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LA neighborhoods get prosecutors for graffiti, prostitution, other 'broken windows' crimes
File photo: Graffiti is shown on a wall in South Los Angeles. On Thursday, L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer announced the expansion of a program putting "neighborhood prosecutors" on what are sometimes called "broken windows" crimes — including graffiti, illegal dumping and prostitution.
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José Martinez/OnCentral
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Gang related graffiti on a storefront in South Central Los Angeles, California.
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Hector Mata/AFP/Getty Images
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LA neighborhoods get prosecutors for graffiti, prostitution, other 'broken windows' crimes
Eight Los Angeles neighborhoods are getting new dedicated prosecutors to work on quality of life issues such as illegal dumping, graffiti and prostitution in the area.
The new assignments, announced Thursday by L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer, restore the popular Neighborhood Prosecution Program to pre-budget cut status.
Budget problems in 2010 forced the city attorney’s office to cut the number of neighborhood prosecutors in half. But this year's city budget makes room for expanding the program.
A total of 16 neighborhood prosecutors have been assigned to L.A. police stations, according to Feuer. They will work on what are sometimes called “broken windows” crimes: vandalism, gang loitering, trespassing, prostitution, code violations for residents and businesses.
“Neighborhood Prosecutors are community problem solvers and make a real difference in people’s daily lives,” Feuer said in a news release.
In the coming months, five more neighborhood prosecutors will be added so that each LAPD station would have one, Feuer said.
Here is a list of the 16 neighborhood prosecutors assigned to police stations:
- Raffy Astvasadoorian, West Valley Division
- Alvan Arzu, Southwest Division
- Susan Chung, Foothill Division
- Verónica de la Cruz-Robles, Olympic Division
- Ayelet Feiman, Mission Division
- Tamar Galatzan, Van Nuys and North Hollywood Divisions
- Cynthia Gonzalez, Hollenbeck Division
- Lauren Halligan, Harbor Division
- Kurt Knecht, Central Division
- Jackie Lawson, Hollywood Division
- Claudia Martin, West Los Angeles and Pacific Divisions
- Karine Philips, Topanga Division
- Gabrielle Porter Taylor, Northeast Division
- Erika Sandoval, Newton Division
- Bethelwel Wilson, 77th Street Division
- Mehrnoosh Zahiri, Wilshire Division
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