header image

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside
Weather


 
Calendar
Today in
S.C.V. History
September 19
1863 - Gen. Edward F. Beale loans money to A.A. Hudson and Oliver P. Robbins to erect toll house in Newhall Pass [story]
toll house


Ken Striplin

This month, Santa Clarita City Manager Ken Striplin collaborated with Capt. Robert Lewis of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.

You can’t have a discussion about crime stats in the Santa Clarita Valley without taking into account Assembly Bill 109 and Propositions 47 and 57.

These recent initiatives were intended to reduce the state prison population, but at what cost to the safety of our communities?

We now have prisoners who were convicted of domestic violence, human trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon and other violent crimes being released back into communities throughout California.

Since Prop 47 passed in 2014, 54,213 criminals in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s jurisdiction alone have been arrested, released and committed additional crimes.

Some of these criminals have even been arrested multiple times for the same offense.

The percentage of Prop 47 offenders now classified as repeat offenders is 68 percent. Of that, 42 percent were arrested for a Part 1 Crime, which includes, among other things, homicide, rape, robbery, assault and arson.

To put into perspective what our sheriff’s deputies are going through, one of these repeat offenders has now been arrested 81 times since being released early from prison following the passage of Prop 47.

Santa Clarita has not been immune to the negative impacts of these initiatives.

Apart from a spike in the crime rate from 2014 to 2016 in Santa Clarita, just a few months ago, one of our very own Santa Clarita sheriff’s deputies was rushed to the hospital after being shot in the neck by a criminal, who was a beneficiary of these recent initiatives and a parolee in Santa Clarita after being released early from prison.

On November 28, 2017, parolee Monolito Alexander Guerra opened fire on sheriff’s deputies on Bottletree Lane. He had originally been arrested on October 15, 2014, and was sentenced to prison on February 2, 2016.

He was serving a five-year prison term for evading arrest, a four-year prison term for a secondary charge of evading arrest and an eight-month prison term for assault with a deadly weapon when he was paroled in our City on October 19, 2017.

Only 40 days after being released three and a half years early from prison, this dangerous parolee attempted to take the life of one of our own deputies during his response to a call for service.

This story underscores the reality deputies are encountering in our community and all across the state. These criminals are feeling emboldened. The fear of being arrested and serving full prison sentences has been significantly reduced because of AB 109 and Propositions 47 and 57, and criminals are armed with that knowledge.

Even with these obstacles, through a great partnership with the Sheriff’s Department, we are still making great strides to keep our community safe and maintain our reputation as one of the safest cities to live in.

Since our new Sheriff’s Captain, Robert Lewis, came on board in April 2017, our deputies have made notable progress in bringing crime statistics down.

When Captain Lewis took the reins, crime in our city was up 16 percent over 2016 stats. He worked hard on crime reduction strategies with the team at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, efforts which were noticed almost immediately.

By the end of 2017, Captain Lewis and his team reduced the increase in crime to only 2 percent and crime is now down 22 percent thus far in 2018.

Through relentless hard work and dedication by the deputies at our local Sheriff’s Station, projections show crime rates will continue on a downward trend.

Our city of Santa Clarita continues to earn top marks as one of the safest communities in the state and in the nation. We are thankful to our men and women of the Sheriff’s Department who protect our community every day – even more so now with the additional challenges legislation has created for them.

However, there is more to be done and it will take a collective effort by the city, the Sheriff’s Department and the entire community to create the change needed to reverse the negative impacts of these initiatives.

Recently, the Santa Clarita City Council took action to support the Reducing Crime and Keeping California Safe Act of 2018. This initiative proposes to amend the State Constitution to, among other things, increase penalties for certain theft-related crimes and hopefully restore the balance in our public safety system.

More information can be found on the Keep California Safe website at https://keepcalsafe.org/. I encourage all residents to stay informed and educated on these initiatives so that we, as a community, can continue to protect our families and the overall quality of life here in Santa Clarita.

Best Regards,
Ken Striplin

Comment On This Story
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

2 Comments

Leave a Comment


LATEST CITY HEADLINES
Thursday, Sep 19, 2024
The Friends of Santa Clarita Public Library in collaboration with Santa Clarita Valley Libraries will have a silent Book Auction beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, through 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 7.
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2024
Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features the community has to offer? 
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Monday, Sep 16, 2024
The city of Santa Clarita is hosting Make A Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 26 and is looking for enthusiastic residents to volunteer for various projects that benefit local nonprofits, as well as the city.
Monday, Sep 16, 2024
The city of Santa Clarita wants to remind residents that volunteer registration is open for the 29th Annual River Rally Cleanup and Environmental Expo scheduled for next Saturday, Sept. 21, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the William S. Hart Pony Baseball and Softball Complex, 23780 Auto Center Drive, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.

