Pretrial Risk Evaluation Program NR23731rc

Los Angeles:  The Los Angeles Police Department appreciates the partnership and tremendous work of the Los Angeles County Superior Courts in carefully instituting the Pretrial Risk Evaluation Program (PREP).  We have a shared goal of doing everything possible to assure public safety by not only holding the most serious and violent offenders accountable for their actions but also those who have taken advantage of zero bail policies and used those policies as an opportunity to re-offend or escape the consequences of victimizing their community.

It is important for the community to know that since PREP started on October 1^st of this year, about half of the persons arrested by the LAPD for felony crimes were not eligible for PREP zero bail consideration.  Those individuals were not eligible for zero bail release because the crimes they were booked for were considered serious or violent by the California Penal Code and were inappropriate for zero bail.

Approximately two-thirds of the remaining felony arrests went through the newly instituted magistrate review process.  Chief Moore stated, “I am comforted by the fact that the great majority of those judicial examinations resulted in the arrestee being held for further review until arraignment.  However, I remain very concerned that 42 individuals who were arrested for felony crimes after October 1st and subsequently released due to PREP zero bail policies or a cash bailout, were later re-arrested by LAPD Officers and booked for committing additional felony crimes.  We will continue to work closely with the Los Angeles Judicial Council to find the appropriate balance between the rights of the accused and our duty to protect the City of Los Angeles.”