVEN MORE
EFFICIENT IN OUR DAILY
OPERATIONS. CALIFORNIA HAS
ALWAYS LED THE WAY IN LAW
ENFORCEMENT NATIONWIDE. WE HAVE
SOME OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST
RIGHT HERE IN OUR BACKYARD. I'M
CONFIDENT THAT WITH YOUR SUPPORT
AND CONTINUED DESIRE TO IMPROVE
OUR STATE THAT WE CAN WORK
TOGETHER AND DO GREAT THINGS
TOGETHER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. NEXT WE'LL HAVE MANY
NOVARA'S SERGEANT FROM THE
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL. GOOD
AFTERNOON. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I
WANT TO THANK MR CHAIR AND THE
COMMUNITY FOR HAVING ME OR
ALLOWING ME TO BE PRESENT AND
PROVIDED TESTIMONY ON WHAT THE
CHP DOES TO COMBAT OR SEE. UM MY
NAME IS MANNY OF OURS. I AM
SERGEANT WITH THE CALIFORNIA
HIGHWAY PATROL'S GOLDEN GATE
DIVISION ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME
TASK FORCE. WE ARE BASED OUT OF
THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA AND
JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE
BACKGROUND, UM GOLDEN GATE
DIVISION. AND COMPASS IS 12 AREA
OFFICES IN NINE COUNTIES, SO TO
HAVE MYSELF AND FOR
INVESTIGATORS COVER THAT AREAS
QUITE A QUITE A WIDE AREA TO
COVER. IN ORDER TO COMBAT RETAIL
CRIME. WE UTILIZE TWO STRATEGIES
. ONE IS A COVERT UNDERCOVER
ARREST OPERATION THAT WE CALL
ABILITY OPERATION AND IN THE
SECOND STRATEGY WE USE OR
UTILIZE IS A LONG TERM STRATEGY
TO IDENTIFY AND DISMANTLE SOME
OF THE FENCING OPERATIONS. SO
THE BLISS OPERATION IS TYPICALLY
AN UNDERCOVER OPERATION
TARGETING A RETAILER. WE WORK
HAND IN HAND SIDE BY SIDE WITH
THE RETAIL INDUSTRY AND OUR
PARTNERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. WE
IDENTIFY THOSE THAT ARE GOING
INTO THE STORE TO COMMIT A THEFT
, AND OUR GOAL IS TO APPREHEND A
MASSIVE COME OUT OF THE STORE,
THE MAIN PURPOSE OF APPREHENDING
HIM IS TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THE THEFT. NOT ONLY ARE WE
ABLE TO CURTAIL ADDITIONAL THEFT
BY US BEING PRESENT, BUT WE ALSO
SERVE AS A DETERRENT TO THOSE
THAT ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THE
PROCESS OF TARGETING THAT
RETAILER ON THAT DAY. IT HAS
BECOME VERY, UM VERY PUBLIC, THE
PUBLIC AND OF COURSE THE
SHOPPERS SEE US. THEY'RE TAKING
PEOPLE INTO CUSTODY. WE HAD
POSITIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE
EMPLOYEES AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE'RE OUT
THERE SHOWING THAT WE ARE GOING
TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME. THE
SECOND TACTIC THAT WE USE IS WE
WORK. TIRELESSLY TO IDENTIFY AND
DISMANTLE FENCING OPERATIONS.
THESE FENCING OPERATIONS ARE
TAKING PLACE IN NORMAL
NEIGHBORHOODS, UM, STOREFRONT
OPERATIONS AS WELL AS E COMMERCE
AND ALSO SWAP MEETS. TYPICALLY
IN THESE FENCING OPERATIONS WHEN
WE IDENTIFY AND DISMANTLE ONE OF
THE FENCING OPERATIONS, WE
IDENTIFY A STORAGE FACILITY
WHERE WE IDENTIFY WITH THE
PRODUCTS THAT WERE BEING STORED.
TO IDENTIFY THIS ISSUE AND TO
ADDRESS IT. WE WORK SIDE BY SIDE
WITH THE RETAILERS JUST BECAUSE
OF THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY THAT
WE LOCATE AND RECOVER. THEY WORK
WITH US TO IDENTIFY IT AND TO
CONFIRM THAT IT IS IN FACT
STOLEN. UM BY DISMANTLING THESE
FETCHING OPERATIONS WE SO WE
SEVER A CRITICAL LINK IN THE
CHAIN OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. AND
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE HAVE THE
FENCING OPERATION THAT IS
PROFITING PROFITING FROM THE
STOLEN PROPERTY. THEY ARE
PULLING THE STOLEN PROPERTY BACK
ON THE BLACK MARKET, AND BY
TAKING THE OFFENSE OUT OF THE
EQUATION, WE SIMPLY CAUSE THE
BOOSTERS OR THE THIEVES A LITTLE
BIT OF A INCONVENIENCE, BECAUSE
NOW THEY DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO
PUSH THE STOLEN PROPERTY. IN
ORDER TO CONDUCT SOME OF THESE
OPERATIONS. WE HAVE DAY TO DAY
TASKS THAT WE FULFILL AT OUR
DEPARTMENT. UM, THEY INCLUDE
REVIEWING ONLINE REPORTS THAT
ARE SUBMITTED THROUGH OUR WEB
PORTAL. OUR REPORTER IS LOCATED
ON THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY
PATROL'S WEBPAGE, AND THAT CAN
THAT INFORMATION CAN BE
SUBMITTED BY A MEMBER OF THE
RETAILER AS WELL AS A MEMBER OF
THE PUBLIC AND THOSE THOSE THOSE
PORTALS HELP US IDENTIFY A NEW
INVESTIGATIONS OR IDENTIFIED NEW
LOCATIONS OF INTEREST OR ANY
ISSUES THAT WE MIGHT FIND OUT IN
THE FIELD. ADDITIONALLY WE
REVIEW CASE REFERRALS BY THE BY
THE RETAIL INDUSTRY. THE RETAIL
INDUSTRY WOULD TYPICALLY REFER A
CASE TO US. WE DECONFLICT WITH
THE LOWER ALLIED AGENCIES, AND
WE MAY TAKE UP ON THAT CASE TO
FOLLOW UP ON IT. OR
INVESTIGATORS WORK HARD TO
CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE. THEY
CONDUCT OUR LEADS. YOU DON'T
LIKE SOME OF THE VERY LOW
TECHNOLOGY AND THROUGH THAT
TECHNOLOGY, WE IDENTIFY SOME OF
THESE BLITZ OPERATIONS AND THEN
SOME OF THE ILLICIT. UM UM,
DANCING OPERATIONS AND THEN THE
BLITZ OPERATIONS. AND MOST
RECENTLY, OUR INVESTIGATORS,
ESPECIALLY IN GOLDEN GATE
DIVISION HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH
PROVIDING TRAINING TO OUR PATROL
OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO
COMFORTABLY IDENTIFY SOME OF
THESE INDICATORS OF RETAIL DEFT
THAT HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL
BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE PATROL
OFFICERS MAKING THOUSANDS OF
ENFORCEMENT STOPS. AND THROUGH
THOSE ENFORCEMENT STOPS, THEY'RE
IDENTIFYING STOLEN PROPERTY AND
PEOPLE POSSESSIONS, STOLEN
PROPERTY ON THEM. THEY ARE
MAKING MORE REST. AND AS RECENT
AS SEPTEMBER 23, THE BORDER
STATE AND COMMISSION CORRECTIONS
, OR B. S C C, AWARDED
APPROXIMATELY 38 LAUNCH FORCE
MINT AGENCIES ADDITIONAL FUNDING
TO COMBAT ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME. WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS
THAT WE ARE NOW BEING TASKED
WITH HELPING SOME OF THESE
AGENCIES AND PROVIDING
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO COMBAT
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME IN TO
PROVIDE THEM WITH THE DIRECTION
AND GUIDANCE TO GOD TO MOVE
FORWARD. IN 2024 ALONE. SO FAR
WE HAVE PROVIDED WE HAVE
PROVIDED PRESENTATIONS TO SIX
VENUES. UM, STATEWIDE. UH SOME
OF THOSE VENUES INCLUDE, UM 20
FACILITIES, BUT THE MOST COMMON
ONE OR THE MOST RECENT ONE WE
GET. WE PROVIDED A TRAINING
VENUE TO THE CONTRA CASA COUNTY
CHIEFS OF POLICE, WHERE WE
DISCUSS OUR DEPARTMENT'S GOAL,
OUR BACKGROUND AND ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME OR ONGOING
INVESTIGATIONS TECHNIQUES TO
COMBAT RETAIL CRIME AND, OF
COURSE, OR CONTACT INFORMATION
SO THAT IT CONTRA COSTA WANTED
TO COME OUT. AND GET SOME
ASSISTANCE ON SOME OF THE ISSUES
THAT CAN COME TO US DIRECTLY. I
THINK COLLABORATION REALLY IS
KEY TO OUR SUCCESS. ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME SUSPECTS TRAVERSE
VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS ACROSS
MULTIPLE COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE
STATE, AND IDENTIFYING IT WAS
HAS BECOME A CHALLENGE. THIS
CREATES CHALLENGES NOT ONLY FOR
LAW ENFORCEMENT BUT TO CHP AND
THE RETAILERS. IN ORDER TO DO
THIS. WE WORK HARD WITH OUR
STAKEHOLDERS. WE MEET WITH OUR
STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY
SOLUTIONS AND REDUCING ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME. IDENTIFY RECENT
TRENDS AND PRACTICES AND
DISSEMINATE ACTIONABLE
INTELLIGENCE. OUR STAKEHOLDERS
WILL INCLUDE LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES, THEIR STRICT ATTORNEYS
FROM OUR STATE, UM COUNTIES. OUR
SPEED AND COUNTIES ARE
LEGISLATOR ARE RETAILERS, E
COMMERCE AND SMALL BUSINESSES.
OUR TASK FORCE MEMBERS ALSO
PARTICIPATE IN CHORLEY AND
SOMETIMES MONTHLY MEETINGS WITH
OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND WE USE
THAT TO SHARE INTELLIGENCE AND
IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL
INVESTIGATIVE LEADS TO SOME OF
OUR CASES. SOME OF OUR
CHALLENGES THAT SOME OF OUR
CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE STILL
DEALING WITH OUR STATISTICS.
SOPHISTICATED CRIMINAL NETWORKS,
UM ORGANIZED CRIMINAL NETWORKS.
GROUPS OPERATE IN A WELL
ORGANIZED CRIMINAL NETWORKS,
MAKING A CHALLENGE IS
CHALLENGING TO IDENTIFY AND
DISMANTLE THEM TO CHP IS
LEARNING THAT MOST OF THE STOLEN
MERCHANDISE IS QUICKLY SOLD IT
WHICH IS MAKING IT HARDER FOR US
TO TRACK AND RECOVER. THE SECOND
ONE IS THE SHEER AMOUNT OF
EVIDENCE AND PRODUCT THAT WE ARE
RECOVERING. UM THE AMOUNT OF
PRODUCT AND WE ARE RECOVERING
JUST MAKES IT INCREDIBLY
CHALLENGING FOR US TO PROCESS
AND THEN STORE OUT AT A LOCAL
FACILITIES. AND THEN
JURISDICTIONAL COMPLEXITIES.
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME OFTEN
CROSSES JURISDICTIONAL COUNTY
COUNTY BOUNDARIES AND
COLLABORATING WITH CHP
DIVISIONS, AND OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IS KEY TO
OUR SUCCESS. AND THEN, OF
COURSE, PROSECUTION MAY BE THE
MOST CHALLENGING WHEN TRYING TO
REDUCE RETAIL THEFT. THE CHP AND
ALLIED AGENCIES HAVE BEEN
WORKING HARD TO IDENTIFY AND
ARREST PERSONS AND GROUPS
INVOLVED IN OR SEE HOWEVER, A
LOT OF THE CRIMES THAT OCCUR IN
MOST OF THESE COUNTIES ARE NOT
BEING PROSECUTED BECAUSE SOME OF
THE D A S WOULD ONLY PROSECUTE
CRIMES THAT ARE BEING PROSECUTED
IN THEIR COUNTIES. WHAT THAT
LEADS US TO DO IS LEASES TO FILE
CASES WITH SOME OF THESE OTHER
COUNTIES ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS,
WHERE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS TO
HAVE SOME OF THE D A S TAKE ON A
VERTICAL PROSECUTION ROLE TO BE
ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND PROSECUTE
MULTIPLE CASES UNDER ONE
UMBRELLA. AND WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING WITH THE D A S OFFICE TO
ADDRESS THAT. DURING SOME OF THE
INTERVIEWS THAT WE DO WITH SOME
OF OUR SUSPECTS. WE ARE
CONSTANTLY TOLD THAT THEY
CONTINUE TO DO OUR R C BECAUSE
IT IS VERY PROFITABLE AND
THERE'S NO RECOURSE IS ON ONE
OCCASION DURING THE BLITZ
OPERATION. ONE SUSPECT THAT WE
DETAIN TOLD US THAT SHE WANTED
HER TICKET, BUT SHE HAS BECAUSE
SHE HAS SOMEWHERE TO BE. SHE
KNEW THAT BECAUSE COMMITTING A
CRIME UNDER RRC STATUES WAS NOT
GOING TO GIVE ANY PUNISHMENT
PUNISHMENT. SHE WANTED TO BE ON
HER WAY. CHP S ORGANIZED RETOOK
CONTRAST FORCE HAS BEEN ENGAGED
IN CULTIVATING PARTNERSHIPS WITH
MOST OF OUR COUNTY DÍAS
SPECIFICALLY AND OUR GOLDEN GATE
DIVISION WHERE WE HAVE 998 THAT
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THAT HAD BEEN
THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE
WE ARE NOW AND HAVE SOME
COOPERATION AND WE CAN NOW
STREAMLINED THE FILING PROCESS
WITH SOME OF OUR COUNTIES. WE NO
LONGER HAVE TO UPLOAD REPORT OR
CASE. WE ARE WEB PORTAL. WE NOW
HAVE A FACE TO FACE CONTACT WITH
SOME OF OUR D S. ONE OF THE
QUESTIONS THAT WAS ASKED TO ME
IS, UH, HOW DO I MEASURE SUCCESS
AND IN ORDER FOR ME TO MEASURE
SUCCESS, I WOULD LIKE TO TOUCH
ON A RECENT INVESTIGATION THAT
THAT WE CONDUCTED. IT WAS A
STATEWIDE INVESTIGATION THAT
BEGAN IN EARLY 2022. THE
INVESTIGATION BEGAN IN 2022 BY
THE HOMELAND SECURITY
INVESTIGATIONS, UNIT OR
DEPARTMENT, AND THIS
INVESTIGATION WAS TARGETING A
GROUP OF YOUNG LADIES. WHO WERE
TRAVERSING, UM ALL COUNTIES IN
CALIFORNIA STEALING PRODUCT FROM
ALTAR AND SEPHORA. DURING THE
COURSE OF THE INVESTIGATION. HSI
REACHED OUT TO OUR VALLEY
DIVISION INVESTIGATIONS UNIT,
WHICH IS BASED OUT OF SACRAMENTO
, AND WE IDENTIFIED UP TO 12
YOUNG LADIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
THEFT. ALTER AND SEPHORA
REPORTED THAT THE THEFT IMPACTED
THEM IN THE AREA OF $700,000 IN
LOSSES. WHEN GOLDEN GATE
DIVISION TOOK LEAD IN THE
INVESTIGATION. WE WORK WITH SOME
OF OUR ALLIED AGENCIES,
INCLUDING THE OUTGROWTH, POLICE
DEPARTMENT, SACRAMENTO POLICE
DEPARTMENT. UH COMA POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND OF COURSE, HSI
AND WE LEARNED THAT SOME OF
THESE YOUNG LADIES HAVE BEEN
ARRESTED BEFORE AND SOME OF
THEIR PHONES WERE BEING HELD IN
EVIDENCE, SO OUR UNIT WAS ABLE
TO GO OVER SOME OF THE DATA
ALONG WITH OUR CRIME CRIME
ALLERGIST BASED OUT OF HERE
VALLEY DIVISION IN SACRAMENTO,
AND WE WERE ABLE TO PINPOINT
SOME OF THE DEATHS. WHAT WE WHAT
WE LEARNED EARLY ON IS THAT
THESE YOUNG LADIES ARE COMMITTED
250. DEATHS NOT ONLY IN
CALIFORNIA BUT OUR NEIGHBORING
STATES AND THE IMPACTED 18
COUNTIES HERE IN CALIFORNIA
ALONE. THROUGH THIS HARD WORK
AND DEDICATION AND COLLABORATION
WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY TO
FENCING OPERATIONS IN CALIFORNIA
. ONE OF THOSE OPERATIONS WAS IN
THE CITY OF COLTON AND ONE WAS
OPERATION WAS DOWN IN I
APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. BONDS ARE
CALIFORNIA THAT STANDS WITHIN,
UM ARE BORROW DIVISION. UM CHP
AND OUR SOUTHERN DIVISION. CHP
BORROW DIVISION COVERS THE
SOUTHERN DIVISION MULTI SAN
DIEGO AND THEN OUR SOUTHERN
DIVISION COVERS THE ALLEY REGION
. HAVING KNOWN THAT THESE, UM
ILLEGAL FISHING OPERATIONS WERE
TAKING PLACE IN THOSE AREAS. WE
NOW WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR
OTHER CHP PARTNERS TO IDENTIFY
AND CONDUCT ADDITIONAL FOLLOW
UP. ON DECEMBER 6TH OF LAST
YEAR, WE EXECUTED SEARCH
WARRANTS IN BOTH PROTOCOLS
ADDRESSES AND WE RECOVERED
APPROXIMATELY 9000. UM OVER 9000
STOLEN ITEMS WITH THE VALUE OF
JUST UNDER $400,000.
ADDITIONALLY WE ARRESTED THE TWO
FENCING OPERATIONS IN BOTH THEM
INTO SECOND TO SAN DIEGO COUNTY
JAIL FOR THOSE CHARGES. NOTABLY
IN THIS INVESTIGATION WAS
OVERSEEN BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE AND THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE JUST TWO WEEKS
AGO, UM IDENTIFIED NINE SUSPECTS
BEING CHARGED WITH WELL OVER 200
COUNTS. UM 200 COUNTS OF FELONY
DEATH, GRAND THEFT AND, OF
COURSE, UM, ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME INVESTIGATION. JUST GOES
TO SHOW. UM SOME SOME OF THE
POINTS THAT I JUST DISCUSSED,
ESPECIALLY WITH COLLABORATION
PARTNERSHIPS AND, OF COURSE,
ADDRESSING ALL OUR STAKEHOLDERS
IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY 9/9000
STOLEN ITEMS. WE HAD TO WORK
WITH OUR RETAIL PARTNERS, THE
HEAD OF THE AFTER THEY HAD TO
WORK WITH US AND CARRY CARRY THE
MAJORITY OF THE LOAD.
PARTNERSHIPS IS ELECTED THAT
INVESTIGATION, THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THE CHP
JUST TWO WEEKS AGO ANNOUNCED, UM
DOWN INVESTIGATION AND BY HAVING
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S PROSECUTE
AN INVESTIGATION. IT IS A FORM
OF PUTTING PEOPLE ON NOTICE THAT
IF YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO
STEAL OR CONTINUE TO MOVE ITEMS
TO THE BLACK MARKET THAT YOU ARE
GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE,
BECAUSE THERE'S NOWHERE THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HIDE.
