District attorney proposes law to increase penalties for disaster looting
Proposal targets looters in evacuation zones during wildfire emergencies
– San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow announced a proposal for an urgency legislative measure aimed at increasing penalties for crimes committed during disasters and in evacuation areas. The proposal responds to recent incidents in Los Angeles County, including looting in areas affected by the Palisades Fire and other wildfires that have forced evacuations of numerous families and neighborhoods.
Dow stated the measure aligns with the intent of voters who approved Proposition 36 on Nov. 5, which addressed public safety issues. According to Dow, the current laws are insufficient to deter crimes such as looting during large-scale emergencies, as demonstrated by the recent devastation in Los Angeles County.
“This proposal is designed to protect temporarily vulnerable populations and to provide law enforcement officials with the tools they need during emergencies such as wildfires or other disasters,” Dow said.
The district attorney emphasized the need for immediate action to address public safety concerns. “I look forward to working with my colleagues across California and legislators in Sacramento to immediately address this important issue of public safety as urgency legislation,” Dow said.
“Those of us in positions of leadership who are charged with protecting the People of California must act quickly and decisively to provide better protections through appropriately tough laws that hold exploiters accountable for their predatory acts during the fires that are devastating Los Angeles County. Law enforcement and prosecutors need these additional tools to be implemented immediately.”
Click here to view the full proposal.
