Crime Crackdowns Start as California’s Tough-on-Crime Prop. 36 Goes Into Effect
“Our officers are feeling more empowered. We’re not just racking up another citation. Our officers feel like what they’re doing matters and that they want to do the extra legwork to make sure that we get a good conviction.”
Fed up with repeat offenders and rising crime rates, Californians took to the polls in November and said “enough,” with voters in Alameda County recalling woke District Attorney Pam Price and those in Los Angeles County rejecting Soros-backed District Attorney George Gascón’s reelection bid.
Statewide, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, which was an attempt at reversing parts of the disastrous soft-on-crime Proposition 47 that voters there passed in 2014. Here’s a quick refresher on what Prop. 36 does:
Proposition 36 would walk back much of the decade-old Proposition 47, turning some theft misdemeanors into felonies, requiring a warning about a possible murder charge for selling or providing drugs, and creating a new “treatment-mandated felony,” according to the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office.
[…]
Under Proposition 36, theft would be classified as a felony offense if the suspect has two or more past convictions for certain theft crimes, such as shoplifting, burglary and carjacking. The sentence would then be up to three years in county jail or state prison.
Prop. 36 went into effect Wednesday the 18th, and it’s already bearing fruit in places like Sacramento County:
Law enforcement is already making arrests and putting people in jail.
[…]
Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies in the organized retail theft unit are undercover this week for “Operation Ugly Sweater.”
The team of deputies undercover inside two businesses and outside in the parking lot are searching for shoplifters showing up in stores, alongside paying shoppers buying gifts for the holidays.
[…]
“Our officers are feeling more empowered,” Cater said. “We’re not just racking up another citation. Our officers feel like what they’re doing matters and that they want to do the extra legwork to make sure that we get a good conviction.”
Jeff Reisig, the District Attorney for Yolo County (which is next door to Sacto County), eagerly shared the video of the KCRA report on the retail crime crackdown there:
'Operation Ugly Sweater,' Sacramento Sheriff's deputies already putting people in jail under new Prop 36! 💪 The party is over for thieves. pic.twitter.com/HLuXF1yGlM
— Jeff Reisig (@jeffreisig) December 20, 2024
San José Mayor Matt Mahan was equally elated to see the work the San José Police Department was doing after Prop. 36 went into effect:
Thank you @SanJosePD for immediately leaning in and using the tools now available to us under Prop 36! We need to make sure the entire justice system follows suit — from our District Attorneys embracing implementation to our counties building the in-patient and secure treatment… https://t.co/AYdA88WozA
— Mayor Matt Mahan (@MattMahanSJ) December 20, 2024
Ventura County is also on the move:
Prop 36 goes into effect today, which means shoplifting less than $950 of goods is a felony for repeat offenders. @CoryMinderhout & I got an exclusive look at how the Ventura County Organized Retail Theft Task Force is trying to catch retail thieves: https://t.co/yN2rP7Gzo3 pic.twitter.com/EmkTPKtjUq
— Renee Eng (@Renee_Eng) December 18, 2024
The San Francisco Police Department took action as well:
27 Suspects Arrested in Organized Retail Crime (ORC) Operation!
The investigation also led to the recovery of over $1,700 in merchandise. The stolen property taken by the suspects was seized by officers during the operations and returned to the stores. ➡️… pic.twitter.com/SXWSZNSGFN
— San Francisco Police (@SFPD) December 19, 2024
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, elected last month to her first full term, also wasted no time getting down to business after Prop. 36 became official:
San Francisco prosecutors have charged their first suspect under Proposition 36, which toughened penalties for minor property and drug offenses.
Martinez Guillory, 51, had a loaded gun and was carrying heroin and cocaine that he intended to sell when cops stopped him for evading fares Wednesday at the Civic Center BART station, the San Francisco district attorney’s office said.
[…]
If convicted, Guillory could face tougher sentencing thanks to the passage of Prop. 36, a spokesperson for District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said. The charges come just two days after the law went into effect.
In tweets, she’s boasted about how Prop. 36 has helped out her office:
S.F. prosecutors bring first charges against suspected drug dealer using newly passed Prop. 36 @SFDAOffice @sfchronicle https://t.co/gVptkebDtY pic.twitter.com/srXILMOGTo
— Brooke Jenkins 謝安宜 (@BrookeJenkinsSF) December 20, 2024
The Prop 36 weight enhancement is an important new tool that @SFDAOffice will use in the fight against drug dealers that have torn apart our neighborhoods.
