Not long ago, a man was arrested three times in a single day by the Glendora Police. The first arrest happened in the morning after police received a report about a stolen vehicle. The suspect was arrested on suspicion of GTA, cited, and released. Not long after, police received a second call about a man stealing items from peoples lawns. When police responded to the call the suspect was arrested, cited, and released. The third arrest came that evening when police received another call about a stolen vehicle. When the vehicle was located and the suspect was arrested, it was none other than the same suspect that had previously been arrested twice that day.
A similar event occurred recently in the Santa Clarita Valley. The incident began when a man was arrested on suspicion of stealing a vehicle. He was taken to the SCV Sheriff Station where he was arrested, cited, and released. Ten minutes later, deputies received a report about a man who had stolen a Camaro from a dealership not far from the Sheriff Station. When police apprehended the suspect, it was the same one who had earlier been arrested for stealing a vehicle.
These occurrences are due to a recent proposal that was enacted county-wide. In an effort to reduce jail populations, a “zero bail” policy was enacted which eliminates bail for non-violent offenses, instead instructing police to release the suspect with a citation and a date and time to return to court. While the purpose of the policy – a decrease in jail populations – is a noble one, especially during a pandemic, the fact remains that bail serves as a powerful deterrent to would-be repeat offenders. Much like Proposition 47, allowing people to commit crimes without fear of incarceration only seems to encourage them to commit further crimes.
