Video footage of criminal suspects arrested in a California city shows their surprised reactions after being told they would go to jail instead of being charged and released, leaving many residents and Lawmakers say the practice enables vandalism and erodes public safety.
A video montage of body camera footage from the Seal Beach Police Department shows an officer being asked if he can be cited for a crime.
“Welcome to Orange County,” one of the officers can be heard saying off camera.
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Body camera footage from Seal Beach, Calif., shows people surprised at being arrested instead of being charged with a crime and released. (Seal Beach Police Department/@copsofsealbeach)
In various videos, other suspects can be heard asking if they can be transported to Los Angeles County. Under former Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who was voted out of office in November after a checkered term, criminal suspects are treated much differently than in neighboring Orange County due to Gascón's criminal justice reforms. I was receiving it.
Last year, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer, who has criticized prosecutors for being moderate on Gascón and other crimes, launched a billboard campaign warning criminals that crime does not pay in his jurisdiction.
“Voters in every county in California, including more than 75 percent of voters in Orange County, voted to uphold public safety in November and vote to approve Proposition 36, which holds habitual thieves accountable.” And that's exactly what we're doing. Orange County is different,” Spitzer said in a statement to FOX News Digital.
“We prosecute crimes, and the criminals and the arresting officers know it,” he added.
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Seal Beach police body camera footage shows criminal suspects surprised to learn they will be sent to prison. (Seal Beach Police Department/@copsofsealbeach)
In November, California voters approved Proposition 36, which repeals some of the state's most controversial crime-fighting policies by increasing penalties for theft and drug trafficking crimes.
In the Seal Beach Police Department video, a person asks an officer if he will be ticketed for petty theft.
“When you go to Orange County, you go to the county jail,” the officer said.
One voice was heard saying, “Can't we go to Los Angeles County?”
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Seal Beach police body camera footage (Seal Beach Police Department/@copsofsealbeach)
“You're in the wrong county,” a woman's voice can be heard explaining that criminals are being prosecuted in Orange County.
In December, Seal Beach authorities released a video showing a trio of shoplifting suspects being shocked to learn the punishment for their crime. The footage shows them stealing $650 worth of merchandise from an Ulta Beauty store.
The video shows the women entering the Kohl's department store and stealing more items, totaling nearly $1,000.
Police body camera footage shows officers chasing the women, then catching them and arresting them.
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“Is that a felony?” one of the women asked the other in the back seat of the police car.
“Well, it's a new law,” my partner replied. “Theft is a felony, and here in Orange County, well, they don't play.”