THE CHP AND OUR ALLIED PARTNERS
ARE GOING TO GO AFTER AFTER
THESE FENCING OPERATIONS, AND
THAT JUST THAT IS HOW I MEASURE
SUCCESS. THE SIMPLE FACT THAT WE
IDENTIFY THE FENCING OPERATIONS
DISMANTLE THESE TWO FENCING
OPERATIONS OPERATIONS AND
COLLABORATED WITH ALL OUR
PARTNERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND,
OF COURSE, THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE. THERE ARE SOME
OTHER THINGS THAT I WANT TO JUST
ADDRESS AS WELL, ACCORDING TO
THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION,
UM ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME IS NOT
SLOWING DOWN. UM WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING DILIGENTLY. WE'LL BE
WORKING HARD, BUT IT IS ON THE
RISE. AYE. THE LAST LAST SPEAKER
JUST MENTIONED SOME OF THE
STATUE. I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER
THEM. UM BUT ALSO, I'D LIKE TO
REPORT THAT, ACCORDING TO THE
NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION'S
RECENT REPORT, THEY ALSO NOTED
THEIR CARGO DEATH WAS ON THE
RISE. CARGO TO ALONE IS ON THE
SAME SIDE AS ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
CARGO DEATH AND ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME IS THAT THE CARGO IS
TYPICALLY STOLEN WHILE IT ISN'T
TRANSPORT OR TO A DESTINATION,
WHETHER IT BE FROM A STORY
WAREHOUSE TO THE RETAILER. IT IS
INTERCEPTED, AND THAT'S WHERE IT
IS STOLEN, BUT IT'S STILL A FORM
OF ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME. CARGO
TEST IN 2019 INCREASED BY 84% AS
COMPARED TO 2021 AND 2021 CARGO
TRAFFIC ON IT FOR 21% OF
CALIFORNIA STAFF STAY ONE OR TWO
DONATION THAT IS R 1205
INCIDENTS. CALIFORNIA HAD 21% OF
CAR WITH THAT STOLEN ALSO IT IS
WORTH NOTING THAT IN 2021, THE
UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
REPORTED 160% ANNUAL INCREASE
INCREASE AND IN REAL TEST THAT
IS UP FROM PREVIOUS YEAR, UH OF
2020. THE ONE THING THAT'S ALSO
MOST NOTABLY, UM, THE RETAILER,
ACCORDING TO THE RETAILERS, AND
LAW ENFORCEMENT ALONE IS GOING
TO BE THE INCREASE IN IN A
VIOLENT CRIMES. UM IN REGARDS TO
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME. MANY
RETAILERS HAVE REPORTED AN
INCREASE IN VIOLENCE AND
AGGRESSION. ASSOCIATED CRIMES
CREWS HAD BEEN REPORTED TO USE
THREATS AND ACTS OF VIOLENCE AND
SOME OF THE REPORTS THAT I HAVE
PERSONALLY SEEN INCLUDE VARIOUS
SURVEILLANCE OF THE LOOKOUT,
USUALLY DISPLAYING A FIREARM OR
NOW AT EITHER ONE OF THE
EMPLOYEES TWICE TO INTERVENE. IN
APRIL 2023 A WHOLE A WOMAN SHOT
AND KILLED A HOME DEPOT LOSS
PREVENTION AGENT AT A PLEASANT
AND STORY PRESENT IN STORE HERE
IN CALIFORNIA. I BET THE
PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH THAT
YOUNG MAN ON ONE OF OUR CASES IT
WAS IT WAS SAD TO SEE. UM BUT
THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW AT
SOME OF THE RETAIL STORES. UM IF
YOU TRY TO INTERVENE, PEOPLE ARE
BECOMING A LITTLE MORE VIOLENT.
IT IS WORTH NOTING. DECK.
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME DOES NOT
WORK ALONE. UM THERE ARE OTHER
CRIMES ASSOCIATED WITH ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME. A LOT OF THESE
GROUPS ARE USING STOLEN CARS
THEY'RE CARRYING, UM THEY'RE
CARRYING HANDGUNS FOR CARRYING
KNIVES. THERE ARE BEING MORE
VIOLENT AND ORGANIZED. WE TOOK
CRIME IS ALSO ASSOCIATED TO DRUG
TRAFFICKING, HUMAN TRAFFICKING
AND MONEY LAUNDERING. JUST TO
SAY THAT JUST TO JUST TO START
UM, SO WITH THAT I'LL LEAVE IT
UP TO FOR ANY QUESTIONS. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.
NEXT WE'LL MOVE TO MICHAEL
READING SPECIAL ASSISTANT
ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. GOOD
AFTERNOON, MR CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR INVITING US HERE. WE'RE
HAPPY TO BE HERE AND ON BEHALF
OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, EXACTLY
EXCITED TO BE HERE IN A SPIRIT
OF COLLABORATION. I'M GONNA TRY
AND BUILD ON THE REMARKS OF MY
COLLEAGUES UP HERE. UM AND THEN,
AND THEN I'M ALSO GOING TO TALK
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT. I'M ON THIS
PANEL IN THE NEXT PANEL. I HAVE
A CHILD CARE ISSUES. I MIGHT
CONSOLIDATE MY REMARKS. UM BUT
SO TO TALK ABOUT BOTH FIRST IN
TERMS OF COORDINATION AND
COLLABORATION, AND ALSO DIRECTOR
WOOLERY HERE, THE DIRECTOR OF
THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION WILL
ALSO BE TALKING FROM CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. BUT IN
TERMS OF COLLABORATION AND
COORDINATION MANY OF WHAT YOU'VE
HEARD DOJ IS EITHER A PART OF IS
ORGANIZING IS RUNNING. UH THE
THEORY INSURED IS WE'RE TRYING
TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TOUCH
POINTS THAT WE HAVE. SO WE'RE
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE TAGS ON
ON ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT TASK
FORCES THAT WE HAVE SPECIAL
AGENTS THAT ARE EITHER RUNNING
OR PART OF THESE DIFFERENT TASK
FORCES AND SO THAT WHEN WE GET
TO A POINT WHERE THIS BECOMES A
CALIFORNIA DOJ CASE WERE THERE
AND READY TO TAKE THE CASE.
CALDERON. J IS FOCUSED ON THE
MOST SERIOUS THE MOST VIOLENT
THE MOST HIGH DOLLAR THEFTS THAT
WE CAN FIND. UM THAT'S THE ROLE
THAT THAT WE PLAY SOME OF THE
ISSUES THAT THE SERGEANT
MENTIONED AS FAR AS CROSS
JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES. CALDERON
J DOES NOT HAVE THOSE WE HAVE
JURISDICTION TO FILE ANY CASE
BRING MULTIPLE CASES FROM
DIFFERENT COUNTIES IN, UM AND
THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT
WE'RE DOING SO IN TERMS OF
COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION
AGAIN, INCREASING TOUCHPOINTS
MAKING SURE THAT WERE THERE THAT
WE CAN GET THOSE CASES AND THAT
WE FIND THE RIGHT CASE IS WHAT
WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT IF WE
INVESTIGATE THE RESOURCES, WE'RE
GOING TO BUILD A BIGGER CASE. WE
HAVEN'T FOUND THE BOTTOM OF THE
BARREL YET. WE HAVEN'T STARTED
GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE'VE
FOUND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
COMMITTING ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT. LIKEWISE YOU KNOW, IN
THIS ALTAR CASE THAT WE WERE
DISCUSSING THAT'S A CASE OF
TRYING TO FIND AS MUCH AS WE
CAN. MEANING, UH, I DON'T THINK
WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE WE
SAID, WELL, WE FOUND ALL THE
THEFT. WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE
WE SAY THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE CAN
PROVE. THAT'S THE INFORMATION
THAT WE'VE GATHERED. UM EXACTLY
LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT DATA
SHARING AGAIN. CALDERON J IS
INVOLVED AND IN MANY CASES
RUNNING SOME OF THAT. DATA
SHARING AND WE'RE WORKING
TOGETHER AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER,
SO WE'RE TRYING TO BE ON ALL OF
THESE TASK FORCES AND ALL OF
THESE PLACES SO THAT WE CAN
AGAIN BRING TO BEAR THE
RESOURCES THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY
THANKFUL TO HAVE FROM FROM YOU
ALL AND FROM THE GOVERNOR IN
TERMS OF GOING BACK TO THE TO
THE FIRST PANEL IN TERMS OF
INVEST INVESTMENT. UM AND
EXACTLY THIS. MAYBE I SHOULD
HAVE REORGANIZED THEM, BECAUSE
NOW I'M REALIZING IT. IT DOES
FEEL A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER.
WHAT CALDERON J IS FOCUSED ON IS
INVESTIGATIONS THROUGH THE
DIVISION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
PROSECUTIONS THROUGH OUR SPECIAL
PROSECUTION AND E CRIMES
SECTIONS, AND THOSE ARE THE TWO
AFFIRMATIVE. UH AFFIRMATIVE
PROSECUTION SECTIONS THAT WE
HAVE THAT ARE ADDRESSING THESE
CASES AND THEN COLLABORATIONS,
AND THAT'S WITH D A S. THAT'S
WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT
PARTNERS, AND THAT'S WITH THE
RETAILERS AND THE MARKETPLACES.
UM AND WHEN I SAY THAT WHAT I
MEAN IS EXACTLY THESE
TOUCHPOINTS BEING ON THE
DIFFERENT TASK FORCE IS MAKING
SURE THAT WE HAVE BOTH FORMAL
AND INFORMAL COLLABORATION WITH
EVERYBODY AND THEN, UH, LAST
SUMMER, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
ANNOUNCED FIRST OF ITS KIND OF
AGREEMENT WITH THE RETAILERS AND
THE MARKETPLACES WHERE AND
EVERYBODY CAME TO CERTAIN
AGREEMENTS ABOUT THE TYPE OF
WORK AND THE WORK THAT THEY WERE
GOING TO DO ON THEIR OWN. THE
RETAILERS AGREED TO REPORT CASES
OF ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME TO
INVEST RESOURCES TO IDENTIFY
MAKE SURE THAT THEY'VE GOT VIDEO
CAMERAS THAT THE REPORTING
EVERYTHING QUICKLY AND MAKE SURE
THAT THEY'RE DEDICATING
RESOURCES TO THIS PROBLEM, AND
THEN THE ONLINE MARKETPLACES
LIKEWISE COMMITTED THAT THEY
WOULD HAVE DEDICATED STAFF TO
ADDRESSING ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME USING THEIR PLATFORMS AND
THAT THEY WOULD HAVE AFFIRMATIVE
DETECTION EFFORTS SO THEY WOULD
BE MONITORING THEIR SITES TO TRY
AND IDENTIFY AND REPORT RETAIL
CRIME. AND THAT THEY WOULD BE
PARTNERING WITH THE RETAILERS TO
SHARE WHAT INFORMATION THEY
COULD WITH EVERYBODY. AGAIN
THOSE ARE THE DETAILS OF THE
AGREEMENT. UH BUT STEPPING BACK
FOR A MOMENT THAT THE IDEA WAS
THAT EXACTLY AS THE MESSAGE HAS
BEEN SAID TODAY. IT'S GOING TO
TAKE COLLABORATION. IT'S GOING
TO TAKE PARTNERSHIP IS GOING TO
TAKE LEADERSHIP AT TO GET THE
BIGGEST PICTURE AND TO GET THE
CLEAREST IDENTIFICATION OF
EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON. YOU
KNOW AGAIN. THAT WAS SEVEN OR
EIGHT MONTHS AGO. NOW UM YOU
KNOW, I CAN'T REPORT ON EXACTLY
THE DETAILS OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN
SINCE THEN, BECAUSE SOME OF THIS
TURNS INTO INVESTIGATIONS, WHICH
ARE ONGOING, BUT SUFFICE IT TO
SAY THAT THAT HAS BEEN
PRODUCTIVE AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY
TO HAVE EVERYBODY, UM, ONBOARD
IN THOSE INVESTIGATIONS. FINALLY
I'LL JUST SAY THAT'S THAT'S
WHO'S DOING IT. UH INVESTIGATORS
, PROSECUTORS AND THEN
COLLABORATING WITH THE RETAILERS
AND MARKETPLACES, UM AND THEN
JUST TO TOUCH ON VERY BRIEFLY,
YOU KNOW THE CASES THAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT HIGH VALUE SPAN THE
COUNTRY AND SPANISH GLOBE AND
THEN, UH, IN CERTAIN OCCASIONS
AND NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT BUT
CERTAIN OCCASIONS, VIOLENCE SO
HIGH VALUE OF THE ALTAR CASE, UM
WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVE IS
LOWER THAN THIS, BUT WHAT WE
ANNOUNCED TWO WEEKS AGO, THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL ANNOUNCED THAT
THE ESTIMATE WAS AROUND $8
MILLION ACROSS THE COUNTRY AGAIN
. NOT ALL OF THAT IS FILED IN
THE CASE, AND THE CASE IS
SPANNED THE GLOBE, DOJ
INVESTIGATED AND PROSECUTED
CASES THAT WE FILED IN 2021
ABOUT $200,000, CALIFORNIA, NEW
MEXICO, OKLAHOMA WASHINGTON.
WE'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS
OF EXTRADITING THOSE FOLKS FROM
ROMANIA AND THEN AGAIN, NOT
EVERY CASE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE
IMPORT OF THOSE CASES, SOMETIMES
VIOLENT CASES AGAIN, DOJ
INVESTIGATED AND PROSECUTED CASE
THAT WE ANNOUNCED JUST THIS PAST
JANUARY, VIOLENT ROBBERIES AT
TARGET, AND WALMART AND LOS
ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY, SAN
BERNARDINO, SAN DIEGO AND
VENTURA. EXCUSE ME, AND WE
ANNOUNCED THE SENTENCING AND THE
LEAD DEFENDANT. THAT CASE WAS
RECENTLY SENTENCED TO SIX YEARS
IN CDCR. SO TO SUM IT ALL UP.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BELIEVES
THAT SOLVING THIS PROBLEM IS
GOING TO TAKE HARD WORK,
PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION.
UM AND LEADERSHIP AND FOR OUR
PART, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO BRING. WE BELIEVE IN
AS AS MY COLLEAGUE WILL MENTION
VERTICAL PROSECUTIONS AND TRYING
TO SEEK THOSE INVESTMENTS. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT TESTIMONY.
NEXT, WE'LL MOVE TO STEPHEN
WOOLERY, DIRECTOR OF BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATIONS, DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE. GOOD AFTERNOON,
CHAIRMAN RAMOS AND HONORABLE
MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE
GREETINGS FROM THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S BUREAU
OF INVESTIGATION. MY NAME IS
STEVEN WILL ARY AND I AM THE
DIRECTOR FOR THE BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION. IT IS INDEED AN
HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY TO
DISCUSS THE IMPORTANT TOPIC OF
HOW DOJ IS ADDRESSING THE
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME THREAT.
IN THE GOLDEN STATE. ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME OR OR C IS NOT JUST
SHOPLIFTING. THE DISTINCTION
BETWEEN O R C AND SHOPLIFTING
TYPICALLY UH, SHOPLIFTING
INVOLVES AN INDIVIDUAL OR
INDIVIDUALS WHO STILL FOR
PERSONAL CONSUMPTION OR USE. O
R. C PERTAINS TO LARGE SCALE.
COORDINATED. TARGETED. AND PLANT
THEFTS INVOLVING RETAIL CRIME
GROUPS WHO OPERATE ACROSS
JURISDICTIONS AND
INTERNATIONALLY. FOR EXAMPLE. IN
JANUARY OF LAST YEAR. UH, THE L
A O R C E TEAM AND THE SPECIAL
PROSECUTION SECTION SECURED
FELONY CONVICTIONS. AGAINST A
FIVE MEMBER VIOLENT ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT RING IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA. IN ANOTHER ONGOING
OR CE CASE. THIS INVESTIGATION
TARGETED A JEWELRY THEFT CRIME
GROUP OR IS TARGETING THIS CRIME
GROUP, AND THEY ARE CONSISTENTLY
USING VIOLENCE DURING THE
COMMISSION. OF THESE OFFENSES.
DEAL JAY'S O. OUR CE TEAMS ARE
LOCATED IN LOS ANGELES. IN THE
BAY AREA. EACH TEAM IS MADE UP
OF AGENTS AND ANALYSTS AND
PROFESSIONAL STAFF. ESSENTIALLY
THERE ARE 28 MAN TEAMS. ONE TEAM
FOR THE NORTH. AND ONE TEAM FOR
THE SOUTH. THE O. R. C E S
PROGRAMS APPROACH TO COMBAT NG
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME.
ESSENTIALLY WE USE THE
ENTERPRISE THEORY OF
INVESTIGATION, OR E T. I. THIS
IS A UNIQUE RESOURCE FOR US TO
USE TO ATTACK OR C E BECAUSE E
T. I IS THE STANDARD
INVESTIGATIVE MODEL. THAT THE
FBI USES AND CONDUCTING.
INVESTIGATIONS TARGETING
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME. I JUST
SO HAPPEN TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT E T. I BECAUSE I'M A
RETIRED SENIOR EXECUTIVE FROM
THE FBI RETIRED OUT OF THE LOS
ANGELES FBI OFFICE DID 21 YEARS
IN THE FBI AND I'VE BEEN WITH
DOJ FOR THREE YEARS. O R. C E
STRIVES TO FIRST UNDERSTAND THE
RETAIL CRIME GROUPS CRIMINAL
BEHAVIOR. RATHER THAN RATHER
THAN JUST FOCUSING ON JUST
INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPANTS AND
SPECIFIC CRIMINAL ACTS. BY
UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIPS
OF ITS MEMBERS WITHIN THE
ORGANIZATION O R. C E CAN TARGET
THE COMMAND AND CONTROL. OR THE
ORGANIZERS. WHO ARE CE UTILIZING
E T. I CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS
OPTIMIZES. OR C E IS LIMITED
RESOURCES BY FOCUSING ON THE
WORST OF THE WORST. ULTIMATELY O
R C INVESTIGATIONS ARE MULTI
DEFENDANT. MULTI JURISDICTION.
AN EXTRAORDINARILY IMPACTFUL.
ADDITIONALLY, WHO ARE CE THERE
ARE REQUIREMENTS FOR L R O R C
TO INVESTIGATE AND EVENTUALLY
FOR THE CRIMINAL SECTION IN THE
A G S OFFICE TO PROSECUTE. THESE
THRESHOLDS, UH, COMPRISED THE
FOLLOWING THE INVESTIGATION HAS
TO HAVE A, UH OVER $100,000 IN
CONFIRMED LOSSES. THERE MUST BE
MULTIPLE SUSPECTS. AND IT MUST
INVOLVE MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS.
WHICH ALSO INCLUDES LOOKING INTO
INVESTIGATIVE, YOU KNOW
INVESTIGATIONS BEYOND THE ACTUAL
RETAIL THEFT, SO LOOKING INTO
FINANCIAL ASPECTS, LOOKING INTO
MONEY LAUNDERING, UH, EACH ONE
OF THE O R C E TEENS. THIS IS
WORKS COLLABORATIVELY WITH MY
WHITE COLLAR INVESTIGATIVE
TEAMS. BECAUSE THERE'S SOME
COMPLEXITIES HERE THAT ONCE WE
UNCOVER THEM, WE WANT TO FOLLOW
THOSE, UH, THREATS WHEREVER THEY
GO. WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE
ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM OF A REACH OUT
THEFT RING. WHICH INCLUDES
BOOSTERS, ORGANIZERS, FENCES. O
R. C E ALSO STRIVES TO
INVESTIGATE MONEY LAUNDERING.
FRAUD RETURN FRAUD IDENTITY
THEFT CARRIED OUT BY THE RETAIL
CRIME GROUP. WHO ARE SEE ALSO
INVESTIGATES HISTORICAL
INVESTIGATIONS WHERE THE
SUSPECTS COMMIT TARGETED RETAIL
CRIME IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS
IN CALIFORNIA. AND THEY EITHER
FLEE THE STATE. OR THEY FLEE THE
COUNTRY. OR C E STRIVES TO HOLD
THESE RETAIL CRIME GROUPS
ACCOUNTABLE. FOR THE CRIMES
COMMITTED IN CALIFORNIA. AND
RETAIL ASSOCIATIONS AND
RETAILERS ARE ESPECIALLY EXCITED
ABOUT O R. C E S ENGAGEMENT ON
INVESTIGATING THESE TRAVELING
REACH YOUR CRIME GROUPS. WHO ARE
CE TEAMS ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED
TO WORK. O OUR CE MATTERS.
THROUGH THE USE OF DLJ'S
VERTICAL PROSECUTION MODEL. THE
VERTICAL PROSECUTION MODEL IS A
BEST PRACTICE. AS OUR AGENTS AND
DAGS. TANDEM, LEE. SUCCESSFULLY
WORK ORGANICALLY WITHIN DOJ.
THIS OFTEN RESULTS AND NOT ONLY
SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTIONS, BUT THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF BONA FETUS
AMONGST THE AGENT. DEPUTY
ATTORNEY GENERAL TEAMS WHICH
LEAD TO GREATER COLLABORATION
BETWEEN THE INVESTIGATOR AND THE
PROSECUTOR IN FUTURE
INVESTIGATIONS. IT WAS MENTIONED
EARLIER. THE RISK NET. OR THE
REGIONAL INFORMATION SHARING
SYSTEM NETWORK. THERE ARE THREE
INTELLIGENCE CENTERS LOCATED IN
CALIFORNIA. ONE IS IN SAN DIEGO.
ONE IS IN L. A. AND THE OTHER
ONE IS HERE IN SACRAMENTO, THE L
A AND THE SACRAMENTO
INTELLIGENCE CENTERS ARE STAFFED
BY DOJ. SO WE KNOW VERY WELL. WE
HAVE LOTS OF SUCCESS STORIES TO
TALK ABOUT HOW THE DOJ IS
FACILITATING, UH, THE
INFORMATION SHARING ENVIRONMENT
WHEN IT COMES TO ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME GROUPS. THESE RISK
NET CENTERS PROVIDE REAL TIME
SHARING OF TIPS AND LEADS AND
INVESTIGATIVE INFORMATION
AMONGST CALIFORNIA'S LAW
ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY. WHICH IS
THE LARGEST LAW ENFORCEMENT
COMMUNITY FOR A STATE IN THE
UNITED STATES. THIS SHARING
ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN
PARTICULARLY USEFUL. CONNECTING
THE DOTS. REGARDING THE
IDENTIFIED IDENTIFICATION. AND
MULTI JURISDICTIONAL ASPECTS OF
HOW RETAIL CRIME GROUPS OPERATE
IN CALIFORNIA. KEEP IN MIND THE
O R C E PROGRAM IS A STARTUP
PROGRAM. WITH TEMPORARY FUNDING,
WHICH WILL SUNSET IT'S SCHEDULED
TO SUNSET IN 2025, HOWEVER.
HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE WORK
FROM THE L. A. O R C E TEAM.
THEY HAVE ALREADY SECURED THREE
FELONY CONVICTIONS AND A
RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
THAT INVESTIGATION INVOLVED A
FIVE MEMBER ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME GROUP USING VIOLENCE OR
THREATS OF VIOLENCE DURING THE
COMMISSION OF THEIR THREATS. WHO
ARE CE GROUPS ARE EVOLVING TO BE
MORE VIOLENT. DURING THE
COMMISSION OF THE CRIME,
ACCORDING TO THE EVERYONE KEEPS
QUOTING THE RETAIL FEDERATION
2023 STUDY, BUT, UH AND THAT
STUDY RESPONDENTS REPORTED THAT
THEY SAW 53% INCREASE. IN
VIOLENCE. FROM ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME GROUPS. COMMENSURATELY O R
C E HAS O R C INVESTIGATIONS
INVOLVING THE USE OF VIOLENCE
AND THREATS OF VIOLENCE. SMASH
AND GRAB RELATED VIOLENCE
CONTINUES AS WELL. WE SEE THAT
SPLASHED ON THE TELEVISION NEWS,
YOU KNOW, QUITE OFTEN. UH I
WANTED TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON
THE TRANSNATIONAL. UH ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME GROUPS AND WHAT
THOSE INVESTIGATIONS LOOK LIKE,
UH, THE O R C E TEAM IN L. A HAS
PARTNERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY, HOMELAND
SECURITY INVESTIGATIONS. IN
ADDITION TO OTHER LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO
INVESTIGATE, UH, INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS. WHEN IT
COMES TO RETAIL REACH ALL CRIME.
PARTNERING WITH HSI DEMONSTRATES
THAT O R. C E AND H S. I ARE
LASER FOCUSED ON HOLDING THOSE
ACCOUNTABLE WHO ENGAGE IN O R C
IN CALIFORNIA AND THEN FLEE THE
STATE WHERE THE COUNTRY THE
PREVALENCE OF CHILEAN ORGANIZED
CRIME GROUPS ALSO DEMONSTRATES.
THAT OH, RCS CONCERNED WITH
INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS. AH,
THAT ARE ENGAGED IN OR SEE IN
CALIFORNIA. O R C LEADERSHIP HAS
BEEN APPROACHED BY MULTIPLE
RETAILERS ALERTING THE O R C
TEAM. Tð ROMANI ROMANI OR
ROMANIAN NATIONAL CRUISE IN
SOUTH AMERICAN CRUISE, IN FACT,
OR RC EAST FIRST CRIMINAL FILING
INVOLVED A ROMANI NATIONAL CREW
THAT FLED NOT ONLY THE STATE BUT
THE COUNTRY. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN
THE FINAL STAGES FOR THE
ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL WARRANTS
FOR THE TWO SUSPECTS WHO FLED TO
ROMANIA. OR SHE IS ALSO
INVESTIGATING AN ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME GROUP. WHO RETURNED
TO THEIR HOME STATE OF MICHIGAN.
AFTER COMMITTEE NUMEROUS RETAIL
THEFTS IN CALIFORNIA EFFORTS ARE
UNDERWAY TO PREPARE CRIMINAL
FILINGS FOR THESE MICHIGAN BASED
SUSPECTS. AS I CLOSE WRIT LARGE
OR SEE IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST A
LOCAL OR CALIFORNIA PROBLEM. I
WANT TO ECHO WHAT HIS BEEN A
MESSAGED, UH, AMONGST THESE
DISTINGUISHED PANELISTS THAT, UH
, RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OUR
AGENCIES. IS A CRITICALITY. IN
TERMS OF DOING THIS WORK. THESE
GROUPS THEY TRAVEL ACROSS THE
STATES COUNTIES, YOU NAME IT,
AND IF WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT
IT AND SHARING INFORMATION, THEN
UH, WE'RE NOT BEING GOOD
STEWARDS OF, UH, THE FUNDS THAT
YOU ALL GIVE US LASTLY, IT TAKES
TIME. AND AN INVESTMENT OF
FUNDING FOR THOSE PARTNERSHIPS
TO MATURE. AND TO BUILD THE
EXPERTISE. IN THE AREA OF
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME FOR
GREATEST IMPACT. PARTNERSHIPS
ARE THE KEY. TO ALL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS.
COMBATING O R. C THANK YOU. YOU
KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL
YOUR TESTIMONY. UM, AND
CERTAINLY I'M NOT SURE IF WE
HAVE STILL THE GENTLEMAN FROM L.
A UM, BUT I WANT TO OPEN UP TO
MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THIS PANEL
ON THIS DAIS TO SEE IF THEY HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS. YEAH, I
HAVE A REALLY BIG QUESTION AND
THAT THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE
CONVICTION PIECE. UM IS THERE
ANY KIND OF METRIC THAT THAT WE
CAN LOOK TO FOR THE ACTUAL
CONVICTION? I MEAN, IDENTIFYING
THESE PEOPLE IS IMPORTANT. BUT
IT'S ONLY A STEP. BECAUSE PART
OF THE PREVENTION OF STOPPING RE
OFFENDERS. AND THAT'S A VERY
POWERFUL PIECE THAT SEEMS TO BE
ABSENT. SO I'M WONDERING IF YOU
COULD GIVE ME SOME KIND OF
ASSURANCE THAT, UH, THIS
INVESTMENT IS NOT ONLY
RECOVERING, THE ITEMS WERE
HOLDING PEOPLE TO SOME MODICUM
OF BEING ACCOUNTABLE. FOR THAT
KIND. I MEAN, HE TALKED ABOUT
THE REPEAT OFFENDERS, AND IT'S
WELL KNOWN. BUT THEY DON'T HAVE
ANY FEAR. REOFFENDING WE GOTTA
STOP THAT. DO WE HAVE ANY KIND
OF NUMBERS TO SHOW HOW MANY
CONVICTIONS AND WHAT THOSE
CONVICTIONS LOOK LIKE? THAT'S MY
QUESTION. YOU'RE LOOKING AT ME,
SO I'M I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE THE
DOJ GUY, RIGHT? GUY BALANCE TWO
OF US UP HERE. BUT YES, YES, YES
. SO IT'S A GOOD QUESTION ASKING
NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE ON ON
REOFFENDING. I DON'T HAVE THAT
NOW I CAN TAKE A LOOK AND SEE IF
WE HAVE THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT
WE DO IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC RE
OFFENSE. SPECIES SPECIFIC
REOFFENDING. I MEAN, WHAT I CAN
TELL YOU IS THAT CONVICTIONS AT
ALL? I CAN TELL YOU WHAT THEFT
CONVICTIONS WE HAVE AGAIN. NOT
NOT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LOOK INTO
THAT I'M HIGHLY INTERESTED IN
THE CONVICTION PIECE BECAUSE
BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME PARTNERS
THROUGHOUT. THIS STATE HAPPENED
TO BE ONE IN MY PART OF THE
REGION THAT I REPRESENT, WHO IS
NOT A GOOD PARTNER AND FILING
CASES. THAT'S A PROBLEM AND
THAT'S PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT
NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, MAYBE
THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY. AND
THAT'S WHY I'M HIGHLY INTERESTED
IN THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE A
PARTNER. I THINK WE ALL WANT TO
BE YOUR TALK ABOUT PARTNERS
BEING A KEY, BUT WE NEED
PARTNERSHIP SO THAT WE CAN GET
RESULTS. THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.
WHAT WE DON'T NEED TO BE
PLAYING. AND THIS BANTER THAT
SEEMS TO BE SO POPULAR, UH, IN
THIS INSTITUTION OF JUST TALK,
TALK TALK. WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IS DEPLORABLE.
IT'S EMBARRASSING AND WE NEED
RESULTS. AND I'M THANKFUL TO
HEAR SOME OF THE GOOD THINGS
THAT ARE HAPPENING. BUT ONE OF
THE WAYS YOU GET RESULTS ARE
CONVICTIONS. AND EVERYBODY
DOESN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT. AND
BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY THING THAT
REALLY STOPS. THIS FROM BLOWING
UP AND STARTS TO WHITTLE IT
DOWN. BECAUSE WE'VE ALL KNOWN
THAT IT'S A KNOWN FACT
THROUGHOUT HISTORY THAT A SMALL
PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION
ACCOUNT FOR A LARGE PERCENTAGE
OF THE CRIMINAL CONDUCT. THAT IS
TRUE AND THIS AREA AS WELL. SO
IF WE CAN ACTUALLY START TO
CONVICT SOME OF THESE PEOPLE AND
TAKE THEM OFF OUR OUR ROADS AND
ABLE TO CONDUCT ITS REOFFENDING
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WILL RESULT
IN AN APPROVED CIRCUMSTANCE.
EXACTLY HOW MUCH I DON'T KNOW.
BUT IT'S TIME TO START DOING
THAT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN THERE'S
HESITATION TO HOLD PEOPLE
ACCOUNTABLE. WE'VE GOT TO GET
OVER THAT, AND I'LL JUST SAY
VERY BRIEFLY THAT THERE'S NO
HESITATION FROM THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL. WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT
TODAY IS THE CASES THAT THAT WE
ARE FOCUSED ON AND I THINK
YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. WE NEED
EVERYBODY TO DO THEIR PART.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON THESE HIGHER
LEVEL CASES. CASES THAT TAKE
TIME THAT TAKE, UH SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT IN INVESTIGATION
BECAUSE THAT'S THE ROLE THAT WE
PLAY. THOSE ARE THE THAT'S THE
TRAINING THAT OUR PROSECUTORS
HAVE. THAT'S THE TRAINING THAT
OUR AGENTS HAVE. WE ALSO RELY ON
LOCAL D A S TAKING THESE CASES
AND TAKING IT SERIOUSLY. I
DIDN'T MENTION THAT AT THE TOP,
BUT THAT'S MY BACKGROUND WAS I
SERVED AS A STATE AND FEDERAL
PROSECUTOR FOR THE BETTER PART
OF A DECADE. AND THAT'S THAT'S
WHAT WE DID. SO UM, I WILL GO
AND GET YOU THE NUMBERS ON HOW
MANY CONVICTIONS ASSUMING I CAN,
BUT I THINK I CAN. HOW MANY
CONVICTIONS FOR DIFFERENT
GENERAL TYPES OF THEFT, PETTY
THEFT, GRAND THEFT ROBBERY,
ETCETERA, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ABSOLUTELY
AGREES WITH YOU. WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK.
PROSECUTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY
HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF THE
EQUATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
UM SO REMEMBER, LACKEY AND PART
OF THIS PANEL ARE THIS PANEL IS
MEANT FOR COORDINATION AND
COLLABORATION. WE TALKED A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT, BUT I
WANTED TO, UM, UM, TALK WITH
LIEUTENANT FROM BEVERLY HILLS TO
THAT TALKED ABOUT SHARING THE
INFORMATION WITH THOSE OUTSIDE
OF THE JURISDICTION HAS BEEN AN
AREA THAT HAS, UM CAUSE
PREVENTATIVE, UM THINGS FROM
HAPPENING, RETAIL THEFT SMASH
AND GRABS THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THAT? AND HOW THOSE
RESOURCES ARE USED? UM NOT JUST
WITHIN ONE ORGANIZATION AGENCY,
BUT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE STATE.
SURE YES, SIR. THERE'S A THERE'S
A COUPLE DIFFERENT VARIATIONS.
WHERE WERE THIS TYPE OF
INFORMATION SHARING CAN OCCUR.
UM THERE'S YOUR MORE TYPICAL
INFORMATION INFORMATION SHARING
THAT HAPPENS BETWEEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. MR WOOLERY
HAD MENTIONED BRIEFLY, UH,
TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
DECONFLICTION AND, YOU KNOW,
FINDING OUT WHO ELSE IS LOOKING
AT A SIMILAR TARGET. UM SO, FOR
EXAMPLE, UH, SERGEANT ALVAREZ
WAS IN THE BAY AREA. WE'RE DOWN
HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. YOU
KNOW, WHEN WE IDENTIFY THAT
THERE'S A SIMILAR TOUCH POINT.
WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THAT CALL
IMMEDIATELY AND HE IS GOING TO
TELL ME WHAT HE HAS. I'M GONNA
TELL HIM WHAT WE HAVE, AND WE'RE
GONNA START COLLABORATING. IT
DOESN'T MAKE SENSE EFFICIENCY
WISE DURING A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION. TO TRY AND RE
ATTEMPT TO REINVENT THAT WHEEL,
YOU KNOW, AND THIS IS HOW THESE
RELATIONSHIPS OCCUR. AND THEN
ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW WHEN WE
TAKE OUR LET'S JUST SAY, FOR
SAKE OF ARGUMENT, THREE CASES TO
GET THREE CASES PUT IT TOGETHER
WITH HIS SEVEN CASES, AND THEN
WE GO FORWARD WITH PROSECUTION.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER BE IN A
POSITION WHERE WE'RE PRESENTING
A CASE WITH 10 INCIDENTS THAT IS
EASILY PRESENTABLE IN A COURT OF
LAW THROUGH SOLID EVIDENCE AND
SOMETHING THAT IS DEMONSTRABLE
UP ON A BOARD. INSTEAD OF MY
SINGULAR THREE CASES, AND THIS
IS THE APPROACH THAT WE TAKE.
AND THIS IS STRICTLY FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT. NOW IN THE OTHER
AREA THAT THAT I HIGHLIGHTED IN
MY WRITTEN STATEMENT WHERE I
BROUGHT UP THE COORDINATION
COMPONENT, YOU KNOW, AS YOU'VE
HEARD FROM SOME OF MY ESTEEMED
PARTNERS HERE, THE COORDINATION
COMPONENT BETWEEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND RETAILERS. THIS
IS WHERE THINGS CAN GET VERY
INTERESTING BECAUSE RETAILERS AS
MR HUTTER ALSO SAID ALSO
MAINTAINED A VERY LARGE DATABASE
OF INFORMATION. YOU KNOW, IT IS
NOT UNCOMMON FOR THEM TO HAVE
THEIR OWN INTERNAL REPORTS WITH
LICENSE PLATES, NAMES, PHOTOS,
OTHER CRITICAL DATA THAT
ULTIMATELY NEEDS TO COME TO US,
AND THIS IS WHERE THESE
DIFFERENT PLATFORMS WHERE WE CAN
SHARE INFORMATION ONLINE ONLINE
IS IDEAL BECAUSE IT CAN HAPPEN
ANYWHERE. WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE
A SPECIAL MEETING. UM YOU KNOW,
HOSTED MEETING WHERE 100. PEOPLE
HAVE TO COME TOGETHER. WE CAN DO
IT ALL ONLINE, AND WE'RE
LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE
THINGS MORE EFFICIENT IN THE
TRANSMIT THAT INFORMATION BACK
AND FORTH, THEN WHEN YOU LAYER
ON SOME OF THE ABILITIES THAT
ALL OF THE AGENCIES IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA ARE NOT ARE NOW
GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO WITH THIS
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT GRANT.
AND WHAT IS TO COME IN THE
FUTURE? IT REALLY CHANGES THE
LANDSCAPE OF YOU KNOW TODAY IT'S
ORGANIZED CRIME, BUT ULTIMATELY
IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE
LANDSCAPE OF CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION. YOU KNOW, LONG
AFTER ALL OF US ARE GONE, AND
I'M VERY HOPEFUL FOR THAT. I
HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION,
SIR. IT DOES. AND YOU ALSO
BROUGHT UP A SYSTEM REGIONAL
SYSTEM. I BELIEVE IT WAS RISK
AND THE DIFFERENT DOLLARS TO
THIS BUDGET COMMITTEE AND THE
BUDGET THAT SARAH DOES THAT HELP
ELEVATE THAT COLLECTION OF DATA.
TO START TO BE MORE PROACTIVE TO
SOME OF THESE DIFFERENT CRIMINAL
CASES THAT ARE GOING ON THE
USAGE OF THE FUNDING WHERE
THAT'S GOING TO COME INTO PLAY
IS GOING TO BE THE TRAINING TO
GET THAT WORD OUT THERE. UM AS I
MENTIONED CALDERON J HAS AN JUST
AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM UNDER
THEIR A T. C ADVANCED TRAINING
CENTER. UM AND THEY HAVE THEY
HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT
TRAINING COURSES THAT THEY HAVE.
UM IF WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE A
SYSTEMATIC TRAINING OF MULTIDAY,
SYSTEMATIC TRAINING COURSE
AVAILABLE TO CALIFORNIA LAW
ENFORCEMENT, GET EVERYONE ON THE
SAME SHEET OF MUSIC INSTEAD OF
HAVING MULTIPLE INDIVIDUAL
MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
OR, YOU KNOW, WORD OF MOUTH
THROUGH DIFFERENT PEOPLE. UH YOU
KNOW, HEY, THIS GUY IS REALLY
GOOD AT IT. THIS GUY IS REALLY
GOOD AT IT. LET'S GET ALL THE
BEST PEOPLE IN THE SAME ROOM. AT
ONE TIME AND LET'S JUST TRAIN
EVERYONE AND GET EVERYONE GET
EVERYONE ON THE SAME SHEET OF
MUSIC. SO WE'RE ALL MOVING IN
THE SAME DIRECTION TOGETHER IN
THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER
POSSIBLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. AND, UM LIEUTENANT.
UH, JUAREZ YOU MENTIONED ABOUT
GOING AFTER THOSE THAT ARE
FENCING. UM THESE POLICE
PRODUCTS AND HOW THAT'S HAVING
AN IMPACT. ON RETAIL THEFT AND
THOSE DOING THAT, BUT WE ALSO
HEARD FROM MR BANNON HUNTER THAT
THOSE THAT ARE DOING THE RETAIL
THEFT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
HERE TODAY IS LIKE, UM, A CHAU
WHERE ONE GETS CAUGHT ANOTHER
ONE POPS UP. SO HOW DO WE KEEP
COMBATING THAT? AND YOU ALSO
MENTIONED ABOUT PROSECUTION IN
SOME COUNTIES VERSUS OTHER
COUNTIES IS MORE OPEN TO THE
PROSECUTION VERSUS OTHERS. I CAN
START WITH PROSECUTION. EXCUSE
ME. I HAVE LONG TIES AND SENATOR
COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE. UM I WORKED
AS AN AUTO THEFT INVESTIGATOR
FOR MANY YEARS THERE. SO
PROSECUTION FOR ME STARTED, UM,
WITH IDENTIFYING A GROUP OF
BOOSTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE ARE
INDIVIDUALS THAT GO OUT AND
STEAL THE MERCHANDISE AT THE
DEMAND OF THE FENCING OPERATION.
AND. EXCUSE ME, CØNG. THE
BEGINNING WAS TO IDENTIFY THE
BOOSTERS. AND THEN HOPEFULLY, UM
HAVE AN INSTANCE IN SANTA CLARA
COUNTY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SANTA
CLARA CONNIE WAS PROSECUTING OR
DOING VERTICAL PROSECUTION UNDER
A DIFFERENT COACH SECTION. SO
THAT WAS THAT WAS ONE GOAL THAT
I HAD NOW THAT I AM REACHING OUT
TO SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES.
SOME OF THE REMAINING COUNTIES,
UM WE ARE LOOKING AT SOME OTHER
AGENCIES NOT WILLING TO
RELINQUISH THOSE CASES SO THEY
ARE NOT BEING TASKED OR CHAT OR
CHALLENGING SOME OF THE OTHER
COUNTIES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN
ALAMEDA COUNTY WHO WAS NOT
FILING ANYWHERE OF OUR
INVESTIGATIONS BECAUSE OF THE
NEWBIE, SCC GRANT, UM THEY ARE
NOW, UH, THEY ARE NOW TAKING
SOME OF OUR CASES AND DOING THE
VERTICAL PROSECUTION SO WE NOW
HAVE TWO DIFFERENT COUNTIES. UM
NOT NECESSARILY BATTLING FOR THE
INVESTIGATION, BUT LOOKING OR
TRYING TO DEFINE WHO HAS THE
BEST INTEREST IN THAT
INVESTIGATION, SO THAT IS KIND
OF WORKING ON OUR BEHALF. UM TO
JUST A CHARMING A LITTLE BIT ON
THE ON THE ON THE PRIOR TOPIC OF
SHARING INFORMATION. THERE IS A,
UM PLATFORM CALLED AURORE. UH OR
ROAR ALLOWS, UM SOME OF THE
RETAILERS TO INPUT SOME OF THE
INFORMATION REGARDING SOME OF
THE RETAIL DEATHS, AND THEY WERE
TYPICALLY NOT ONLY PUT IN THE
IDENTIFIED SUSPECTS OR THE
IDENTIFIED VEHICLES, BUT THEY
WERE ALSO CROSS REFERENCED WITH
OTHER INVESTIGATIONS. SO FOR
EXAMPLE, IF I WANT TO ASSIGN AN
INVESTIGATION TO ONE OF MY
MEMBERS, I WILL LOOK AT A ROAR.
