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19-846RESOLUTION NO. 19.846
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MENIFEE, CALIFORNIA,
SUPPORTING REFORMS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF REALIGNMENT ON
LOCAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE REDUCING CRIME AND KEEPING
CALIFORNIA SAFE ACT OF 2O2O
WHEREAS, protecting every person in our state, including our most vulnerable children, from
violent crime is of the utmost importance. Murderers, rapists, child molesters and other violent criminals
should not be released early from prison; and
WHEREAS, since 2014, California has had a larger increase in violent crime than the rest of the
United States; and
WHEREAS, The FBI Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report for 2017, which tracks crimes
committed during the first six months of the past year in U.S. cities with populations over '100,000,
indicates that in 2017 violent crime increased again in most of California's largest cities.
WHEREAS, recent changes to laws allowed the early release of dangerous criminals by the law's
failure to define certain crimes as "violent." These changes allowed individuals convicted of sex trafficking
of children, rape of an unconscious person, felony assault with a deadly weapon, battery on a police
officer or firefighter, and felony domestic violence to be considered "nonviolent offenders."; and
WHEREAS, as a result, these so-called "non-violent" offenders are eligible for early release from
incarceration after serving only a fraction of the sentence ordered by a judge; and
WHEREAS, violent offenders are also being allowed to remain free in our mmmunities even when
they commit new crimes and violate the terms of their post release community supervision; and
WHEREAS, the Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2020 ("Act") reforms the law
so felons who violate the terms of their release can be brought back to court and held accountable for
such violations; and
WHEREAS, nothing in the Act is intended to create additional "strike" offenses which would
increase the state prison population, nor is it intended to affect the ability of the California Department of
Corrections and Rehabilitation to award educational and merit credits; and
WHEREAS, recent changes to California law allow individuals who steal repeatedly to face few
consequences, regardless of their criminal record or how many times they steal; and
WHEREAS, as a result, between 2014 and 2016, California had the second highest increase in
theft and property crimes in the United States, while most states have seen a steady decline. According
to the California Department of Justice, the value of property stolen in 2015 was $2.5 billion with an
increase of 13 percent since 2014, the largest single-year increase in at least ten years; and
WHEREAS, grocery store operators around the state have seen unprecedented increases in the
amount of losses associated with shoplifting in their stores, with some reporting up to 150% increases in
these losses from 2012 to present, with the largest jumps occurring since 2014; and
WHEREAS, shoplifting incidents have started to escalate in such a manner that have endangered
innocent customers and employees; and
1
WHEREAS, individuals who repeatedly steal often do so to support their drug habit. Recent
changes to California law have reduced judges' ability to order individuals convicted of repeated theft
crimes into effective drug treatment programs; and
WHEREAS, California needs stronger laws for those who are repeatedly convicted of theft-related
crimes, which will encourage those who repeatedly steal to support their drug problem to enter into
existing drug treatment programs. This measure enacts such reforms; and
WHEREAS, collecting DNA from criminals is essential to solving violent crimes. Over 450 violent
crimes including murder, rape and robbery have gone unsolved because DNA is being collected from
fewer criminals; and
WHEREAS, recent changes to California law unintentionally eliminated DNA collection for theft
and drug crimes. This measure restores DNA collection from persons convicted for such offenses; and
WHEREAS, permitting collection of more DNA samples will help identify suspects, clear the
innocent and free the wrongly convicted, and
WHEREAS, the Act does not affect existing legal safeguards that protect the privacy of individuals
by allowing for the removal of their DNA profile if they are not charged with a crime, are acquitted or are
found innocent.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE lT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Menifee, California as
follows:
Section 1.The City Counci! of the City of Menifee hereby expresses its support for the Reducing
Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2020.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 6th day of November, 2019
1/Xx{,urr^ffi
Attest:
h A. Manwaring, City
Approved as to form
2
effrey T. Melching,ttorney
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss
crTY oF MENIFEE )
l, Sarah A. Manwaring, City Clerk of the City of Menifee, do hereby certify that the foregoing City
Council Resolution No. 19-846 was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Menifee at a
meeting thereof held on the 6 of November 2019 by the following vote:
Ayes: Deines, Liesemeyer, Sobek, August, Zimmerman
Noes: NoneAbsent: None
Abstain: None
h , MMC
Clerk
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