They were never contacted in regards to court proceedings. That’s different and involves a charging decision by a prosecuting attorney, in this case Garcón or his staff. In the US you can be arrested, held, and prosecution declined. It happens routinely and the police have absolutely nothing to do with it (short of what they charge and allege informing the decision by the prosecuting attorney). UP is saying that LAPD/LASD and their own peace officers are making arrests and subsequently step two isn’t happening.
They’re right, too. Declination of prosecution is the remedy specifically prescribed by 20-07 for some offenses, notably trespassing. Whereas before this was a subjective call by a prosecuting attorney (i.e., redirecting troubled folks to get care), Garcón has made it proscriptive with little regard for the circumstances. That’s what UP is fundamentally protesting here. In case it’s not clear, they’re barking at and low-key threatening Garcón with this letter, not the police (but it’s a rather weak threat; UP avoiding LA county doesn’t impact the DA nor county much).
The two halves of American justice are often unclear and blend together. I get that it’s easy to blame the police here, but they honestly have pretty much nothing to do with it. I say that as someone who considers LAPD and LASD hostile entities in the general case, to reinforce for you that this is just a misunderstanding of how arrest and charging works in the US (it’s common).
They’re right, too. Declination of prosecution is the remedy specifically prescribed by 20-07 for some offenses, notably trespassing. Whereas before this was a subjective call by a prosecuting attorney (i.e., redirecting troubled folks to get care), Garcón has made it proscriptive with little regard for the circumstances. That’s what UP is fundamentally protesting here. In case it’s not clear, they’re barking at and low-key threatening Garcón with this letter, not the police (but it’s a rather weak threat; UP avoiding LA county doesn’t impact the DA nor county much).
The two halves of American justice are often unclear and blend together. I get that it’s easy to blame the police here, but they honestly have pretty much nothing to do with it. I say that as someone who considers LAPD and LASD hostile entities in the general case, to reinforce for you that this is just a misunderstanding of how arrest and charging works in the US (it’s common).