Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent executive order to remove homeless encampments has faced criticism from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. They believe that the order will not help alleviate the issue, but rather worsen it. This has caused concern as the homeless crisis in the area continues to be a pressing and complex issue.
During a conversation with Charles Feldman, the Chief Correspondent for KNX News, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna affirmed that there will be no changes for his department.
Luna clarified that the Sheriff’s Department’s strategy for handling the unhoused population would remain unchanged despite the governor’s executive order. However, she expressed satisfaction upon learning that the issue, which is a major concern for everyone, had reached the governor’s desk. Luna believes that this attention from the right people could lead to more effective solutions for this problem.
According to Luna, the executive order by Newsom and the Supreme Court ruling have provided the department with “additional tools” that could be beneficial when state agencies commence the removal of encampments.
He emphasized the need for a coordinated effort during encampment clearing operations, especially on state land located near freeways that pass through various neighborhoods. “We don’t want one group working against the other,” he added.
According to Luna, there hasn’t been any notification regarding the commencement of encampment removal operations by state agencies. Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Department intends to continue with their regular operations.
According to him, the remarkable work done by our Homeless Outreach Services Team (HOST) is highly commendable. He emphasized that our strategy focuses on long-term outreach and complete evaluations before any displacement takes place.
According to Luna, the jails in LA County are still overcrowded. This means that even if the agency decides to clear more camps and make more arrests, the individuals involved are likely to end up back on the street.