I became acquainted with Jackie Lacey while I was on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. She had worked her way up in the DA’s office and accompanied the Supervisors in their forays to Washington to identify funds for innovative programs to improve our Justice system. I am keenly aware how hard it is for an African American Women to move up the ladder in Law Enforcement and most States have no African American District Attorneys.
About a year ago I became aware of the kind of programs she has initiated to help young girls and young boys as well that are subject to sexual predators. Her program to monitor internet sites and using technology to identify predators that lure teenagers from all over the country to Los Angeles with promises of meeting movie stars and attending glamorous parties that most often result in tragic results. Her office has received National acclaim for this program and has resulted in the arrest of numerous sexual predators.
If you have experienced telephone scams trying to get your Social Security Number or suggestion you haven’t paid your water bill you know how important her present campaign is to safeguard vulnerable communities from fraud. Her bi-monthly fraud alerts seek to educate the public about scams and Medicare rip-offs. She has received national recognition from the National Association of Counties for this alert system.
She has implemented reforms for people with mental illness. She has been at the forefront in developing and implementing a comprehensive diversion program that provides alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders. Her project secured $15 million in funding to open urgent care center as an alternative to jail for certain arrestees.
She has taken a strong position working to replace the Broken Cash Bail System, expressing concern that our jails are crowded with nonviolent offenders who remain in custody because they cannot afford bail. She supported Senate Bill 10, a pioneering law passed in 2018. This Bill substituted a pretrial release program to avoid often innocent people from remaining in jail sometimes losing their jobs because of the cost of posting bail.
Jackie is just as vehement in her opposition to Private Prisons and has repeatedly expressed her opinion that Private Prisons have allowed a few business people to make money by increasing the size of the incarcerated population.
Jackie Lacey has proven that she is not out to go public and in the media every day. Let’s not punish her for diligently doing her job, working hard and maintaining a high-quality office. She is endorsed by Mayor Eric Garcetti and the mayor of San Francisco London Breed and four members of the Board of Supervisors and mayors and councilmembers throughout the country.
