Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide
Name: George Gascón
Current job title: Los Angeles District Attorney
Political party affiliation: Non-Partisan
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: San Francisco District Attorney, San Francisco Police Chief, Mesa (Arizona) Police Chief, Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief
City where you reside:
Campaign website or social media: georgegascon.org
1. What are your top priorities for addressing violent crime in LA County, and how do you plan to allocate resources to effectively tackle these issues? (Please limit response to 250 words)
My top priorities are protecting community safety, bringing accountability to Los Angeles’ criminal legal system, and improving victims’ services through trauma-informed approaches and community partnerships.
2. How do you plan to balance public safety with criminal justice reform, particularly in relation to bail reform and alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenses? (Please limit response to 250 words)
For the most serious crimes — contrary to my opponent’s rhetoric — there is no conflict between the two. My office’s filing rate for violent felonies (such as homicide and rape) is on par with the office’s average for the decade before I took office. Our hate crime filing rate is the highest in the state of California. We are averaging more than 4,000 gun enhancements per year and have brought homicide charges against Fentanyl dealers. Where there have been changes are on nonviolent misdemeanors — such as driving on a suspended license without the presence of drugs, alcohol or reckless driving; cases like that are better handled in traffic court, allowing us to keep our courts and jails with the capacity to handle more serious crime.
3. How do you plan to decrease rates of retail crime and smash-and-grabs? Do you support Prop. 36, which would reinstate harsher penalties for shoplifting and drug related offenses? (Please limit response to 250 words)
My office has prosecuted more than 1,200 cases of organized retail theft in the last three years, including felony charges for burglary and conspiracy, resulting in serious jail time especially for repeat offenders. I do not support Proposition 36, as all of the measure’s meaningful proposals have already been adopted by the state Legislature this past session.
4. How do you intend to enhance the relationship and collaboration between the District Attorney’s Office and local communities, including efforts to build trust and improve communication with marginalized groups? (Please limit response to 250 words)
Improving community ties is a cornerstone of any successful approach to criminal justice. I have created a number of advisory boards comprised of impacted community members, including African American, LGBTQ and victims and families. Their partnership helps guide the work of my office. Additionally, we have changed how the office approaches victims of domestic violence and trafficking, as well as witnesses, who previously were themselves being incarcerated to pressure them into participating in a prosecution against their will.
5. Can you outline your approach to handling cases of police misconduct and excessive force, and how you will ensure that your office maintains a fair and impartial stance in such investigations? (Please limit response to 250 words)
Police accountability is essential to a community’s ability to trust those sworn to keep us safe. My office has brought 129 charges against officers for on- and off-duty conduct, including 15 for on-duty shootings and excessive force — compared to only one brought in the 20 years before I took office.
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