UM QUERY THAT LICENSE PLATE AND
THEN I CAN TELL YOU THAT MAYBE
BEVERLY HILLS P D IS LOOKING AT
IT AS WELL AND WE STARTED A
COLLABORATION PROCESS. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM AND
DIRECTOR O'LEARY. YOU TALKED
ABOUT HOW RETAIL THEFT, SMASH
AND GRAB IS NOW EVOLVING RIGHT
INTO, UM OTHER STATES. BUT ALSO
OTHER NATIONS. UM SO FORWARD
LOOKING, AND I HEARD FROM EACH
AND EVERYBODY THAT THIS HAS TO
BE, UM, ALSO SOMETHING THAT THAT
WE ALL STAY DILIGENT ON THAT IT
CAN'T BE JUST UM, ONE TIME
HAVING A HEARING IS FUNDING IS
THERE AND THEN IT GOES AWAY
BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WILL
CONTINUE TO ESCALATE. SO THERE
HAS TO BE LONG TERM. UM, ALSO
STABILITY AND LOOKING AT TRYING
TO CURB THESE THINGS. AS IT
CONTINUES TO EVOLVE. CAN YOU
TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW
THAT IS EVOLVING BECAUSE YOU
MENTIONED THAT, UM YOUR AVERAGE
CITIZEN COULD TURN ON THE TV AND
SEE THE SMASHING GRASS. PEOPLE
WALKING IN TALKED ABOUT ALTA.
TYING IT DOWN INTO, UM COLTON
ERI, WHICH AN AREA THAT WE KNOW
VERY WELL, BUT NOW WHAT? WHAT IS
IT THAT THAT WHEN YOU TURN ON
THE TV TO SEE NOW HOW IT'S
ESCALATING HOW IT'S EVOLVING
INTO OTHER NATIONS, OTHER AREAS
WITHIN THE UNITED STATES AND IN
THE WORLD. SO THAT'S A GREAT
QUESTION. CHAIRMAN UM SO I WANT
TO HIGHLIGHT THAT UH, IT'S
REALLY ABOUT OPPORTUNITY. RIGHT
SO YOU KNOW, I'LL DIRECT YOUR
ATTENTION BACK TO THE YOU KNOW
THE SUMMER UNREST OF 2020. AND A
LOT OF WHAT EVOLVED FROM FIRST
AMENDMENT PROTECTED ACTIVITY
ENDED UP TAKING THE SHAPE OF
WHAT WE NOW KNOW IS THE SMASH
AND GRABS RIGHT AND IT'S UH, A
SOFT TARGET. AND THE MORE UH THE
MORE THAT THEY'RE THIS
PROLIFERATES MEANING, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS MENTIONED THAT THERE'S A
REPEAT OFFENDERS RECIDIVISTS.
THE MORE THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY
WITH IT. HMM THEN THEY THEN
BECOME, UH INSPIRE. THEY THEN
INSPIRE OTHERS. AND BEFORE YOU
KNOW IT YOU'VE GOT YOU'VE GOT
STREET CREWS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE OVER HERE DOING THE OPEN
AIR DRUG MARKET STUFF THERE.
OVER HERE DOING, YOU KNOW, HUMAN
TRAFFICKING. AND WHAT HAVE YOU
THEN THEY'VE GOT CREWS THAT SEE
IT QUITE LUCRATIVE. TO GO DO
SMASH AND GRABS. YOU KNOW THE
TYPICAL HOODIES AND YOU KNOW THE
COVER OF NIGHT AND ALL THAT
CREATES ANONYMITY. AND IT JUST
PROLIFERATES. SO. WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING AT. YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE,
UH, IT STARTED OUT FROM
SOMETHING ELSE, BUT IT'S
CERTAINLY BECOME A POINT OF
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CRIMINAL.
I'LL JUST SAY THAT THOSE WHO ARE
OF THE MINDSET TOO NEED TO BREAK
THE LAW TO, UH, EARNED MONEY.
AND WHAT HAVE YOU YOU MIGHT
HAVE, FOLKS THAT WOULD HAVE
NEVER THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, FIVE
YEARS AGO THAT THEY'D BE DOING
SMASH AND GRABS OR THAT THEY'D
BE DOING ROBBERIES AND
BURGLARIES. YOU KNOW, WE GOT
THESE 459 CRUISE ALL OVER THE
STATE THAT ARE AND, YOU KNOW,
ROBIN DISPENSARIES. WELL WE
DIDN'T HAVE DISPENSARIES FIVE
YEARS AGO, RIGHT? SO THERE'S
REALLY AN OPPORTUNISTIC, UH,
SPIRIT WITHIN THIS, YOU KNOW,
THOSE THAT ARE JUST SAY,
TROUBLED MINDS THOSE THAT ARE
GETTING INTO TROUBLE THIS WAY
THAT IT'S PURELY OPPORTUNISTIC.
UM AND I'VE SAID IT. YOU KNOW,
I'VE HEARD IT SAID THAT YOU KNOW
, WE MUST START COLLABORATING
BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE CRUISE OR
CROSS. THERE'S CROSSWALK BETWEEN
YOU KNOW OTHER TYPES OF
ORGANIZED CRIME. AND NOW, UH,
RETAIL CRIME. ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME IS ONE OF MANY ON THE MENU
THAT THEY CAN CHOOSE FROM,
DEPENDING ON. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY
NEED, SO THE WAY IT'S EVOLVED
FROM OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY. UM, I
THINK I THINK THAT INFORMATION
IS, UH UH, BEING SHARED IN A IN
A WAY THAT MAYBE HASN'T IN THE
PAST BECAUSE YOU KNOW THESE SOME
OF THESE SOUTH AMERICAN BURGLARY
AND, UH, REACH OUT THEFT CRUISE.
THEY'VE BEEN THEY'VE BEEN COMING
IN, UH, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR
A DECADE. I MEAN, THEY THEY'VE
BEEN AROUND BUT I THINK BECAUSE
OF ALL THE INFORMATION SHARING,
I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE
STARTING TO UNDERSTAND THE
TACTICS, THE TECHNIQUES AND THE
PRACTICES THE TTP S AND THESE
ORGANIZATIONS. THEY OPERATE WITH
A LITTLE BIT OF IMPUNITY, BUT
MOSTLY ANONYMITY BECAUSE, UH, WE
DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE. YOU
KNOW, THEY COME AND DO THEIR
THEIR THEIR THEIR DEEDS, AND
THEN THEY LEAVE. AND THEN
ANOTHER CREW COMES AND THEY
LEAVE. SO IT'S REALLY A
CHALLENGE REALLY TAKES THE FEDS
TO SORT OF HELP US UNDERSTAND?
YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THEIR THEIR
THEIR THEIR BORDERS, BUT THEY'RE
NOT RIGHT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT
FOLKS CAN TRAVEL JUST ABOUT
ANYWHERE IN THE FREE WORLD. SO
IT'S IT REALLY BEHOOVES US TO
CONTINUE. YOU KNOW THE PARTNERS
AT THIS TABLE AND UH, YOU KNOW,
OF COURSE I'M SPEAKING FOR
CALIFORNIA. BUT, UH. SOME OF
THESE GROUPS. THEY'RE JUST
COMING THROUGH CALIFORNIA GOING
TO OTHER STATES, OR, YOU KNOW,
DOING THEIR THING IN CALIFORNIA
AND LEAVING TO GO BACK TO THEIR
HOME COUNTRY, AND, UH, AS LONG
AS WE'RE ALERTED TO IT, AND
WE'RE STANDING AT THE READY,
WE'RE BLENDING AUTHORITIES AND
RESOURCES AND THANK YOU BETWEEN
YOU AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
FOR THE APPROPRIATION. IN 2223.
I HOPE THAT APPROPRIATION
CONTINUES BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY
MAKING SOME PROGRESS. UH THE
HONORABLE COMMITTEE MEMBER
MENTIONED CONVICTIONS, J IS ALL
ABOUT CONVICTIONS. WE WOULD
RATHER UH, BUILD A CASE WE'D
RATHER BUILD A CONSPIRACY. WE
DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT ARREST OR
THAT OR THAT CONVICTION RIGHT
NOW WE WANT COOPERATION. WE WANT
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS. UH
THIS CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY. THIS
ORGANIZED RETAIL GROUP. AND WE
WANT TO ARREST ALL OF THEM. WE
WANT TO CONVICT ALL OF THEM.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO WAIT TO DO
THAT CONVICTION BECAUSE WE'RE
STILL BUILDING THE CASE. WE'RE
STILL WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS
WERE STILL BLINKING AUTHORITIES
AND RESOURCES TO UNDERSTAND THE
THREAT GROUP. BUT CONVICTIONS I
WOULD SUBMIT TO YOU IS THAT'S
OUR GREATEST IMPACT IS WHEN WE
HAVE CONVICTIONS, SO JUST UH,
STAND BY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR ALL OF YOUR YOUR YOUR
TESTIMONY, BUT I DO WANT TO JUST
HIGHLIGHT BEFORE WE DISMISS AND
TRANSMISSION. TRANS TRANS, UM
INTO, UM, PANEL. ONE THAT WILL
BECOME PANEL TO TRANSITION INTO
THAT THAT A LOT OF THE
STATEMENTS ALSO THAT WAS MADE.
IS THAT THESE, UM RETAIL THEFTS,
SMASH AND GRABS ARE GETTING MORE
VIOLENT. UM I THINK THERE WAS A
STATISTIC THAT WAS THROWN OUT
THERE AT 53% INCREASE IN
VIOLENCE. UM, WITH ALL THESE
DIFFERENT, UM CRIMINAL ACTIVITY
THAT'S GOING ON AND WE COULD
ONLY WE KNOW THAT THAT'S ONLY
GOING TO ESCALATE EVEN HIGHER AS
SOME SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY
THAT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT THIS SOMETIME
BACK, SO WE WANT TO STILL STAY
DILIGENT ON THESE ISSUES ON THE
PROSECUTION ASPECT OF IT, UM,
WHAT COUNTIES ARE DOING BUT ALSO
SUPPORTING THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE
ARE KEEPING UM OUR FEET TO THE
FIRE ON THOSE AREAS AND LOOKING
AT THE DATA RESOURCE, MAKING
SURE THAT THAT PEOPLE DO TRULY
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND
IF IT IS HAPPENING IN SEVERAL
COUNTIES VERSUS JUST ONE COUNTY,
THEN WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, UM
BUILD THAT THAT PROSECUTION HERE
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, SO I
WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR TAKING
THE TIME TO BE HERE AND THANK
YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME AND I
KNOW YOU HAVE TO NOW GO AND DEAL
WITH, UH, FAMILY, WHICH FAMILY
COMES FIRST. SO BY ALL MEANS,
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. I
APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. WE'RE
GOING TO NOW TRANSITION INTO
PANEL TO WHICH IS INVESTMENTS TO
ADDRESS ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT.
K¾T HOWARD, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BOARD OF STATE AND COMMUNITY
CORRECTIONS, MARK. STAINBROOK
CHIEF BEVERLY HILLS POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND JASON CAVITY
CAPTAIN, CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY
PATROL.
GOOD AFTERNOON, MR CHAIR MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. IT'S A
PLEASURE TO BE HERE. I'M KATIE
HOWARD WITH THE DSCC. YOU'D LIKE
ME TO KICK OFF? YES PLEASE. UM
JENNIFER HAD ASKED ME TO GIVE
LIKE A 32ND OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE
B S. C C DOES IF I MAY JUST TO
SET THE CONTEXT SO THE B S. C C
IS AN INDEPENDENT STATUTORY
ENTITY. OUR BOARD IS RIGHT NOW A
13 MEMBER BOARD MEMBERS
APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. ONE
BY THE JUDICIAL BRANCH TO BY THE
LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE TWO NEW
MEMBERS COMING ON THE BOARD TO
NEW STATUTORY SLOTS EFFECTIVE IN
JULY, AND THE AGENCY HAS A WIDE
RANGE OF RESPONSIBILITY, SO I
WANTED TO JUST SAY A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT THAT BEFORE JUMPING INTO
THE R T GRANT. UM TOPIC, SO THE
AGENCY WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED IN
THE 19 FORTIES TO CONDUCT
INSPECTIONS OF COUNTY JAILS AND
ALSO TO ESTABLISH THE
REGULATIONS FOR THE OPERATION OF
COUNTY JAILS. BOTH THE
OPERATIONAL AND THE PHYSICAL
PLANT, UM MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR
JAILS OVER THE YEARS, A WHOLE
LOT OF ADDITIONAL
RESPONSIBILITIES HAVE BEEN ADDED
TO THE BSC. SEE UM, LIKE I SAID,
WE PROMULGATE THE REGULATIONS
FOR MINIMUM STANDARDS, AND WE
REVIEW AND REVISE THOSE
REGULATIONS EVERY OTHER YEAR. WE
ALSO SET THE TRAINING STANDARDS
FOR LOCAL CORRECTIONAL STAFF,
AND WE ADMINISTER JUST A TON OF
GRANTS. OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS
. THIS THE GOVERNOR AND THE
LEGISLATURE HAVE REALLY
INCREASED THAT ASPECT OF OUR
WORK VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANTLY,
AND I TAKE PRIDE IN THAT IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT WORK, THE
LARGEST SINGLE GRANT THAT WE
ADMINISTER IS ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT GRANT. WE HAVE A HOST OF
OTHERS, BOTH FEDERALLY FUNDED.
MOST ARE STATE FUNDED, INCLUDING
THE CALIFORNIA VIOLENCE,
INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION,
GRANT. MM. I P MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE,
WHICH WILL BE TALKING ABOUT MORE
NEXT WEEK. PROPOSITION 47, WHICH
FOCUSES ON UM MENTAL HEALTH AND
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER TREATMENT
FOR PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE
ADULT REENTRY GRANT PROP 64 AND
A WHOLE BUNCH MORE, BUT, UM, THE
GRANT THAT IS ON EVERYBODY'S
MIND. TODAY IS THE ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT GRANT. AND THERE
ARE TWO ASPECTS TO THE GRANT
THAT CAME TO THE B. S. C. C. UM
IT WAS INITIATED BY THE GOVERNOR
AND STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE. SO IN 2022, THIS
TWO PART GRANT, THE ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT PREVENTION AND THE
VERTICAL PROSECUTION COMPONENT
REFLECTED A REALLY SIGNIFICANT
INVESTMENT ON THE PART OF THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND IT'S
EVIDENCE OF THE STATE'S
COMMITMENT TO ENHANCING PUBLIC
SAFETY AND ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE
OF CONCERN CALLED ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT, YOU HEAR A LOT OF
DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACRONYMS. WE
CALL IT O R T IN IN MY SHOP, SO
THE RT. PREVENTION GRANT
PROVIDED $242.3 MILLION OVER
THREE YEARS AND THEN THE R T
VERTICAL PROSECUTION GRANT
PROVIDED ABOUT $28 MILLION OUT
TO THE FIELD. UM THESE WERE
COMPETITIVE GRANTS, AND, UM, THE
RESPONSE TO THIS RFP, WHICH WENT
OUT LAST YEAR, UM, WAS HIGHER
THAN WE'VE SEEN COMPARED TO
ANYTHING IN THE SUPER LONG TIME.
UM WE RECEIVED 114 PROPOSALS
TOTAL AND THOSE APPLICATIONS I'M
SPEAKING OF THE RT PREVENTION
GRANT NOW. UM THE ELIGIBLE
APPLICANTS WERE LOCAL POLICE
DEPARTMENTS, SHERIFF'S OFFICES
AND PROBATION DEPARTMENTS, AND
THE AGENCY COULD EITHER APPLY AS
AN INDIVIDUAL AGENCY OR IN A
MULTI AGENCY APPROACH. SO THERE
WERE TWO DIFFERENT SIZE
CATEGORIES FOR WHICH THEY COULD
APPLY. IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING
AVAILABLE. IT WAS UP TO 15.6
MILLION FOR LARGE SCALE PROJECTS
, OR 6.1 MILLION FOR MEDIUM
SKILL PROJECTS, AND THAT'S THE
GRANT FUNDING GOES OUT OVER A
THREE YEAR GRANT PERIOD. WE DID
PUT ALL OF THE FUNDING OUT IN
THE FIELD LAST YEAR. I KNOW
THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF INTEREST
THAT KEEPS BEING CONVEYED TO US
AND TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
ABOUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL IS
A LOT OF INTEREST AND UNMET NEED
OUT THERE IN THE FIELD, BUT THE
FUNDING THAT WAS PROVIDED IN
2022 HAS ALL GONE OUT. THE UM
THE GRANTS WERE AWARDED AT THE
SEPTEMBER 2023 BOARD MEETING AND
THE GRANT STARTED IN 2023. I
WANT TO MENTION JUST A FEW OF
THE KINDS OF ISSUES THAT CAME IN
ON THE PROPOSALS IN TERMS OF THE
CONTEXT AND THE DATA. UM THAT
WERE SHARED IN THE PROPOSAL. SAN
JOSE, FOR EXAMPLE, REPORTED IN
95% INCREASE IN GRAND THEFT
SHOPLIFT BETWEEN 2021 AND 22.
THIS ONE I THINK IS INTERESTING
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE
HEARD ABOUT CATALYTIC CONVERTER
THEFT YET TODAY THAT'S ANOTHER
BIG ONE. THE RT PREVENTION GRANT
ADDRESSES, RETAIL THEFT, CARGO
THEFT AND AUTO THEFT. UM SO
INTERESTED IN THE CITY OF TULA
VISTA. THERE WERE 995 REPORTS OF
VEHICLE THEFTS AND 180 REPORTS
OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS IN
THE YEAR PRIOR TO THEIR APPLE.
OKAY SHIN, JUST AN INTERESTING
LITTLE DATA POINT. UM, SO THE
GRANTEES WILL BE USING THE FUNDS
FOR MANY OF THE KINDS OF
ACTIVITIES THAT WERE ON THE LAST
PANEL. THESE REAL TIME WATCH
CENTERS AND INTEGRATED TIMES
CENTERS ARE SUPER IMPORTANT.
ASPECT OF COMBATING O R T LOTS
OF INFORMATION TO SHARE HAD A
GREAT CONVERSATION WITH BEVERLY
HILLS EARLIER AND I'M AWARE THAT
THE ELK GROVE PD THEY DID NOT
APPLY FOR A GRANT BECAUSE
THEY'RE DOING REALLY, REALLY
WELL ON THIS, BUT THEY'VE
ALREADY MADE THEMSELVES
AVAILABLE AS A RESOURCE FOR
THESE REAL TIME INFORMATION
CENTERS, UM, WHICH WE'LL BE
HEARING MORE ABOUT TODAY. UM SO
THE AGENCIES WHO RECEIVED THE RT
PREVENTION GRANTS ARE FORMING
DEDICATED TASK FORCES. THEY'RE
TARGETING RT OPERATIONS AT KEY
HOT SPOT LOCATIONS THERE. DOING
A LOT OF OUTREACH TO BOTH
RETAILERS AND THE COMMUNITY. OF
COURSE, THEY'RE HIRING
ADDITIONAL OFFICERS AND MUCH OF
THESE GRANTS WILL BE USED FOR
THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF
ADVANCED SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY
, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT PART
OF THIS, TOO. SO WHAT'S
HAPPENING TO DATE? WE DID A
SURVEY IN JANUARY WE SENT A
SURVEY OUT TO ALL OF THE RT
GRANTEES. WE GOT, UH, NEARLY
100% RESPONSE RATE ON THAT, AND
I THINK ALL THE GRANTEES ARE
REALLY KEENLY AWARE OF JUST HOW
INTERESTED THE LEGISLATURE IS IN
ALL OF THIS, AND I'M GOING TO
COME TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT
CONVICTIONS IN A MOMENT, MR.
LACKEY UM SO ALL KINDS OF
OPERATION. TIONS HAVE ALREADY
BEEN CONDUCTED AS I MENTIONED
THESE GRANTS JUST BEGAN LAST
OCTOBER. I APPRECIATED YOUR
COMMENT AT THE OUTSET, SAYING
THERE'S WORK UNDERWAY WILL HAVE
A LOT MORE TO REPORT IN THE
COMING MONTHS AND YEARS. OF
COURSE, BUT, UM, IT WAS
INTERESTING TO SEE THAT ALREADY,
UM, THE GRANTEES WHO RESPONDED
TO THE SURVEY SAID THERE HAVE
BEEN OVER 900 ARRESTS, UM UNDER
THEIR O R T GRANT, SO FAR, YOU
CAN IMAGINE THE KINDS OF WORK
THAT'S UNDERWAY, HIRING NEW
PEOPLE BUYING EQUIPMENT, THOSE
SORTS OF THINGS IT WILL. ALSO,
THE GRANT FUNDING WILL ALSO BE
USED TO FUND OVER TIME
OPERATIONS TRAINING THE REAL
TIME INFORMATION CENTERS, WHICH
I'M HEARING HER CALLED, UM, ARE
TICKS. SO YOU KNOW LOTS OF
DIFFERENT ALPHABET SOUP TO PLAY
WITH HERE ON THE O R T VERTICAL
PROSECUTION GRANTS 13 COUNTIES
RECEIVED THE O R T VERTICAL
PROSECUTION GRANT. ALL THIS
INFORMATION IS IN YOUR, UM,
HANDOUT THAT WE PROVIDED SO THE
VERTICAL PROSECUTION GRANTS UM
ARE EVERYONE'S AWARE OF WHAT A
VERTICAL PROSECUTION APPROACHES.