Keep Up With Our Facebook
Latest Additions to SCVNews.com
Valencia High School's Choir will hold a fall concert, "Broadway, Movies & Media" at 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. and Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m. at the Saugus High School Theatre, 21900 Centurion Way, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.
Sept. 26-27: Valencia High Choir Presents Fall Concert ‘Broadway, Movies & Media’
As my wife, Virginia, and I stroll through our magnificent City, we admire the beautiful paseos and the expansive open spaces, but what really catches our eye, is the diverse works of art at every turn.
Bill Miranda | Santa Clarita Arts, a Journey Through Creativity
The California Department of Public Health is encouraging all Californians to get vaccinated this season to protect themselves and loved ones from respiratory viruses.
CDPH: Stay Up to Date on Vaccines
The Friends of Santa Clarita Public Library in collaboration with Santa Clarita Valley Libraries will have a silent Book Auction beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 30, through 10 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 7.
Sept. 30: Public Libraries to Host Silent Book Auctions
1863 - Gen. Edward F. Beale loans money to A.A. Hudson and Oliver P. Robbins to erect toll house in Newhall Pass [story]
toll house
The Counties of Los Angeles and San Bernardino today announced the opening of multiple joint Local Assistance Centers to assist residents impacted by the Bridge and Line Fires.
Joint Assistance Centers Open for Residents Impacted by Bridge, Line Fires
Valencia Gynecology Associates, owned by longtime Santa Clarita Valley OB-GYN physician Don Nishiguchi, MD, has joined the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital network. 
Valencia Gynecology Assoc. Joins Henry Mayo Network
JCI Santa Clarita is proud to announce the upcoming Veteran’s Resource Fair, scheduled to take place on Sept. 21 at William S. Hart Park. 
Sept. 21: JCI Invites All Veterans to Upcoming Resource Fair
A "friendies" field tournament  is being  hosted by the Saugus Instrumental Music program, with support from Valencia High, later this month. 
Sept. 21: All Valley Showcase Comes to Valencia High
Public, member-supported 88.5 FM The SoCal Sound, Southern California’s leading Triple-A (adult album alternative) format radio station has announced the lineup for its inaugural “Year-End Bash” taking place on Saturday, Dec. 7.
Dec. 7: CSUN Owned 88.5-FM The SoCal Sound Announces “Year End Bash” Lineup featuring Ben Gibbard
The Master's University cross-country teams continued their successful 2024 campaigns with strong finishes at the BIOLA Invitational on Friday, Sept. 13 at Craig Regional Park in Fullerton, Calif.
TMU Women Win, Men Place Second at XC Invitational
Sheriff’s Department Announces New Law Enforcement Gang Policy
LASD Announces New Policy on Law Enforcement Gangs
The biology department at California State University, Northridge has stayed committed to promoting STEM research carried out by K-12 students and teachers in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
CSUN Student Research Journal Celebrates 28 Years of Inspiring Scientific Imagination
Did you know the SCVEDC has an interactive, online tool that provides themed virtual tours of the amazing features the community has to offer? 
SCVEDC Offers Virtual Business Tours of the Santa Clarita Valley
California Institute of the Arts alum and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Film/Video 1979) was honored with the 2,788th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
CalArts Alum Tim Burton Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
1962 - Articles of incorporation filed for Golden State Memorial Hospital on Lyons Avenue [story]
Golden State Hospital
The Santa Clarita Valley Senior Center welcomes back Jim Curry for an evening concert celebrating the music of John Denver on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at Bella Vida.
Oct. 5: SCV Senior Center Welcomes Jim Curry ‘Take Me Home’
As part of the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency's ongoing commitment to ensuring local groundwater quality and reliability, the SCV Water recently began construction on a new treatment facility to remove perchlorate and volatile organic compounds at Well 205 in Valencia.
SCV Water Begins New Water Treatment Project in Valencia
Get ready to set sail at the Pirates SENSES Block Party, presented by the city of Santa Clarita, Thursday, Sept 19 from 7-10 p.m. on main street in Old Town Newhall.
Sept. 19: SENSES Pirate Block Party
No. 21 College of the Canyons football team knocked off No. 5 Fullerton College 29-13 on Saturday night behind a stifling defensive effort and five field goals from Luis Rodriguez.
No. 21 Canyons Knocks Off No. 5 Fullerton 29-13
Six of the seven Foothill League Varsity football teams begin league play Friday night, Sept. 20.
Foothill League Football Begins for SCV Teams
The California Institute of the Arts will present the "NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball", Friday, Oct. 4, 7-11 p.m. at 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355.
Oct. 4: NAACP Santa Clarita Masquerade Ball at Cal Arts
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating two human cases of a rare parasitic infection, Baylisascaris procyonis, also known as raccoon roundworm.
Public Health Investigating Disease Spread from Animals to Humans
1879 - First official Newhall School building erected near Walnut & Ninth streets [story]
First Newhall School
SCVNews.com