Public Safety

As a mother, no one cares more about safe streets than Ysabel. The police budget gets bigger and bigger every year, but let’s be honest: no one feels any safer. We can’t keep pushing forward the same failed policies and expecting different results. For far too long, CD14’s marginalized residents have borne the brunt of over-policing, racial profiling, and systemic violence perpetrated by law enforcement. That’s why it’s time for a bold, smart approach: addressing the root causes of crime, like poverty, and promoting community-driven solutions. The safest cities in America invest in public transit, education, youth employment, parks, libraries, and people, not jails and police.

• Taking on Police Misconduct Lawsuits: We need to start addressing the financial burden of police misconduct lawsuits on taxpayers. Ysabel believes that any money used to settle such lawsuits should be deducted from the LAPD's pension fund, rather than burdening the already stretched taxpayer dollars. Holding individual officers and the department accountable for their actions will incentivize better training and practices while ensuring that the public does not bear the cost of misconduct.
• Reimagine Traffic Safety: The current system of law enforcement and traffic stops has led to numerous instances of violence, racial profiling, and community mistrust. That’s why Ysabel wants to establish a dedicated division within the city's public services department responsible for traffic safety and enforcement. City workers from this Traffic Safety Division will conduct routine traffic stops without carrying firearms or any other weapons, ensuring a non-threatening and non-violent approach.
• Demilitarization of Police:There is no reason the LAPD should have tanks or military-grade weapons. That’s why Ysabel strongly advocates for the demilitarization of the LAPD. Redirecting funds away from such acquisitions will enable us to invest in important community programs that are proven to slow down crime and reduce recidivism, like diversion programs that direct non-violent offenders away from the criminal justice system and into community-based services.
• Investing in Community: It’s time to reassess the allocation of resources to prioritize community services and programs that address the root causes of crime, such as education, housing, mental health, and job training. This will involve reallocating some funds from the police department's budget to these essential services.
• End Qualified Immunity: Ysabel supports the elimination of qualified immunity, which shields officers from personal liability in civil lawsuits for constitutional violations.
• A Seat at the Table: Criminal justice reform advocates have been hard at work on the ground fighting to shut down the school to prison pipeline, end recidivism, sound the alarm on systemic racism, close jails, and hold police accountable. These activists must have a seat at the table at City Hall, which is why Ysabel is committed to ongoing dialogue and collaboration with community organizations, advocacy groups, and residents to ensure that their voices are heard and incorporated into the policymaking process.