THAT'S WHEN IT IN A SINGLE TEAM
HANDLES THE CASE FROM THE
BEGINNING PART OF THE
INVESTIGATION ALL THE WAY
THROUGH TO CONVICTION. I JUST
TEXTED MY OFFICE AS YOUR
QUESTION CAME UP AND SAID, ARE
WE ASKING THE VERTICAL
PROSECUTION GRANTEES TO REPORT
ON CONVICTIONS AND WE ARE IN OUR
DATA COLLECTION. WE WILL BE
SPECIFICALLY ASKING FOR
INFORMATION ABOUT CONVICTIONS.
AND ON THE RT PREVENTION. WE'RE
ASKING FOR INFORMATION ON ARREST
, SO WE WILL BE PROVIDING
REGULAR INFORMATION TO THE
LEGISLATURE. AS THAT COMES IN,
UM, SO THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
OFFICES HAVE GOTTEN TO WORK
RIGHT AWAY TO BEGIN HIRING STAFF
FORMING THEIR VERTICAL
PROSECUTION TEAMS AND SO ON. UM
SO I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A WHOLE
LOT OF WORK UNDERWAY. I'M HAPPY
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
MAY HAVE. AND I REALLY
APPRECIATE YOU HAVING THE DSCC
HERE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THAT, UM, OVERVIEW. YEAH.
BUT ALSO, UM I KNOW THERE'LL BE
QUESTIONS AT THE END OF NEXT
WE'LL MOVE ON TO MARK STAINBROOK
CHIEF BEVERLY HILLS POLICE
DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIRMAN AND THANK YOU FOR
HAVING THIS HEARING IN THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT WITH THE COMMITTEE.
I'VE BEEN THE CHIEF OF THE
BEVERLY HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT
FOR TWO YEARS. ON THE NIGHT I
WAS SWORN IN THE CITY OF BEVERLY
HILLS SUFFERED THE TRAGIC MURDER
OF MRS JACQUELINE AVANTI DURING
A FAILED BURGLARY ATTEMPT.
MURDER DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC
NEXUS TO ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT.
IT HIGHLIGHTS THE INCREASE IN
VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIME IN
THE CITY AND THE L. A REGION.
AFTERWARDS OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT
MOBILIZED TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER
RESOURCES TO REDUCE VIOLENT
CRIME AND PROPERTY CRIME,
INCLUDING ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT. BEVERLY HILLS IS ONE OF
THE MOST PREMIER SHOPPING
DESTINATIONS CENTERED ON RODEO
DRIVE AND ENCOMPASSING AN AREA
KNOWN AS THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE.
MANY WELL HIGH END. NATIONAL AND
INTERNATIONAL BRANDS ARE
REPRESENTED IN THAT AREA.
HOWEVER MOST BUSINESSES ARE NOT
OWNED BY CORPORATIONS BUT ARE
INDIVIDUALLY AND FAMILY OWNED.
OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS,
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT HAVE
QUADRUPLED IN THE CITY.
OCCASIONALLY THESE THEFTS TURNED
TO ROBBERIES DUE TO THE PHYSICAL
FORCE OR THREATS USED BY THE
SUSPECTS. SO ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT CAN BECOME VIOLENT. ANYONE
WHO GETS IN THE WAY OF THESE
PERPETRATORS IS POTENTIALLY
SUBJECTED TO VIOLENCE. AS YOU
MAY HAVE SEEN ON THE NEWS. WE
HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO THE SO
CALLED SMASH AND GRAB CRIMES
WHERE MULTIPLE SUSPECTS USE
TOOLS, HEAVY OBJECTS OR EVEN
VEHICLES TO BREAK THROUGH STORE
WINDOWS AND DOORS AND THEN RUN
INSIDE AND STEAL AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE. IN MARCH, 2022, A
WIDELY REPORTED SMASHING GRAB OF
A JEWELRY STORE ON BEVERLY DR
RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS. FORTUNATELY DUE TO
DILIGENT POLICE WORK, ALL OF THE
SUSPECTS WERE CAUGHT AND MOST
RECEIVED FEDERAL PRISON TIME.
AND I MENTIONED THIS BECAUSE WE
HAVE FOUND THAT WORKING WITH OUR
FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS
AND USING FEDERAL INTERSTATE
COMMERCE LAWS, SUCH AS THE HOBBS
ACT IS VERY EFFECTIVE IN
SECURING SERIOUS PRISON TIME FOR
THESE OFFENSES. BEVERLY HILLS IS
A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
TOURIST DESTINATION. VIDEOS OF
THESE CRIMES AND IN THE MEDIA
AND ON SOCIAL MEDIA DAMAGED THE
REPUTATION OF BEVERLY HILLS AND
OF CALIFORNIA. TOURISTS WANT TO
AVOID PLACES THEY PERCEIVE AS
UNSAFE AND WE'RE DISORDER AND
CHAOS REIGN AFTER SPEAKING TO
THE BEVERLY HILLS CONFERENCE AND
VISITORS BUREAU AND THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE, THEY HAVE BOTH
MENTIONED CALLS AND EMAILS
ASKING IF BEVERLY HILLS AND THE
LOS ANGELES REGION IS SAFE. THE
PERCEPTION IS THAT IT IS NOT
THIS CAUSES THE LOSS IN REVENUE,
WHICH HURTS THE CITY AND THE
STATE, ULTIMATELY DUE TO THE
LOSS OF MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN SALES TAX AND TRANSIENT
OCCUPANCY TAXES, WHICH AFFECT
BOTH BUSINESS AND JOBS. IT SLOWS
OUR ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DRIVES
RETAILERS AWAY FROM INVESTING IN
CALIFORNIA OR DRIVES THEM FROM
THE STATE. DUE TO THE RISING
CRIME. THE BEVERLY HILLS POLICE
DEPARTMENT BUILT ONE OF THE
NATION'S FIRST REAL TIME WATCH
CENTERS. THE HEART OF THIS
SYSTEM IS 2400 CAMERAS THAT ARE
MONITORED 24 7 BY TRAIN SECURITY
CONTRACTORS, WHICH WE REFER TO
AS VIRTUAL PATROL OFFICERS OR V
P. O S. THE CAMERAS ARE HIGH
RESOLUTION. MANY ARE PAN TILT
ZOOM AND THEY ARE ALL RECORDED
AND THE RECORDINGS ARE STORED
FOR 13 MONTHS. SURROUNDING THE
CITY AND PARTS OF THE BUSINESS
DISTRICT OR GOING ON 100 FIXED
AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS
WHICH GIVE US AN EARLY INDICATOR
OF WHEN CRIMINALS ARE COMING
INTO THE CITY. WE KNOW THAT WHEN
WANTED OR STOLEN VEHICLES GO
INTO BEVERLY HILLS, THE
OCCUPANTS ARE USUALLY THERE TO
COMMIT ADDITIONAL CRIMES. SINCE
THE INCEPTION OF THE REAL TIME
WATCH CENTER. WE HAVE RECOVERED
OVER 200 STOLEN VEHICLES, WHICH
IS APPROXIMATELY DOUBLE OR
AVERAGE ANNUAL RATE. WE FLY
DRONES OVER BEVERLY HILLS 12
HOURS A DAY. MIRRORING ORPIK
CRIME TIMES AS DICTATED BY OUR
TEMPORAL CRIME DATA. AND IF YOU
COME INTO BEVERLY HILLS, WE PUT
UP A BIG SIGN SAYING POLICE
DRONE IN USE, SO EVERYONE KNOWS
OVER 100 AGENCIES SO FAR HAVE
VISITED OUR REAL TIME WATCH
CENTER. AND ALTHOUGH WE STARTED
THIS BEFORE THE GRANT, MANY OF
INDICATED THEY WILL USE GRANT
FUNDING TO START THEIR OWN REAL
TIME WATCH CENTERS. ADDITIONALLY
WE HAVE A SYSTEM CALLED LIVE 911
, WHICH ALLOWS US TO QUICKLY
GEOLOCATION CALLERS AND HAVE THE
CAMERA OPERATORS AND DRONES
PROMPTLY RESPOND TO THE VICTIM'S
LOCATION. WE CALL THIS CONCEPT
VIRTUAL TIME. ONE SCENE, WHICH
IS BEFORE PATROL UNIT CAN GET TO
A CALL THE CAMERA AND DRONE
OPERATORS ARE ALREADY THERE
VIRTUALLY ON SCENE WITHIN
SECONDS. DIRECTING OUR PATROL
UNITS TO THE VICTIM, THE SUSPECT
AND OR SUSPECTS OR VEHICLES. THE
RESULT IS THAT WE HAVE AN
EXCELLENT CAPTURE RATE OF
SUSPECTS, ALL BACKED UP BY
VIDEOS OF THEIR ACTIONS AND THE
ACTIONS OF OUR OFFICERS. AND WE
CALL THIS PRECISION POLICING
BECAUSE WE'RE NOT CASTING A WIDE
NET, BUT WE'RE GOING VERY
PRECISELY TO WHAT WE KNOW. ARE
THE CRIMINALS. UM JUST A LITTLE
SHOW AND TELL WHEN YOU GET
ARRESTED IN BEVERLY HILLS BEFORE
YOU LEAVE. WE GIVE YOU THIS
LITTLE CARD AND IT SAYS, DO NOT
CRIMINAL CRIME IN BEVERLY HILLS,
AND IT SHOWS ALL OF OUR
TECHNOLOGY AND EXPLAINS THAT IT
WILL BE USED TO CATCH YOU AND
PROSECUTE YOU TO THE FOREST
EXTENT OF THE LAW. AND ON THE
BACK. IT HAS RESOURCES ON HOW TO
GET, UM MENTAL HEALTH HELP JOB
PLACEMENT HOUSING, UM, DRUG AND
ALCOHOL PLACEMENT ALL THOSE KIND
OF RESOURCES THAT FOR SOMEONE
WHO WANTS TO STOP COMMITTING
CRIME AND START PARTICIPATING IN
AMBIENT SOCIETY. WE CAPTURE MANY
OF THE SUSPECTS IN THE ACTOR
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRIME. IF
THEY DO GET AWAY, WE HAVE
MULTIPLE VIDEO ANGLES OF
VEHICLES, DESCRIPTIONS,
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SUSPECT, AND
THIS GIVES US A SIGNIFICANT
ADVANTAGE WHEN INVESTIGATING
OPEN CASES AND FOLLOWING FOR
VERTICAL PROSECUTION ARE TROVE
OF INFORMATION, OFTEN ASSISTS
OTHER AGENCIES AND SOLVING THEIR
CRIMES. AND HIS LIEUTENANT KIM
MENTIONED WE TRY TO PUT AS MUCH
INFORMATION AS WE CAN INTO
INFORMATION SHARING SYSTEMS SO
OTHER AGENCIES CAN SEE THAT
HAVING THE ABILITY TO CAPTURE
MOST SUSPECTS IN THEIR VEHICLES
ON VIDEO HAS ALSO MADE US A
REGIONAL HUB OF INFORMATION
SHARING FOR OTHER AGENCIES, THE
GROUPS THAT COMMIT ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT IN BEVERLY HILLS
ALSO HIT OTHER HIGH END STORES
THROUGHOUT THE STATE. WE CAN
OFTEN IDENTIFY SUSPECTS AND
VEHICLES INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE
CRIMES ACROSS THE REGION.
BECAUSE CRIMINALS OFTEN CONDUCT
RECONNAISSANCE BEFORE COMMITTING
THE CRIME IF THEIR VEHICLES HAVE
ALREADY BEEN ENTERED INTO LAW
ENFORCEMENT DATABASES ARE ALPS
ALERTED TO THOSE VEHICLES, AND
WE CAN PREEMPT A CRIME AND
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
TO OTHER INVESTIGATING AGENCIES.
WE HOST A HIGH TECH CRIME UNIT
WITH ASSIGNED DETECTIVES FROM U
C L. A SANTA MONICA AND COVER
CITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS. THIS IS
ALLOWS US TO BE AN INFORMATION
SHARING HUB. OTHER CITIES ARE
CONSIDERING JOINING LAPD
RECENTLY ASSIGNED A DETECTIVE TO
US AND WE PROVIDE ONE DETECTIVE
TO THEIR REGIONAL RT TASK FORCE.
I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THE
IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION
SHARING DUE TO THE CROSS
JURISDICTIONAL CHALLENGES
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT PRESENTS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR
PROVIDING THE RT GRANT INTEND TO
CONTINUE TO ADD CAMERAS AND ALPS
TO REDUCE OUR GAPS IN COVERAGE.
WE ARE HIRING ADDITIONAL VIRTUAL
PATROL OFFICERS JUST TO MONITOR
OUR BUSINESS DISTRICTS AND WE'RE
TESTING TECHNOLOGY TO IN JUST
PRIVATE CAMERAS INTO OUR SYSTEM
SO WE CAN SEE REAL RETAILERS
CAMERAS IN REAL TIME. WE WANT TO
CONTINUE TO GROW AS A REGIONAL
COORDINATOR OF INFORMATION. WE
HAVE ALSO TRAINED A SERGEANT AND
AN OFFICER ON CRIME PREVENTION
THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN SO
THEY CAN WORK WITH RETAILERS TO
IMPROVE THEIR EXTERIOR AND
INTERIOR STORE SECURITY. ONE
CHALLENGE WITH CORPORATE
RETAILERS IS THAT THEY MUST
FOLLOW CORPORATE POLICY AND
SOMETIMES LOCAL STORES CANNOT
IMPLEMENT OR RECOMMENDATIONS. MY
THREE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE
COMMITTEE. OUR FIRST PLEASE
ENCOURAGE, ENABLE AND FUND
BETTER LAW ENFORCEMENT
INFORMATION SHARING. SECOND THE
PROPER AND LAWFUL USE OF
TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS CAMERAS,
DRONES AND ALPS IS A GAME
CHANGER AND CAN MAKE LAW
ENFORCEMENT MORE EFFECTIVE,
EFFICIENT AND FAIR IN THE
APPROPRIATE APPREHENSION AND
CONVICTION OF CRIMINALS. LASTLY
OUR LAWS HAVE BEEN WEAKENED OVER
THE LAST 10 YEARS, WHICH HAS
ALLOWED CRIME TO FLOURISH. WE
NEED THE TOOLS TO KEEP REPEAT
OFFENDERS AND CAREER CRIMINALS
IN PRISON AND THE PROGRAMS TO
HELP THOSE WILLING TO
REHABILITATE TO DO SO. THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TESTIMONY. NEXT WE'LL MOVE TO
JASON CAVITY CAPTAIN WITH A
CALIFORNIA HIGH PATROL. GOOD
AFTERNOON CHAIR COMMITTEE
MEMBERS. UM AND THANK YOU FOR
THE INVITE TODAY. MY NAME IS
JASON CABOT. I'M A CAPTAIN WITH
THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL.
AND THE COMMANDER OF THE FIELD
SUPPORT SECTION. UM AS THE
COMMANDER OF THE FIELD SUPPORT
SECTION, I OVERSEE THE
DEPARTMENTS OR C TASK FORCES AS
IT RELATES TO ADMINISTRATIVE AND
INVESTIGATIVE SUPPORT. YOU MAY
ASK WHAT WHAT DID THE CHP
GETTING INTO THE ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME? AND WHAT ARE WE
DOING HERE? WELL THE CALIFORNIA
STATE LEGISLATOR RECOGNIZED
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT AS AN
INCREASING CONCERN BACK IN 2018.
AND IN THAT SAME YEAR SEPTEMBER
2018 GOVERNOR BROWN TIME SIGNED
ASSEMBLY BILL 1065. REQUIRING
THE CALIFORNIA HIGH PATROL IN
COORDINATION WITH THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO CONVENE
A REGIONAL PROPERTY CRIMES TASK
FORCE. TO ASSIST LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT WITH LOGISTICAL
SUPPORT. AND OTHER LAW
ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES, INCLUDING
NOT LIMITED TO PERSONNEL AND
EQUIPMENT. GOVERNOR NEWSOM
SIGNED ASSEMBLY BILL 331 IN JULY
OF 2021. WHICH AUTHORIZED THE
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME TASK
FORCE TO REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL
JANUARY. 1ST 2026 AND COMMITTED
UNPRECEDENTED RESOURCES TO
EXPAND THE ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME TASK FORCE AND INCREASE
THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF
CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES. UH TO
THAT END, THE CHP CREATED THREE
REGIONAL TASK FORCES. ONE IN OUR
BAY AREA, WHICH IS OUR GOLDEN
GATE DIVISION ONE IN SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS OUR L. A
AREA. AND THEN, UM, BORDER
DIVISION, WHICH IS DOWN THE SAN
DIEGO AREA. WE ALSO HIRED TO
RETIRE TO NEW ATTEMPTS TO
PROVIDE STATEWIDE COORDINATION.
AND FOR CRIME ANALYSTS PROVIDE
ANALYTICAL AND SUPPLEMENTAL
INVESTIGATION SUPPORT. WHICH ARE
HOUSED HERE AT FIELD SUPPORT
SECTION FOR THE ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME UNITS. UM TO BOLSTER LAW
ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES IN THE
FIGHT AGAINST ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME, OR C AND SUPPORT AFFECTED
BUSINESSES. THE CHP HAS BEEN
RECEIVING $6 BILLION ANNUALLY.
IN THE 2023 THROUGH THE 2425
BUDGET YEAR AND WE'LL ONGOING
RESOURCES. WILL BE PROVIDED FOR
TOTALLING $15 MILLION ANNUALLY.
THIS INCREASE IN FUNDING ALLOWED
THE CHP TO EXPAND ITS OR CTF
OPERATIONS INTO THE SACRAMENTO
AND SAN JOAQUIN VALLEYS, WHICH
IS OUR UM VALLEY DIVISION AND
OUR CENTRAL DIVISION OFFICES. UH
HUH, AND PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED
ASSISTANCE TO ALLIED AGENCIES AS
WELL AS THE UNDERSERVED
RETAILERS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
THE CHP TEAMS ARE EACH COMPRISED
OF A SERGEANT AND A CERTAIN
NUMBER OF INVESTIGATORS AND
DEPENDING ON THE TASK FORCE,
SOME SUPPORT STAFF AS WELL. IT'S
GOOD WHEN A CASE GETS BIG OR FOR
CERTAIN OPERATIONS. WE USE TEAMS
FROM THE SUPPLEMENT OUR TEAMS
FROM PERSONNEL FROM OUR
INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES UNIT.
CARGO THEFT INTRODUCTION PROGRAM
INTERDICTION PROGRAM AND OTHER
SPECIALIZED UNITS AS NEEDED. IN
AUGUST OF 2023 IN RESPONSE TO
RECENT LARGE SCALE ORGANIZED
STEPS IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA.
THE CHP RECENTLY ADDED
ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL. TO ITS
ALREADY ESTABLISHED LOS ANGELES
AREA REGIONAL TASK FORCE AND IS
NOW COMPRISED OF TWO SERGEANTS
AND 11 INVESTIGATORS. THE
ORGANIZED RETAIL TIME RETAIL
CRIME TASK FORCES REGIONAL TEAMS
AS WELL AS ASSOCIATED
INVESTIGATORS IN THE SACRAMENTO
AND SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AREAS
CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE
INVESTIGATIONS OF ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME GROUPS, BOOSTERS
AND FENCES AND COLLABORATE WITH
OUR ALLIED AGENCIES, RETAILERS
AND LOSS PREVENTION TO CONDUCT
PROACTIVE OPERATIONS. SINCE THE
INCEPTION OF THE ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME TASK FORCE BACK IN
OCTOBER OF 2019. UNTIL JANUARY
OF 2024. THE CHP HAS BEEN
INVOLVED IN OVER 2200
INVESTIGATIONS. WHICH LED TO THE
ARREST OF OVER 2200 SUSPECTS.
THE RECOVERY OF. NEARLY 750,000
STOLEN ITEMS AT AN ESTIMATED
VALUE OF OVER $41 MILLION. UH
CHP HAS NEVER MEASURED OUR
SUCCESS AS IT RELATES TO THE
PROSECUTION OF CASES. UM BUT
TYPICALLY AFTER CASES FILED WITH
A DISTRICT ATTORNEY, WE DON'T
NECESSARILY CONTINUE TO TRACK
THE CASE TO ITS ADJUDICATION.