We are committed to using every legal tool available to close open air drug markets + make our communities safer for all. https://t.co/itmP1QcLb7
— Brooke Jenkins 謝安宜 (@BrookeJenkinsSF) December 20, 2024
My office is committed to using every tool available to protect the safety of the public.
With the passage of Prop 36, my office now has new tools available that we will use appropriately, as intended by the voters, and move to hold who would break our laws accountable. https://t.co/xbGpTbMEJ0
— Brooke Jenkins 謝安宜 (@BrookeJenkinsSF) December 20, 2024
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer was eager to talk about Prop. 36 going into effect and what it would mean for his community:
On Wednesday, Prop. 36, the Homelessness, Drug Addiction and Theft Reduction Act, which passed by more than 68% of California voters, became law. In Orange County, Prop. 36 passed by more than 75%. Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer joined the @JohnKobyltRadio show on… pic.twitter.com/C1pzseVdWC
— OCDA Todd Spitzer (@OCDAToddSpitzer) December 19, 2024
In Shasta County, the Redding Police Department conducted police stings:
Police were busy arresting and booking people for drug and theft offenses that after a third time now become felonies under Prop 36, meaning possible prison time instead of a citation.
DETAILS: https://t.co/htbuOauDkq pic.twitter.com/uoKvSyyIgD
— KRCR News Channel 7 (@KRCR7) December 20, 2024
Voters who supported Prop. 36 are, of course, cheering the steady return to sanity (at least on the crime front) in the Golden State:
Shoplifters are already being arrested in Sacramento under Prop 36. Watch the video and listen closely. The person being arrested is begging to be cited and released. Because she's done this before. They knew the deal. @jeffreisig pic.twitter.com/NyIgcG8Hf2
— T Wolf 🌁 (@Twolfrecovery) December 20, 2024
Hip Hip Hooray for PROP 36. Lock them UP!! https://t.co/ysRuNgxFVn
— Mayor of Union Street SF (@unionstreetsf) December 20, 2024
Happy Prop 36 Day! December 18 marks the start of accountability in California. too bad it's too late to save so many businesses and people. never forget who did NOT support this law. pic.twitter.com/SAPqLfKqtA
— Erica Sandberg 舊金山的神奇女俠 (@EricaJSandberg) December 18, 2024
California law enforcement finally gets some wind at their backs. Prop 36 in effect today. Let's start arresting some creeps! https://t.co/oWvjcS5JU3
— Kira (@RealKiraDavis) December 18, 2024
A friendly reminder that Gov. Gavin Newsom strongly opposed Prop. 36
Gov. Newsom slams Proposition 36:
"It would bring us back to the 1980s. The impact this will have on black and brown residents is next level."
71% of California voters are planning to support the measure, which jails drug traffickers and shoplifters. pic.twitter.com/JuPAMLOR8P
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 20, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris, who is rumored to be considering a gubernatorial run in 2026, would not say how she voted on it:
Harris dodges if she voted for CA’s prop 36–a measure to up crime/drug penalties.
"I am not gonna talk about the vote on that because, honestly, it's the Sunday before the election and I don’t intend to create an endorsement one way or the other”
pic.twitter.com/00AHqRIt0K— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) November 3, 2024
The bottom line? “It’s a new day” in Calfornia:
Crime is once again illegal in California. It’s a new day. https://t.co/CEXSoNNQaY
— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) December 20, 2024
… and we are so here for it. It’s about time.
— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —
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Comments
Those California critters are SLOW LEARNERS!
Crackin’ down on crime is rayciss.
The law has loophole. After the 3 strikes, its either jail time or option for drug treatment. They will claim substance abuse as way to get back on the street, They will game the system.
I love how the video shows the one white woman in California who is a shoplifter. This does give rise to the question of why jurisdictions and cities in California have come out and said they are defying Federal Law in regards to deportations but would not defy California law and just arrest and hold shoplifters.
1. They are not defying federal law. No matter how many times you claim they are, it remains false. They are exercising their undisputed constitutional right to refuse to assist the federal government in enforcing its law. It’s completely free to enforce it on its own, but without any assistance from state or local governments.
2. Towns that wanted to arrest and hold shoplifters were always free to do so, and did. There has never been a time when shoplifting was not a crime in CA.
3. If there were ever a state with no law against shoplifting, towns in that state couldn’t arrest shoplifters, because what would they charge them with? It would just be kidnapping. Not only would the first judge to deal with the case order the innocent person released, but the arresting officer would be in deep manure, facing both criminal charges and a civil suit with no qualified immunity.
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