Point of View: The crime spike is threatening all we love about California

Point of View: Crime in Los Angeles

The unprecedented crime wave that we are currently facing falls squarely at the feet of the Democrats, in the form of two bad proposition and a weak on crime approach. FOX 11 VP and General Manager Bill Lamb gives his Point of View.

The unprecedented crime wave we are currently experiencing falls squarely at the feet of the Democrats, in the form of two bad propositions and a weak-on-crime approach.

Mob lootings are happening daily. Walgreens are closing quite a few stores forever because organized shoplifting is costing $25,000 a day per store according to some reports. Target stores in San Francisco are reducing store hours to reduce shoplifting losses.

Two propositions, proposed by democrats have led to this situation. Proposition 47, passed by misinformed voters in 2014, was deceptively titled "The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act." It reduced drug possession and even some property crimes from a felony to a misdemeanor, it made most anything stolen under $950, a petty theft and allowed for many people already convicted under tougher standards to be re-sentenced. But it didn’t stop there.

Another prop, Proposition 57, shamelessly titled "the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act," gives nonviolent felons a path for early release, for parole boards can now only consider an inmate’s most recent crime, and not their entire criminal history. Translation: more felons released onto our streets.

After the state legislature, and progressive DA’s like George Gascón set us up to fail with these propositions, many of our elected officials fell victim to the loud and ignorant cries to defund the police, even though we could all see how that would work out.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva released some crime stats last month. He says that in Los Angeles County, compared to 2019, aggravated assaults involving firearms are up 73%. Motor vehicle theft is up 58%. And arrests are down 34%.

Katy Grimes, of the California Globe had a great line. She said, "The house that Californians built and Democrats cheaply remodeled is on fire." Well she’s not wrong. I suggest that we the people had better wrestle the power away from these "progressive" politicians before their woke ideology makes this once wonderful state uninhabitable for civilized people.

What are your thoughts? Call 310-584-2030 or email at fox11pov@foxtv.com.