HOWEVER DUE TO RECENT INQUIRIES
AND THE INTEREST IN THAT ASPECT,
WE WILL BE, UH, TRYING TO TRACK
THOSE THINGS AS THEY GO THROUGH
INTO THE FUTURE. IN ADDITION TO
THE FUNDING, PROVIDED, UH TO THE
CHP FOR THE ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME TASK FORCES. UM GOVERNOR
NEWSOM ALLOCATED THE B. C B S C
C GRANTS, UH, IN UPWARDS OF 240
MILLION TO OUR ALLIED AGENCIES
AND NEARLY 30 MILLION TO THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS TO HELP AND
PROSECUTION. UM. WITH THE
ALLOCATION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING
FOR THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES AND DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S
GOING ALONG WITH ENACTED
REGULATION AND FUNDING PROVIDED
TO THE CHP. WE ANTICIPATE MAKING
A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN
COMBATING RETAIL THEFT, BUT IT
WILL TAKE SOME TIME. ALL THE
WAY, ALTHOUGH WE ARE OPTIMISTIC
WITH THE TOOLS AND FUNDING WE
HAVE BEEN PROVIDED THERE ARE
AREAS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED
UPON TO HELP COMBAT RETAIL THEFT
, WHICH GOVERNOR NEWSOM
ADDRESSING HIS 2024 25 BUDGET,
UH, BUDGET PROPOSAL IN THAT
PROPOSAL, HE INCLUDED AN
ADDITIONAL 373.5 MILLION. IN
GENERAL FUNDS OVER FOUR YEARS TO
BOLSTER LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
EFFORTS TO ADDRESS RETAIL THEFT.
AND TO EXPAND AND MAKE PERMANENT
CHP'S RETAIL CRIME TASK FORCES.
IN ADDITION, GOVERNOR NEWSOM
REQUESTED NEW LEGISLATION LOU
NEW LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS
RETAIL THEFT. UM, AS WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT IN MANY PANEL
MEMBERS UP HERE HAVE ALREADY
TALKED ABOUT, UM ORGANIZED
RETAIL CRIME HAS BECOME VERY
SOPHISTICATED OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS. UM IT'S NO LONGER
VIEWED AS SOMEONE TRYING TO
STEAL TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR
FAMILY OR GETTING MILK FOR THEIR
CHILDREN. THESE ORGANIZED RETAIL
CRIME GROUPS OFTEN OPERATE AS
WELL ORGANIZED CRIMINAL
NETWORKS. ORGANIZED CRIMINAL
CRIME SUSPECTS FREQUENTLY
TRAVERSED VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS.
ACROSS COUNTY LINES TARGETING
TARGETING NUMEROUS RETAILERS.
AND UH, SERGEANT MORRIS TALKED
ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
THINGS EARLIER IN HIS TESTIMONY.
UM BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'RE SEEING, UM, REGARDING THE
TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE
OBVIOUSLY THE ONES THAT GET A
LOT OF THE PRESS THAT GRAB AND
GO THE FLASH ROBBERIES. SMASH
AND GRABS, BUT WE'RE ALSO SEEING
POINT OF SALE. REGISTER FRAUD.
UM WE'VE SEEN SOME RETURN FRAUD,
AND OBVIOUSLY THERE WAS ALSO
COMMENT MADE ABOUT CARGO THEFT.
AND OBVIOUSLY THE FRESH FLASH
ROBBERIES IN THE SMASH AND GRAB
TAKEOVERS AT RETAIL STORES HAVE
BEEN HIGH PROFILE ONES TO GET
ALL THE MEDIA ATTENTION. OFFICER
NAVARRO HAS ALREADY TALKED ABOUT
, UM, THE DIFFERENT TYPE OF
OPERATIONS THAT THE CHP CONDUCTS
WITH THE BLITZ OPERATIONS. AND
THEN THE LONG TERM
INVESTIGATIONS. UM AND LET'S
SEE. DESIGNED TO TAKE DOWN THOSE
OPERATIONS OR MULTIPLE BOOSTERS.
AND I STAND READY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO MUCH
FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. THE
PANELISTS THAT ARE HERE ON PANEL
TWO. THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PANEL
ONE ANY, UM, COMMENTS DISCUSSION
FROM MY COLLEAGUES FROM THE
DIOCESE. YEAH I REMEMBER. I HAD
A QUICK QUESTION. IT'S THE CHP
INVOLVED VERY MUCH IN THE
INVESTIGATING ASPECT OF THE
FENCING COMPONENT, BECAUSE IT
SEEMS TO ME LIKE THAT'S VERY
INTERESTING ASPECT BECAUSE.
SEEMS LIKE THESE ITEMS HAVE VERY
LITTLE VALUE UNLESS THE RESULT
AND SO I WONDERED IF YOU HAVE
ANY DATA OR ANY KIND OF
INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO THE
FENCING ASPECT. I DON'T HAVE ANY
DATA WITH ME OFF HAND. BUT WHAT
SPECIFICALLY ARE YOU LOOKING
FOR? AND I CAN BRING THAT BACK
TO THE COMMITTEE LATER LEVEL OF
SUCCESS THAT THEY MIGHT BE
HAVING AND FINDING THESE
OPERATIONS THAT ARE
REDISTRIBUTING THESE ARE THERE'S
A STOLEN GOODS THAT'S ACTUALLY
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS REALLY
TRYING TO, UM SO PART OF THE
FIELD SPORTS SECTION. WE DO A
LOT OF TRACKING AS FAR AS THE
STATS GO, AND WE PROVIDE A LOT
OF TALKING POINTS FOR WHAT WE'RE
DOING AS A DEPARTMENT. UM AND
WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT CAN WE TRACK? WHAT ARE
THE WHAT ARE THE SUCCESSES? WHAT
ARE THE FAILURES? WHERE CAN WE
IMPROVE IN THOSE TYPES OF
THINGS? BUT I CAN DEFINITELY TRY
TO FIGURE OUT HOW SUCCESSFUL WE
ARE WHEN FINDING THOSE FENCES,
BUT REALLY, IT BECOMES A CASE BY
CASE WE FOUND THIS FENCE. WHAT
DO WE NOT FINDING THAT WE SHOULD
BE FINDING IT REALLY BECOMES A
DIFFICULT THING TO TRACK. I
APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I DO KNOW THAT
THAT THAT WOULD BE VERY
DIFFICULT TO TRACK. BUT I DO
THINK THAT WE SHOULD TRY TO
FIGURE OUT SOME KIND OF WAY TO
IDENTIFY BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME
LIKE THAT IS THE REAL HUGE
CHALLENGE AND THIS WHOLE
ADVENTURE AS THE RESALE PIECE
BECAUSE IT HAS VERY LITTLE VALUE
AS AN ITEM ITSELF. UNTIL IT'S
RESOLD. IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD
BE PROBABLY THE MORE DIFFICULT
ASPECT BUT ALSO VERY CRITICAL
ASPECT. TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
ARE THERE? RECOVERING ALL THESE
THESE FUNDS, THERE'S A LIST OF
FUNDS. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR
TESTIMONY. UM HERE TODAY, UM,
FOLLOWING BACK UP WITH THE B S.
C C AND LOOKING AT THE REST
CONVICTIONS THAT, UM SO REMEMBER
, LACKEY TALKED ABOUT BUT ALSO I
KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT
INFORMATION BACK TO US, BUT
WITHIN THOSE GRANTS, AND IN
THOSE CRITERIA, THAT'S THERE.
COULD YOU ALSO TALK ABOUT THE
AVERAGE TIME THAT THOSE THAT ARE
INCARCERATED? UM FOR THIS
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ARE ACTUALLY
SERVING BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING
TO HAVE A LOT OF ARRESTS, BUT
IT'S ANOTHER TO FIND OUT IF
THEY'RE BEING INCARCERATED OR
WHAT TYPE OF PUNISHMENT IS THERE
FOR THEM MOVING FORWARD WITHIN
THAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY THAT GOES
BACK TO SOME OF THE
PROSECUTION'S SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT WE KNOW NEEDS TO BE DONE
CAN THAT ALSO BE ADDED INTO THAT
OR SOME INFORMATION COMING BACK
ON THAT COMPONENT OF IT? UM I'M
HAPPY TO CARRY THE QUESTION BACK
TO OUR RESEARCH TEAM. UM I DON'T
I DON'T KNOW HOW POSSIBLE THAT
WOULD BE TO DO RIGHT OFF THE TOP
OF MY HEAD, SO I CAN CERTAINLY
COMMIT TO LOOKING INTO IT AND
LETTING YOU KNOW THANK YOU. AND
ALSO, WE COULD PUT THAT TO THE
REGIONS WERE SOME OF THESE
GRANTS ARE BEING AWARDED TO FIND
OUT THEN IS THE COUNTY MOVING
FORWARD ONTO SOME OF THOSE
PROSECUTIONS? ARE WE RUNNING TO
THAT? THAT UM, THAT BARRIER THAT
WE HEARD EARLIER ON A PANEL AND
EVEN WITHIN THIS PANEL ITSELF.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND IN CHIEF
WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM THE
REAL TIME WATCH CENTERS THAT WAS
PUT ON WITH THE FUNDING FROM THE
DEPARTMENT'S GENERAL FUND. OR
WAS THAT ALSO THROUGH GRANTS?
INITIALLY WE FUNDED THAT THROUGH
THE DEPARTMENT. HOWEVER NOW THAT
WE DO HAVE WE RECEIVED A $4.5
MILLION GRANT, WE DO INTEND TO
EXPAND SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES
TEST NEW TECHNOLOGY. AND WE'RE
REALLY COMMITTED TO BEING MORE
OF A REGIONAL HUB OF INFORMATION
AND THE YOU KNOW, WEST LOS
ANGELES LOS ANGELES REGION
BECAUSE BEVERLY HILLS IS SUCH A
TARGET, AND, UM, OBVIOUSLY, UH,
YOU KNOW, THEY USED TO ASK THE
BANK ROBBER WHITEY ROB BANKS IS
THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY IS
SIMILAR BEVERLY HILLS. WHY WOULD
YOU COME TO BEVERLY HILLS?
THERE'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND
GETTING REALLY EXPENSIVE. I
ITEMS THAT ARE STOLEN. SO UM, WE
DO INTEND TO EXPAND THE
CAPABILITIES OF THE REAL TIME
WATCH CENTER WITH THE GRANT. BUT
WE ALSO WANT TO BE A PLACE WHERE
PEOPLE CAN COME AND SEE WHAT
WE'VE DONE. WELL WHAT WERE THE
CHALLENGES SOME OF THE MISTAKES
WE MADE, AND, UM, BE ABLE TO
START THEIR OWN REAL TIME WATCH
CENTERS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT
IN SHARING THAT INFORMATION,
IT'S ALL GONNA MAKE US MUCH
BETTER. AND THE TECHNOLOGY WILL
NEVER REPLACE PEOPLE. BUT WHAT
IT DOES IS MAKE THE OFFICERS IN
THE FIELD VERY MUCH MORE
EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT. UM AND
REALLY FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT
CRIMINALS AT THE RIGHT TIME. UH,
SO I THINK THAT'S WHY WE'VE BEEN
VERY EFFECTIVE AND WE APPRECIATE
THE FUNDING THROUGH THE GRANT.
DO YOU THINK THAT FUNDING IN
THAT TYPE OF ASPECT FOR, UM REAL
TIME WATCH CENTERS WOULD BE A
PROACTIVE APPROACH TO THE RETAIL
THEFT? OH ABSOLUTELY THE RETAIL
THEFT AND MANY OTHER CRIMES AS
WELL. UM BUT ESPECIALLY, YOU
KNOW WHAT I EXPLAINED TO CITIES
BECAUSE OF THOSE, TO BE HONEST,
THEY'LL SAY, WELL, YOU'RE FROM
BEVERLY HILLS. YOU KNOW, YOU CAN
AFFORD ALL THIS. THE TECHNOLOGY
IS GETTING LESS AND LESS
EXPENSIVE AND GETTING BETTER AND
BETTER. AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO
USE IT EVERYWHERE. YOU KNOW YOU
YOU LOOK AT YOUR CRIME DATA. YOU
LOOK ON A MAP AND SHOW WHERE THE
PROBLEMS ARE. YOU ANALYZE, KIND
OF WHERE CRIMINALS COME IN AND
OUT OF THE CITY, FOR EXAMPLE,
THAT'S MAYBE WHERE YOU PUT YOUR
AL PRS PUT YOUR CAMERAS IN
STRATEGIC LOCATIONS. USE DRONES
AT STRATEGIC TIMES. AND YOU USE
THEM ALL IN CONCERT. EVERY ONE
OF THOSE TECHNOLOGIES IS GREAT
IN IT OF ITSELF, BUT WHEN YOU
USE THEM TOGETHER, IT'S VERY
POWERFUL, AND IT GIVES THE
PERSON OFFICER IN THE FIELD
WHOLE BACKING BEHIND THEM. UM SO
THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO GO
AND EXACTLY WHAT CAR TO STOP OR
WHAT PERSON TO INTERDICT. UM SO
IT'S VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE AND
THEN TAKE THAT AND NOT ONLY THE
INVESTIGATIVE SIDE OF IT ALL THE
VIDEO AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE
FOR EVIDENCE. BUT YOU TAKE THAT
THE COURT IS VERY POWERFUL
BECAUSE THEY CAN SEE THE CRIME
TAKE PLACE ALL THE WAY FROM WHEN
THE PERSON IS CAUGHT. AND THEN,
UM, IN THE CASES FILED THAT HAS
A LOT OF DATA WITH IT. IT'S ALSO
VERY CHALLENGING BECAUSE IT HAS
A LOT OF DATA WITH IT. AND SO
THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH AS
MUCH DATA THAT WE HAVE COMING IN
THROUGH THE VIDEO CAMERAS. UM
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S
INVALUABLE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO
BACKTRACK A CRIME AND FIGURE OUT
THAT SAY THE PERSON THAT WAS
ROBBED IN L. A THEY WERE
ACTUALLY COMING OUT OF A
RESTAURANT IN BEVERLY HILLS, AND
SOMEONE FOLLOWED THEM OFF TO LOS
ANGELES AND ROBBED THEM THERE,
AND THERE'S NOT MUCH INFORMATION
AND THAT SIDE OF TOWN BUT WHEN
THEY BACKTRACK IT BACK TO
BEVERLY HILLS, AND THEY SAY, I
WAS IN A RESTAURANT IN BEVERLY
HILLS, OR VICE VERSA. THEN UM,
WE'RE ABLE TO SHARE THAT DATA
AND THAT INFORMATION AND
ULTIMATELY MAKE AN ARREST AND
GET A CONVICTION. THANK YOU. AND
JUST ONE MORE FOLLOW UP
QUESTION. UM YOU MENTIONED THE
USE OF DRONES. AND WE'VE HEARD
THROUGHOUT THIS DISCUSSION HERE
TODAY TO THIS POINT THAT THINGS
ARE EVOLVING. THE CRIMINAL
ASPECT IS EVOLVING INTO
INTERNATIONAL RINGS AND EVEN
MORE SOPHISTICATION WITHIN THE
THOSE PERPETRATING THIS CRIME IS
LAW ENFORCEMENT ALSO ANNOUNCED
TASKED WITH EVOLVING UM. TO MEET
THAT THAT EVOLVING ASPECT ON THE
CRIMINAL ASPECT TO NOW, WITH THE
LAW ENFORCEMENT ASPECT, SO
EVOLVING INTO MORE NEEDS FOR
DRONES FOR DATA FOR THOSE THINGS
THAT MIGHT NOT, UM COME TO THE
TOP OF YOUR MIND WHEN WE TALK
ABOUT CRIMINAL ELEMENTS AND
TRYING TO HELP CURB SOME OF
THESE THINGS. THAT'S RETAIL
THEFT. SO ON THE DRONES. DRONES
ARE FIRST OF ALL VERY EFFECTIVE
AND VERY EFFICIENT WHEN YOU
COMPARE THEM. FOR EXAMPLE, TWO
HELICOPTERS, WHICH ALSO ANNOY
PEOPLE WITH THE NOISE AND ALL OF
THOSE KIND OF THINGS, AND SO FOR
A VERY, VERY SMALL PRICE. YOU
CAN DO A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS
WITH A DRONE, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY
DON'T IT DOESN'T COME WITHOUT
ITS CHALLENGES. BUT UM,
ESSENTIALLY, ANY DEPARTMENT CAN
FLY A DRONE AND HAVE THE FUNDING
TO FLY A DRONE BECAUSE IT'S VERY
INEXPENSIVE. BUT UM, YOU KNOW,
THEY CAN'T AFFORD A HELICOPTER.
UM, ON ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'RE
SEEING CRIMINALS USE HIGH TECH
CAPABILITY TO WE'VE SEEN
CRIMINALS USE DRONES. SO NOW YOU
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT COUNTER
DRONE CAPABILITY. WE'VE SEEN
THEM USE OTHER KIND OF JUST OFF
THE SHELF CAMERAS, JAMMERS. ALL
KINDS OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO
INTERDICT OUR EFFORTS TO TRY TO
STOP THEM. SO WE'RE ALWAYS
PLAYING THIS GAME OF WHO CAN USE
TECHNOLOGY FIRST AND MOST
EFFECTIVELY. BUT I REALLY
BELIEVE THAT IN BEVERLY HILLS
WERE WHAT I CALL POLICING 2030.
EVERYBODY IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS
WILL BE USING DRONES, CAMERAS,
AL PRS LIVE 911 THOSE TYPES OF
SYSTEMS BECAUSE JUST LIKE WE
WENT TO BODY CAMERAS, AND IT
GIVES YOU ONE PERSPECTIVE. OUR
OUR OFFICERS ARE ON DRONE
CAMERAS THERE ON STREET LEVEL
CAMERAS. THEN THEY HAVE THEIR
BODY CAM AND HAVE THEIR VEHICLE
CAMERAS. SO WE CAPTURE MULTIPLE,
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT ANGLES OF THE
CRIME, AND WE ALSO ARE ABLE TO
MAKE SURE OFFICERS ARE DOING THE
RIGHT THINGS AND WE CAN USE THEM
FOR TRAINING OR DEBRIEFING OR
REFUTING CLAIMS OR IF WE HAVE TO
DISCIPLINE OFFICERS SHOWING THAT
AN OFFICER DID SOMETHING WRONG,
YOU KNOW FOR THE JUSTICE PIECE
OF THAT THAT'S EFFECTIVE AS
WELL. SO THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD
THINGS ABOUT IT, AND I ALWAYS
LIKE TO BRAG. WE HAD 66,000
CALLS FOR SERVICE LAST YEAR, WE
ONLY HAD 31 CITIZEN COMPLAINTS
AND NONE WERE SUSTAINED. AND I
THINK THAT'S BECAUSE THE
OFFICERS REALIZED THERE ON
CAMERA EVERY DAY AS WELL. AND
THEN THE SUSPECTS REALIZE IT
WHEN THEY'RE CAUGHT, AND WE TAKE
THEM TO JAIL, AND THEY GO TO
COURT AND THEY GO. OH, MY GOSH.
ALL THAT WAS CAUGHT ON VIDEO. SO
THAT'S A VERY POWERFUL
STATEMENT. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
ALSO THANK YOU FOR SHARING WITH
US THE MATERIAL. YOU HAND OUT TO
THOSE THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE
BEVERLY HILLS, THEY SEE ALL THE
RESOURCES THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
HAS, BUT ALSO RESOURCES FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL THAT IF THEY NEED
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, ANY OF
THOSE OTHER AREAS THAT THEY HAVE
A CARD TO GO TO. SO THANK YOU
FOR BEING HAPPY TO GIVE YOU ONE.
YEAH. AND CAPTAIN, UM, CAVITY ON
YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE THOSE
IN THE TASK THAT THE CHP HAS NOW
BEEN ENGAGED IN WITH THE RETAIL
THEFT, THE BOOSTING THE FENCING,
BUT YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT
PERSONNEL. UM LOCATION AND
RELOCATION. SO YOU DO YOU TALKED
EARLIER ABOUT SENDING SOME MORE
PERSONNEL DOWN TO THE ALLEY
AREA. RIGHT OR WAS IT THE
OAKLAND AREA? AND HOW IS THAT
DECISION MADE? IS IT BASED ON A
SPIKE THAT YOU SEE OR WITH THE
COLLABORATION OF WHAT YOU'RE
HEARING FROM, UM, AGENCIES THAT
ARE FROM THE AREA. HOW HOW IS
THAT DECISION BEING MADE,
HOWEVER TROLLS SOMEWHAT UNIQUE
IN THE SENSE THAT WE HAVE A WE
HAVE OUR COMMISSIONER WHO IS
WHO'S IN CHARGE OF THE
DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE. BUT OUR
DEPARTMENT IS SO SPREAD OUT THAT
WE HAVE DIFFERENT CHIEFS IN
CHARGE OF DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL
LOCATIONS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND THOSE CHIEFS HAVE A LITTLE
BIT OF LATITUDE AS FAR AS WHERE
THEY REDISTRIBUTE THEIR OWN
OFFICERS AND THE ONE I TALKED
ABOUT WHERE THEY INCREASED THEIR
TASK FORCE BY A SERGEANT AND
ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATORS. THAT
WAS IN THE L. A AREA FOR THE L.
