When Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and a coalition of law enforcement officials announced a new task force to tackle smash-and-grab robberies Thursday morning, there was one face conspicuously absent from the press conference: District Attorney George Gascón.
Gascón told Rob Archer and Charles Feldman on KNX In Depth that he didn’t attend because he wasn’t invited.
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“We were not notified of the press conference, so I think you would have to address that question to the mayor’s office,” he said.
At the conference, it was announced that LAPD Commander Jay Mastick will oversee the new multi-agency task force on organized retail crimes, which includes investigators from the Sheriff’’s Department, California Highway Patrol, FBI, and other agencies.
“To Angelenos, our message is clear: those who commit these crimes will be caught, they will be held accountable, and we will work to address this issue,” Bass said.
Gascón has been criticized for supporting zero-bail policies and reduced sentences for non-violent crimes, which some argue have emboldened criminals in L.A. County. Orange County D.A. Todd Spitzer told KNX News that Gascón “has worked his entire career … to ensure that people who commit these crimes are not held accountable.”
However, criminologist Scott Decker says there’s insufficient evidence that lax laws and bail reform have contributed to the recent smash-and-grab robberies.
Gascón disputed that his office’s policies have anything to do with the problem, pointing out that cities across the country are also dealing with smash-and-grabs. Despite the press conference snub, he insists his office’s organized crime division is dedicating resources to the recent robberies.
“We have been an integral part of this task force and this work, and we are holding people accountable,” Gascón said.
When asked about Gascón's absence at the press conference, Bass told KNX News' Craig Fiegener, "The task force is very, very large. We didn't have everybody here from the task force."
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