A TASK FORCE AND BASED OFF OF
CONVERSATIONS AND CRIMES THAT
WAS OCCURRING IN THE L, A AREA,
THEY DECIDED TO INCREASE THEIR
NUMBERS OF FOR THAT TASK FORCE
ITSELF. UM WHEN IT COMES TO
RESOURCES AND EXPANDING TO THE
VALLEY DIVISION AND THE CENTRAL
DIVISION UM, IT'S STILL A WORK
IN PROGRESS, GETTING OFFICERS
AND INVESTIGATORS INTO THOSE
ROLES, BUT THOSE ARE HANDLED IN
THOSE SPECIFIC DIVISIONS WITH
GUIDES AND RECOMMENDATIONS AND
FUNDING COMING FROM THE STATE.
THANK YOU. AND YOU ALSO
MENTIONED ABOUT FUNDING THAT
WENT TO THE I BELIEVE TO THE
TOWARDS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS
FOR PROSECUTION. UM HOW IS THAT
VETTING OUT AS FAR AS THAT THOSE
DOLLARS BEING SPENT THAT WAY FOR
THAT PROSECUTION COMPONENT? HOW
HOW IS IT BEING UNDERSTANDING
QUESTIONS? SO IF I UNDERSTAND IT
RIGHT DOLLARS CAME FROM THE
STATE TO CHP FOR TO LOOK AT
THOSE AREAS THAT WERE RETAIL
THEFT IS GOING ON. BUT THERE WAS
ALSO DOLLARS ALLOCATED, UM, THAT
YOU MENTIONED TO THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEYS IN THE STATE FOR
PROSECUTING THOSE CRIMES. I
GUESS THAT'S THE MATRIX THAT I'M
LOOKING FOR. ON THAT. I WAS JUST
KIND OF HIGHLIGHTING THE FUNDS
THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR US TO
REALLY MAKE A DENT IN THIS WHOLE
PROCESS, RIGHT? I TOOK
SPECIFICALLY ON THE FUNDS THAT
WERE ALLOCATED TO THE HIGHER
PATROL TO COMBAT RETAIL CRIME,
BUT ALSO THE FUNDS ISSUED BY
BEAST. YES C C B S C. C HE WAS
SPEAKING OF OUR GRANT QUESTIONS
GOING TOWARDS YOURSELF. SURE
ABSOLUTELY. SO THE VERTICAL
PROSECUTION GRANT, UM, WAS ALSO
MADE AVAILABLE LAST YEAR, AND IN
SEPTEMBER WE AWARDED ALMOST $25
MILLION OUT TO 13 DISTRICT
ATTORNEY'S, UM THERE IS A
HANDOUT HERE. I SEE JENNIFER HAS
IT. UM ACROSS THE, UH, GOOD
GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, UM OF
THE STATE. AND SO THOSE 13 DÍAS
OFFICES WILL BE FORMING VERTICAL
PROSECUTION TEAMS AND THEY'RE
THEY'RE GETTING STARTED ON THAT
AND WE'LL BE GETTING REGULAR
INFORMATION AND UPDATES FROM
THOSE D A S ON THE PROGRESS
THEY'RE MAKING TOWARDS
ADDRESSING ORGANIZED RETAIL
THEFT. OKAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY ON
THIS PANEL AND BRINGING UP THIS
MUCH NEEDED INFORMATION AND
CERTAINLY IF YOU LEAVE THE CARDS
WILL GO AHEAD AND PASS THEM OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AS WE
TRANSITION TO PANEL THREE.
WILL BE MOVING TO PANEL THREE.
WHAT DOES THE DATA TELL US ABOUT
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT IN
CALIFORNIA? WE HAVE, UM THOMAS.
NO SWIG. LEGAL DIRECTOR
COMMITTEE ON REVISION OF THE
PENAL CODE AND RICK COHEN SENIOR
STAFF COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON
REVISION OF THE PENAL CODE.
THANK YOU. CHAIR RAMOS AND GOOD
GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD EVENING.
I'M TOM NOZZLE. IT'S AS YOU SAID
THE LEGAL DIRECTOR OF THE
COMMITTEE AND REVISION OF THE
PENAL CODE, AND I'M HERE AT MY
COLLEAGUE RICK COHEN, WHO'S
SENIOR STAFF COUNSEL FOR THE
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
HAVING US HERE AND THANKS TO THE
STAFF AS WELL, FOR ALL THE HELP
THEY HAVE GIVEN US AND HELPING
PREPARE FOR TODAY. I JUST WANTED
TO TALK VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT WHAT
THE COMMITTEE ON THE PENAL CODE
IS. IT'S A RELATIVELY NEW
ENTITY, AND THEN I'LL TURN TO
THE DATA AND GO THROUGH IT AS
QUICKLY AS I CAN. AND OBVIOUSLY
FEEL FREE TO STOP US AT ANY
POINT ALONG THE WAY, IF ANY
QUESTIONS COME UP, SO THE
COMMITTEE ON REVISION OF THE
PENAL CODE IS A STATE ENTITY
THAT WAS CREATED BY THE
LEGISLATURE TO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT ALL
ASPECTS OF CRIMINAL LAW IN THE
STATE. THERE'S SEVEN FOLKS ON
THE COMMITTEE, INCLUDING SOMEONE
FROM THE ASSEMBLY HERE, THE
COMMITTEE'S GOALS THAT ARE MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT IMPROVE
PUBLIC SAFETY WHILE REDUCING
UNNECESSARY INCARCERATION AND
IMPROVING EQUITY. UM THE STAFF
IS VERY SMALL. IT'S ON THE LEGAL
SIDE. YOU'RE SEEING TWO THIRDS
OF THE STAFF RIGHT NOW, SO WE'RE
RELATIVELY SMALL ENTITY, BUT
WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF SUPPORT
FROM THE LEGISLATURE,
PARTICULARLY IN, UH, WORKING
WITH RESEARCHERS AT UC BERKELEY.
IT'S SOMETHING CALLED THE
CALIFORNIA POLICY LAB. SO WE'RE
VERY HAPPY TO PRESENT THE DATA
WE HAVE HERE TODAY. AND I JUST
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE KNOWN AS
A RESOURCE FOR YOURSELF AND ALL
YOUR COLLEAGUES FOR ANY ANY DATA
RESEARCH, ANYTHING WE CAN
PROVIDE ON PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES
AS YOU ALL WORK ON THESE ISSUES.
UM BUT I WANT TO TURN TO THE
DATA TODAY. YOU KNOW, WE THE
COMMITTEE TRIES TO MAKE ITS
RECOMMENDATIONS IS DATA DRIVEN
AS POSSIBLE, AND SO I WANT TO
WALK THROUGH SOME OVERALL CRIME
TRENDS IN CALIFORNIA AND THEN
HAVE A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON
OFFENSES THAT OCCUR IN ON RETAIL
SETTINGS. SO WE HAVE A COLORFUL
HAND OUT HERE THAT I'LL SORT OF
USED TO GUIDE THE REMARKS. UM
I'LL GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF
BACKGROUND THE DATA FIRST. SO
THIS IS ALL DATA FROM THE
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE, WHICH COLLECTS REPORTS
FROM EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY IN THE STATE ABOUT CRIMES
THAT ARE KNOWN TO THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. SO THIS IS
NOT PURPORTING TO BE EVERY
OFFENSE THAT HAPPENS IN THE
STATE. IT'S ONES THAT ARE KNOWN
TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, EITHER,
TYPICALLY THROUGH SOMEONE
CALLING OR THEY LEARNED ABOUT IT
THROUGH SOME OTHER WAY. WE WERE
ABLE TO GO BACK DECADES WITH
WITH THIS DATA, AND THAT'S SORT
OF WHAT'S ON PAGE ONE. HERE WE
LOOK AT OVERALL VIOLENT AND
PROPERTY CRIME RATES. FOR THE
ENTIRE STATE, WHICH IS THAT
DOTTED BLACK LINE. YOU KNOW,
THERE'S A LOT OF COLORS HERE,
AND I'LL ADDRESS THOSE IN A
SECOND, BUT VIOLENT CRIME AND
PROPERTY CRIME AND THE RATE IS
PER 100,000 PEOPLE SO WE CAN
LOOK AT DIFFERENT REGIONS
CONTROL FOR POPULATION AND SORT
OF DO APPLES TO APPLES. THE BIG
PICTURE STORY HERE IS THAT BOTH
VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIME ARE
HISTORIC LOWS AND ARE DOWN
SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE HIGHS IN
THE EIGHTIES AND THE NINETIES.
IN PARTICULAR, VIOLENT CRIME IS
HALF OF WHAT IT WAS IN THE IN
THE AT ITS PEAK RATE IN 1992 AND
PROPERTY CRIME IS 66% LOWER THAN
IT WAS AT ITS PEAK IN 1980. SO I
THINK THAT CONTEXT IS IMPORTANT
AS WE AS WE, UM WHENEVER WE TALK
ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, AND
NOW THE COLORED LINES ARE
DIFFERENT REGIONS HOW YOU KNOW
THOSE THOSE RATES WERE OVER TIME
, OBVIOUSLY NOT GOING TO GO
THROUGH EACH OF THOSE HERE, BUT
I THINK THE TAKEAWAY HERE IS
THAT THIS IS THE STORY OF
STATEWIDE IS THAT YOU KNOW, WITH
SOME VARIATION AND TIMING AND
DETAILS, BUT EVERY PART OF THE
STATE HAS SEEN THESE DROPS IN
CRIME OVER TIME. UM AND AGAIN, I
CAN PROVIDE MORE DETAILS ON
PARTICULAR CITIES COUNTIES,
WHATEVER IS HELPFUL TO THE
COMMITTEE OR YOURSELF. CHAIR
RAMOS JUST FEEL FREE TO FOLLOW
UP WITH US NOW, PAGE TWO STARTS
LOOKS AT OFFENSES THAT OCCUR IN
RETAIL SETTINGS, AND THERE ARE
THREE HERE THAT ARE RELEVANT.
WHETHER IT'S A LITTLE BIT. UM
COMPLICATED ABOUT WHAT KIND OF
CONCLUSION WE CAN DRAW FROM IT,
SO THE THREE OFFENSES ARE
SHOPLIFTING, NON RESIDENTIAL
BURGLARY AND COMMERCIAL ROBBERY,
AND THE CHART ON PAGE TWO HERE
SHOWS JUST THE STATEWIDE RATES
FROM 1985 TO 2022 FOR THOSE
THREE OFFENSES, AND WE SEE THE
SAME STORY THAT WE SAW ON PAGE
ONE, WHICH IS THESE OFFENSES ARE
ALL DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM
THEIR HEIGHTS. UM AND OF COURSE,
WE SEE THAT THE BURGLARY AND
SHOPLIFTING. THERE'S JUST MORE
OF THOSE THAN THERE ARE
ROBBERIES IN THE STATE. THAT
TAKES US AND THEN I'M GONNA ZOOM
IN A LITTLE BIT ON EACH OF THOSE
DEFENSES AND JUST TALK ABOUT
WHAT THE DATA SHOWS ON WHAT IT
DOES WHAT IT DOESN'T SHOW, SO
PAGE THREE, HAS A SHOPLIFTING
RATE IN CALIFORNIA, FROM 2010 TO
2022. AND A BRIEF ASIDE. THE
REASON WE STOPPED AT 2022 IS
BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE DATA
STOPS. THERE'S ABOUT AT LEAST A
SIX MONTH DELAY IN GETTING DATA
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
SO WE WON'T HAVE 2023 DATA UNTIL
THIS SUMMER. AND THEN WE WILL
HAVE 2024 UNTIL NEXT SUMMER, SO
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE TO DEAL
WITH THESE DELAYS. THAT'S WHY WE
STOPPED AT 2022, SO THE
SHOPLIFTING RATE IS SHOWN ON
PAGE THREE. THE HEADLINE HERE IS
THAT IT'S 7% LOWER IN 2022 THAN
IT WAS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, SO
THE SHOPLIFTING RATE IS LOWER
THAN IT WAS BEFORE COVID STARTED
AND SHOPLIFTING IS TAKING
SOMETHING FROM A STORE,
REGARDLESS OF VALUE. SO THIS
COVERS, UM YOU KNOW, SORT OF
SPEAKS FOR ITSELF SHOPLIFTING.
UNFORTUNATELY BURGLARY AND
ROBBERY, WHICH ARE ON THE NEXT
PAGES ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE
COMPLICATED. UM AND THAT TAKES
US TO PAGE FOUR, WHICH IS
COMMERCIAL ROBBERY. ROBBERY IS A
VIOLENT OFFENSE IS WHEN YOU TAKE
SOMETHING AND USE FORCE OR FEAR
TO TAKE IT, AND THE DATA HERE
SHOWS COMMERCIAL ROBBERY, WHICH
IS ROBBERIES THAT ARE DONE AT A
COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT. NOW,
THIS INCLUDES BOTH RETAIL STORES
, GAS STATIONS, CONVENIENCE
STORES, BUT ALSO OTHER
COMMERCIAL PLACES LIKE
RESTAURANTS, HOTELS AND IN
PLACES LIKE THAT, SO IT'S NOT
LIMITED. JUST TWO RETAIL STORES.
WE CANNOT EXTRACT FROM THE FROM
THE DATA. THE DOJ PROVIDES JUST
ROBBERIES AT RETAIL STORES. NO
ONE CAN DO THAT, BECAUSE THEY
GROUP ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER
AND SORT OF A COMMERCIAL
CATEGORY. BUT WITH THOSE CAVEATS
THERE, WE CAN SEE THAT THE
COMMERCIAL ROBBERY RATE IN 2022
WAS HIGHER ABOUT 8% HIGHER THAN
IT WAS IN 2019. BUT ABOUT WHERE
IT WAS IN 2017. AND AS YOU CAN
SEE, LOOKING AT THE GRAPHICS
THAT THE CHART THERE IS SOME
VARIATION YEAR TO YEAR, BUT IT'S
YOU KNOW, UM SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER
THAN IT WAS TWO IN THE 19
NINETIES. OKAY ALMOST DONE ON
THE ON THE ON THE CHARTS. LAST
ONE IS ON PAGE FIVE HERE, AND
THIS IS NON RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY
. SO BURGLARY IS A KIND OF A
FUNKY OFFENSE. THAT'S WHEN THEY
LIKE TO USE AND LAW SCHOOL EXAMS
TO TRICK PEOPLE UP. AND BURGLARY
IS ENTERING A STRUCTURE WITH THE
INTENT TO COMMIT A THEFT OR
FELONY, SO BASICALLY BREAKING IN
SOMEWHERE AND THE NON
RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY. OUR
BURGLARIES OF PLACES THAT AREN'T
HOUSES, SO JUST LIKE WITH
COMMERCIAL ROBBERY. THIS
INCLUDES STORES, BUT IT ALSO
INCLUDES OFFICES THE WORDS
FACILITIES, WAREHOUSES, ANYTHING
THAT ISN'T AT HOME. UM AND WE
SEE IN 2022 THAT THE NON
RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY RATE IS THE
HIGHEST. IT'S BEEN SINCE 22,008.
BUT IT'S HALF THE RATE IT WAS IN
1995 AND WE SEE. UNLIKE
SHOPLIFTING AND COMMERCIAL
ROBBERY, THIS RATE ACTUALLY
INCREASED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
SORT OF MAKES SENSE. MORE PLACES
ARE CLOSED MORE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PLACES TO BREAK INTO, AND
THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN
OPEN. SO THAT IS A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT THE DATA SHOWS ON.
THESE OFFENSES THAT ARE CAN
OCCUR IN RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS.
I THINK THE HEADLINE IS THE ONE
OFFENSE THAT IS LIMITED TO
RESALE ESTABLISHMENT
SHOPLIFTING. IN 2022 WAS DOWN
COMPARED TO WHAT? IT WAS PRE
PANDEMIC. AND SO NOW, MY
COLLEAGUE RICK, WE'LL TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT DATA WE
HAVE. AND MOST OF WHAT WE DON'T
HAVE. UNFORTUNATELY ABOUT
ORGANIZED RETAIL CRIME. YES
THANK YOU. SO THE LEGISLATURE
CREATED ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT
AS A SPECIFIC OFFENSE, PENAL
CODE SECTION 4 90.4 THAT COULD
LEAD TO ARREST AND PROSECUTION.
JUST BEGINNING IN 2019. AND THE
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT OFFENSE
IT ALLOWS CHARGING NOT ONLY WHEN
TWO OR MORE PEOPLE STEAL ITEMS
WITH THE INTENT TO RESELL THEM,
BUT ALSO WHEN TWO OR MORE PEOPLE
PURCHASE OR POSSESS PROPERTY
THAT THEY KNOW IS STOLEN OR WORK
TOGETHER TO CARRY OUT A PLAN TO
COMMIT ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT.
SO THE STATUTE THAT THE
LEGISLATURE CREATED IS ACTUALLY
VERY BROAD. DATA ON ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT IS LIMITED. AND
THAT'S BECAUSE WHETHER A THEFT
IS PART OF AN ORGANIZED CRIME IS
USUALLY SOMETHING THAT'S
DETERMINED AFTER INVESTIGATION
BY LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND IT'S
SOMETHING THAT USUALLY IS
UNKNOWN AT THE TIME THAT THE
CRIME IS REPORTED TO THE POLICE.
THIS MEANS THAT, UNLIKE OTHERS,
CRIME CATEGORIES LIKE
SHOPLIFTING, BURGLARY AND
ROBBERY. THERE IS NO DATA THAT
TRACKS REPORTS OF ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT IN CALIFORNIA.
HOWEVER USING DATA MAINTAINED BY
THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE. WE ARE ABLE TO SEE HOW
MANY PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED AND
CONVICTED OF THE SPECIFIC
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT OFFENSE
IN THE 1ST 3.5 YEARS SINCE IT'S
BEEN CREATED. THERE WERE A
LITTLE MORE THAN 2300 SUCH
ARREST AND ABOUT 150
CONVICTIONS. UNDER CALIFORNIA'S
ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT STATUE.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE NUMBERS
WERE LIKELY IMPACTED BY THE
COVID 19 PANDEMIC. DURING WHICH
WE GENERALLY SAW FEWER ARRESTS
AND CONVICTIONS. OUTSIDE OF THE
DATA FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE. THEY'RE JUST NOT APPEAR
TO BE ANY RELIABLE MEASUREMENT.
OF THE FREQUENCY OF ORGANIZED
RETAIL THEFT. THANK YOU, AND I'M
HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. SO
ON SOME OF THE DATA I KNOW. UM
WE STARTED OFF GOING BACK TO 85.
AND THEN LOOKING AT THE TRENDS.
WHAT ABOUT PRIOR TO THAT? I
MEAN, DOES IT SHOW A LONG TERM
TREND? WHERE WE'RE CRIME
ESCALATED? COME BACK DOWN AND
YOU KNOW KEEPS GOING. UM AND IF
THAT'S THE CASE WHAT WHAT PART
OF THE CYCLE DO YOU THINK WE'RE
IN NOW? THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
THE DATA SHOWS IS THAT YOU KNOW,
STARTING AROUND THE SIXTIES AND
THE SEVENTIES, WE SAW INCREASES
IN CRIME RATES. THE REASONS WE
STARTED 85 IN THIS PRESENTATION
IS THAT'S WHAT DOJ MAKES MOST
READILY ACCESSIBLE FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL OFFENSES. UM SO I
THINK. WELL EVERYONE IS, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S PAPERS AND BOOKS
WRITTEN ABOUT YOU KNOW THE
HISTORIC CRIME REDUCTION AND WHY
IT HAPPENED AND HOW SUSTAINABLE
IS IT? AND I THINK EVERYONE IS
SURPRISED THAT WE'VE BEEN AT
THESE LOW LEVELS, PARTICULARLY
FOR VIOLENT CRIME FOR SO LONG.
COVID 19 CASA, MUCH DISRUPTION,
UH, TO EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING
THAT WE DID SEE SOME RISES,
PARTICULARLY IN HOMICIDE. DURING
THAT TIME, THOSE THINGS ARE
STARTING TO COME DOWN. SO YOU
KNOW IF I COULD PREDICT THIS
WITH ANY CERTAINTY I'D BE, YOU
KNOW, PROBABLY, UH, SOMEONE
INVESTING IN THE STOCK MARKET OR
SOMETHING, BUT I THINK BASED ON
WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN 2023 AND BITS
AND PIECES HERE, I THINK WE'RE
GOING TO SORT OF SEE CRIME. GO
BACK TO THAT EQUILIBRIUM WE HAD
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. PANDEMIC
NOT SO MUCH BACK IN IN SOME OF
THE HISTORICAL DATA TO WHERE IT
WOULD PEAK AND START TO GROW AND
THEN COME BACK DOWN IN THE
CYCLE. THEREFORE YOU KNOW, KEEP
MOVING. I THINK YOU KNOW, WE HAD
THESE BIG PEAKS AND WE'VE GONE
DOWN. DOWN DOWN. WE'VE KIND OF
FLATTENED, I THINK. HOPEFULLY DO
YOU THINK OF PEAKS COMING? I
DON'T THINK A PEAK IS COMING. I
THINK WE HAD SOME INCREASES
DURING COVID. I THINK WE'RE
COMING DOWN FROM THOSE. OR SO
THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE COMING
SO THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING
SIMILAR THAT DISRUPTIVE, THEN
THE SHOPLIFTING RATES. UM, WE'VE
SEEN THAT, UH AND SOME OF THOSE
NUMBERS RIGHT THAT WE SEE IN
2022. WE'VE SEEN A SPIKE IN THAT
IN 2015 2017. SO YOU KNOW, JUST
LOOKING AT THE DATA RIGHT AND
SEEING WHAT'S THERE AND SEEING
THESE TRENDS RIGHT? THAT'S
PRETTY MUCH HISTORICAL RIGHT?
YOU COULD PROTECT SOME SOME
MEASUREMENT OF WHAT WE'RE IN
STORE FOR. THEN YOU SEE IN THE
COMMERCIAL ROBBERY RATE, RIGHT?
AND 2022 2017 FIGURES 8% HIGHER.
UM IN THEIR NON RESIDENTIAL
BURGLARY IS THAT'S BASICALLY, UM
PLACES THAT ARE BEING, UM
BURGLARIZED WITHOUT A LIVING
INHABITANT IN IT, RIGHT, SO
THAT'S YOUR WAREHOUSES OR
WHATEVER. RIGHT RATHER THAN A
HOME OR SOMEBODY SLEEPING THERE.
YES EXACTLY. THERE'S A SEPARATE
CATEGORY FOR RESIDENTIAL
BURGLARY THAT WOULD THAT WOULD
COVER HOMES AND THAT WOULD COVER
INHABITED PLACES SO THERE COULD
BE PEOPLE IN A NON RESIDENTIAL
BURGLARY. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK
MOST OF THE TIME THOSE OFFENSES
TRIED TO HAPPEN WHEN NOBODY'S
AROUND, SO THERE WAS A UM.
COMMENT OF 53% INCREASE IN
VIOLENT CRIME DO YOU THINK BY
THE CRIMES ON THE RISE? WELL I
THINK THAT COMMENT WAS TAKEN
FROM A SURVEY DONE BY A TRADE
ORGANIZATION ABOUT RETAIL THEFT.
UM AND I WOULD REALLY WANT TO
KNOW WHO WAS ASKED THAT QUESTION
. HOW WAS THE QUESTION PHRASE?
BECAUSE SOMETHING THAT OPEN
ENDED IS VIOLENT, YOU KNOW, HAS
THERE BEEN INCREASING VIOLENCE?
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE TO SOME
EXTENT IN THE ISLE OF ALL
HOLDER. UM BUT WHAT THE DATA
SHOWS IS THAT THERE WAS AN
INCREASE IN VIOLENT CRIME DURING
THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC, AND IT'S
STARTING TO COME DOWN. UM AND
EVEN WITH THAT INCREASE, THOUGH,
WE ARE STILL YOU KNOW, AT HALF
OF WHAT THE RATE WAS AT ITS ITS
PEAK IN THE NOT SO DISTANT
HISTORY IN THE 19 NINETIES. DOES
THE DATA? UM HISTORICAL DATA
BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR
THE DATA TO COME IN FOR NOW,
DOES IT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT? THE
COMMENTS THAT, UM UM
INTERNATIONAL, UM COMPONENTS ARE
ARE PLAYING WITHIN SOME OF THE
CRIME SPREES HERE IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA AND MAYBE PROBABLY
THE NATION. YES AND NO, I GUESS
IS THE QUESTION CHAIR. UM YOU
KNOW, THESE CRIME CATEGORIES
WERE CREATED LITERALLY 100 YEARS
AGO, SO THEY CRIME CATEGORIES.
LEAVE A LOT OF STUFF OUT. THEY
LEAVE OUT A LOT OF SEX OFFENSES.
THEY LEAVE OUT DRUG OFFENSES.
THEY LEAVE OUT SIMPLE ASSAULT.
THEY LEAVE OUT WAGE THEFT. THEY
LEAVE OUT WHITE COLLAR CRIMES.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH A
FRAMEWORK THAT YOU KNOW, IS A
CENTURY OLD. UM SO IT DOESN'T
TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE MOTIVATION
FOR THE OFFENSE TYPICALLY OR
WHERE THE PERSON IS, FROM, OR OR
ANYTHING ABOUT THE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERSON
WHO COMMITTED THE OFFENSE. NOW
THERE IS A NEW CRIME SYSTEM
CALLED NEIGHBORS, AND I WON'T
GET MORE INTO THE WEEDS UNLESS
YOU WANT TO. JUST COMING WITH
YOU NOW, THAT SHOULD HAVE SOME
MORE OF THAT INFORMATION. SO
THIS IS A VERY BASIC SYSTEM.
THAT UM YOU KNOW, WASN'T REALLY
BUILT TO DO THOSE TYPES OF
THINGS. THAT'S GREAT AND THANK
YOU FOR THE DATA, THEN CERTAINLY
WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU
. AND SEEING THE PROJECTIONS
FROM THE LONGER ASPECT OF IT
FROM THE BEGINNING TO SEE THE
SPIKES UP AND DOWN, YOU KNOW AND
SEE WHERE WE'RE AT. BUT IT WOULD
BE INTERESTING TO TAKE ALL THIS
INFORMATION THAT YOU KNOW THIS
PANELISTS BROUGHT UP UM, YOU
KNOW, AND TRY TO PLUG THAT INTO
SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT
WE'RE COLLECTING. ONE IS IT IS,
UM, VIOLENT CRIME ON THE RISE.
AND IF IT IS, IS IT MORE FROM
INTERNAL OR IS IT FROM OUTSIDE
OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PEOPLE COMING IN RIGHT,
CONDUCTING WHATEVER THEY'RE
DOING, AND THEN FLEEING BACK TO
THEIR OWN, UM COUNTRIES, UM SO
IT CAUSES IT TO ESCALATE. BUT
WHERE? WHERE IS THE WHERE DOES
IT REALLY LIE? UM CERTAINLY
THERE WAS ANOTHER COMPONENT THAT
WE TALKED ABOUT, AND BEVERLY
HILLS CHIEF OF POLICE HANDS OUT
A CARD RIGHT ON THE ON THIS
STUFF THAT THEY HAVE THE DRONES
BUT ALSO ON THE BACK THE MENTAL
HEALTH COMPONENT THE RESOURCES
SO TYING INTO SOME OF THESE
THESE NUMBERS TO HAS THAT ALSO
BEEN SUCCESSFUL, RIGHT? UM
BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF THE
EQUATION RIGHT TRYING TO CURB
SOME OF THE ACTIVITY THAT
SOMEONE MIGHT SEE. UM AN
OPPORTUNITY RIGHT TO GET
INVOLVED IN SOME OF THESE
STATISTICS HERE, BUT ALSO TRYING
TO CURB IT. PROACTIVE NOUS
PROACTIVE NOUS TO THE RETAIL
THEFT BUT ALSO PROACTIVE NOUS TO
THE INDIVIDUAL THINKING THEY
HAVE TO GET GO TO THAT TYPE OF
LEVEL WITHIN THEIR OWN LIVES,
GETTING THE RESOURCES THEY NEED
SO SEEING HOW THOSE CORRELATE
WITH ONE ANOTHER, UM AS FAR AS
MAYBE COULD EVEN BE ON THE DATA
CHARTER OR HOW WE MEASURE THAT
COMPONENT OF IT. YEAH WE WANT TO
TALK ABOUT LEAD A LITTLE BIT
MORE. YEAH I THINK THAT CARD IS
ACTUALLY EXTREMELY HELPFUL
BECAUSE IT ADDRESSES TWO POINTS,
WHICH IS THE FIRST IS THAT YOU
KNOW, I THINK WHAT DETERS CRIME
IS KIND OF THE SURETY THAT IF I
COMMIT THIS CRIME, I'M GOING TO
GET CAUGHT IF PEOPLE BELIEVE
THAT THAT IS AN EFFECTIVE
DETERRENT SO BY THAT POLICE
DEPARTMENT SHOWING LOOK, WE HAVE
ALL THESE MEASURES IN PLACE. TO
CATCH YOU IF COMMIT. IF YOU
COMMIT A CRIME HERE THAT IS
HELPFUL. THE OTHER SIDE OF IT IS
THE RESOURCES AND PROVIDING
THOSE RESOURCES AND I THINK ONE
OF THE PROGRAMS THAT THE PENAL
CODE COMMITTEE HAS STUDIED AS
LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTED
DIVERSION WITH THAT PROGRAM,
INSTEAD OF TAKING A PERSON TO
JAIL AFTER ARREST, THE POLICE
OFFICERS CONNECT THAT PERSON.
DIRECTLY WITH A COMMUNITY BASED
SERVICE PROVIDER TO PROVIDE THEM
THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED. AND
UH, THE DSCC HAS, UH, ENDORSED A
STUDY OR ISSUED A STUDY
INDEPENDENT STUDY OF THE LEAD
PROGRAM, UH, AND FOUND THAT IT
WAS WIDELY IT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE
IN REDUCING RECIDIVISM. BY
INSTEAD OF PARTICIPATING IN THIS
TRADITIONAL COURT PROCESS, WHERE
A PERSON IS ARRESTED AND
PROSECUTED AND ARE GOING THROUGH
THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM IF YOU
ACTUALLY CONNECT THEM WITH
SERVICES THAT ACTUALLY LEADS TO
LOWER, MUCH LOWER RECIDIVISM
RATES, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
THE PENAL CODE COMMITTEE HAS
ENDORSED AND HAS SUPPORTED THAT
THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD INVEST
MORE IN PROGRAMS LIKE LEAD THAT
INSTEAD OF RELYING ON
TRADITIONAL CRIMINAL SYSTEM THAT
GET PEOPLE THE SERVICES THAT
THEY NEED. AH, TO REDUCE
RECIDIVISM. WELL THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THAT WHEN I WAS ON
THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS,
SAMMARTINO COUNTY, WE MOVED
FORWARD, UM WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT AND SUPPORTED IT AT
THE BOARD LEVEL WITH ORGAN WITH
THE DIVISION CALLED HOPE,
BRINGING OUT RESOURCES TO THOSE
THAT ARE HOMELESS ON THE
STREETS, UM, OF THE RESOURCES
THAT WERE AVAILABLE IN SAN
MARINO COUNTY. AND WE'VE SEEN
THAT THAT THAT SOME PROTECTING
THOSE RESOURCES AND WERE ABLE TO
GET, UM THE HELP. THEY NEED IT,
SO I'M DEFINITELY, UM, ENGAGED
IN THAT AND EAGER TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT THAT, UM COMPONENT OF IT.
THIS YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT RETAIL THEFT AND WE ALL
KNOW THAT IT IS A SITUATION IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. DO WE
KNOW WHAT'S REALLY DRIVING IT?
DO WE KNOW HOW TO HOW TO COMBAT
IT. I MEAN THAT. THAT'S WHY
THESE HEARINGS ARE BEING DONE SO
WE COULD GET ALL THESE ISSUES
AND OPTIONS. UM YOU KNOW, ON THE
TABLE, AT LEAST IN FRONT OF THE
STATE LEGISLATURE. WE DO KNOW
THAT IT IS A PROBLEM. IF IT
WASN'T A PROBLEM, THE GOVERNOR
WENT TO PUT $343 MILLION IN THE
BUDGET TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE
CHP AND OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES
THERE, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE'RE NOT LOSING THE
HUMANITY COMPONENT OF IT, UM, TO
ENSURE THAT WE'RE BEING
PROACTIVE ONE TO THE RETAIL
THEFTS THAT ARE GOING ON, BUT
WE'RE ALSO BEING PROACTIVE TO
MAKING SURE THAT AN INDIVIDUAL
HAS RESOURCES THEY NEED BEFORE
THEY GET TO THAT POINT. THAT'S
THERE. BUT THERE'S A NEW
COMPONENT, AT LEAST IN IN IN MY
MIND THAT'S COMING FORWARD, AND
THAT'S THE INTERNET
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIMINAL
ELEMENT THAT'S COMING AND, UM
BASICALLY PREYING ON THE
SITUATION ITSELF. UM SO PULLING
ALL THOSE LAYERS BACK BRINGS ALL
THE DATA THAT COMES FORWARD, SO
I DEFINITELY WOULD BE, UM, OPEN
TO FURTHER DISCUSSION,
ESPECIALLY AROUND THIS PROGRAM
THAT WE'RE HEARING ABOUT NOW,
BUT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS
PLAGUING THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
. AND HOW DO WE, UH, COMBAT IT
BY LISTENING TO THE DIFFERENT
VIEWS? UM THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENT
IN THIS PANEL TODAY. I WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND
YOUR DATA COLLECTION ON IT, AND
I DO WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH YOU
ON SOME MORE COMPONENTS OF IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NOW WE'RE
GONNA MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR
THOSE THAT ARE HERE. ALL RIGHT,
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND YOU
HAVE UP TO ONE MINUTE. GOOD
AFTERNOON SHARE AND MEMBERS OF
THE COMMITTEE. MY NAME IS ED
LITTLE, AND I'M WITH
CALIFORNIANS FOR SAFETY AND
JUSTICE. WE REPRESENT OVER
50,000 CRIMES SURVIVORS IN
CALIFORNIA. OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS AS DISCUSSED
TODAY, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS
RECEIVED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON
ADDRESSING RETAIL THEFT WELL AT
THE TIME, INVESTING MUCH LESS
FOR FUNDING FOR VICTIMS. AS A
GROUP THAT ORGANIZES CRIME
SURVIVORS. WE KNOW THAT
RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS PROMOTES
HEALING SAFETY AND STOP CYCLES
OF CRIME. THAT IS WHY THIS YEAR
WE ARE ASKING FOR THE
LEGISLATURE TO REJECT THE
GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL TO DELAY THE
FUNDING FOR FLEXIBLE CASH
ASSISTANCE FOR SURVIVORS OF
CRIME GRANT PROGRAM. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. GOOD
EARLY EVENING KARMA. NICOLE COX
WITH HULU CALIFORNIA ACTION AND
MR LITTLE LEFT A FEW SECONDS ON
THE TABLE. I'M GONNA GO AHEAD
AND GRAB THOSE UP. UM SO
LISTENING TO TODAY'S HEARING.
WHAT STRUCK ME IS THAT THERE
APPEARS TO BE A DIFFERENCE IN
VOCABULARY BETWEEN HOW LAW
ENFORCEMENT DEFINES PUBLIC
SAFETY AND HOW THE COMMUNITY
THAT PAYS THEIR SALARIES TO FIND
PUBLIC SAFETY TODAY WHAT WE
HEARD WAS THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT
ENVISIONS COMMUNITY SAFETY AS
SECRET MASS SURVEILLANCE NIGHT
VISION GOGGLES, WIRETAPPING
DRONES, STAKEOUTS AND OTHER
INVESTIGATIVE APPROACHES.
MEANWHILE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
ALSO PUNISHMENT AFTER THE FACT
PUNISHMENT. MEANWHILE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS LIVES ARE MUCH MORE
NUANCED. YES THEY WANT PEOPLE TO
REFRAIN FROM STEALING. KEEP YOUR
HANDS OFF MY STUFF, AND THEY
WANT THEIR LOVED ONES,
ESPECIALLY THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR
QUEER FAMILY MEMBERS, THEIR
NEIGHBORS WHO NEED MENTAL HEALTH
TREATMENT. TO RECEIVE THE
SERVICES THEY NEED TO MAKE
HEALTHY DECISIONS. COMMUNITY HAS
NEVER SAID PUBLIC SAFETY IS
ABOUT THE PUNISHMENT THAT COPS
FEEL THEIR LOVED ONES DESERVED
DESERVED. AS WE ALL KNOW. MOST
PROPERTY THEFT IS FUELED BY
POVERTY AND DEFICIT OF BASIC
RESOURCES. PEOPLE WITH STABLE
HOUSING WHERE THE LIGHTS ARE ON,
AND THERE'S FOOD IN THE FRIDGE
AND EMPLOYMENT IS RELIABLE, AND
THERE'S CULTURALLY COMPETENT
HEALTH CARE THAT IS ACCESSIBLE
ARE NOT ENGAGING IN RETAIL THEFT
, ORGANIZED OR OTHERWISE. THAT
IS WHY COMMUNITY HAS SUPPORTED
REFORMS BECAUSE HISTORY HAS MADE
CLEAR WE CANNOT ARREST OUR WAY
OUT OF THE SYMPTOMS OF POVERTY
TO THE CONTRARY, ENTANGLEMENT
WITH THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM
LEADS TO GREATER HEALTH.
EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEFICITS.
MR CHAIR COMMUNITY CALLS ON THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO PLEASE
PRIORITIZE INVESTMENT IN TRUE
PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT MEANS
WHETHER YOU ARE WHEN WE THINK
ABOUT COMMUNITY, UM AND WHAT
THEY ENVISIONED FOR PUBLIC
SAFETY, WHETHER YOU'RE YOUNG OR
WISE OR LATINO OR WHITE OR RICH
OR POOR OR SELF EMPLOYED,
EMPLOYED OR PUBLIC SERVANTS.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS WANT GREATER
INVESTMENT IN PREVENTION NOT
AFTER THE FACT PUNISHED. MOMENT
FOR THE AVERAGE COMMUNITY MEMBER
SAFETY IS PROSPERITY. IT'S
MENTAL WELLNESS. IT'S PHYSICAL
HEALTH. IT'S FULL EMPLOYMENT,
ITS QUALITY AND CULTURALLY
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION. PLEASE PUT
OUR LIMITED DOLLARS IN PROGRAMS
THAT KEEP UNDEREMPLOYED
CALIFORNIANS FROM BECOMING ON
HOUSED CALIFORNIANS, FINALLY AND
A NATION WHERE INDIVIDUALS HAVE
A RIGHT TO COUNSEL FOR THE
OFFENSIVE OFFENSES THAT ARE AT
ISSUE HERE IN THIS HEARING, WE
CANNOT FUNNEL MORE MONEY INTO
PROSECUTION WHILE REDUCING
FUNDING FOR INDIGENT DEFENSE.
THIS IS A HIGHWAY TO DUE PROCESS
VIOLATIONS WRONGFUL CONVENTION
CONVICTIONS, EXPENSIVE
EXONERATIONS AND WIDENING RACIAL
DISPARITIES. WE SHOULD NOT
INVEST IN INJUSTICE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD EVENING, NATASHA MINSTER ON
BEHALF OF SMART JUSTICE,
CALIFORNIA FIRST WE'D LIKE TO
ECHO THE NEED FOR MORE FUNDING
FOR VICTIM SERVICES. CALIFORNIA
IS NOT DOING ENOUGH TO SUPPORT
VICTIMS. SECOND SMART JUSTICE
CALIFORNIA STRONGLY SUPPORTS LAW
ENFORCEMENT ASSISTED DIVERSION.
THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR
CALIFORNIA TO INVEST IN
SOLUTIONS THAT WORK TO ADDRESS
PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND RESPOND TO
THE RETAIL THEFT ISSUE. THIRD WE
STRONGLY SUPPORT YOU TO CONSIDER
FUNDING THE J DATA DATA
COLLECTION SYSTEM CHAIR RAMOS.
YOU'VE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN
WHAT THE DATA SHOWS AND THE GAPS
IN THE DATA. THE J DATA SYSTEM
IS A BILL THAT WAS APPROVED BY
THE LEGISLATURE SIGNED BY THE
GOVERNOR THAT WOULD CREATE A
COMPREHENSIVE DATA SYSTEM TO
ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, AND WE
NEED TO START THE FUNDING
PROCESS SO THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE
THE INFORMATION. LAST SMART
DOSES. CALIFORNIA SUPPORTS
PUBLIC DEFENDER FUNDING. WE
BELIEVE PUBLIC DEFENDERS ARE
FIRST RESPONDERS. THEY ARE THE
PEOPLE THAT FIRST INTERACT WITH
SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN
THEIR MOMENT OF NEED. IN THE
GREATEST MOMENT OF CRISIS.
PUBLIC DEFENDERS ARE CRITICAL TO
DUE PROCESS, AND THEY'RE ALSO
CRITICAL TO HELPING PEOPLE
STABILIZE AND MOVE THEIR LIVES
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO
GETTING PEOPLE MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELING. AND THE SUPPORT THEY
NEED TO BE THE KIND OF COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WE NEED. THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TIME. AND THIS IS A GREAT
HEARING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR COMMENTS. ANY OTHER
PUBLIC COMMENT. GOING ONCE.
WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR
ATTENDING. THANK YOU ALL FOR
YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS
CONCLUDES, UM SUB STICKS PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE.