Los Angeles city officials agreed Tuesday to take a tougher stance on how it treats and tracks hit-and-runs, dropping the perception that they are accidents and voting to adopt a longer statute of limitation for serious ones.
"We understand that accidents happen," Councilman Joe Buscaino said. "But if you are in an accident and run away, you are a coward and a criminal. I'm tired of us having to vote to offer rewards because of hit-and-runs."
The Los Angeles Police Department has estimated there are 20,000 hit-and-runs in the city each year, many involving property damage.
Cmdr. Mike Williams believes there need to be stronger penalties. "We are just as tired of seeing these hit-and-runs on the news as you are," Williams said. "It is a crisis."
He noted that the department is paying closer attention to the incidences to make sure officers investigate all cases.
The city will begin seeking the revocation of driver's licenses for those involved and the forfeiture of their vehicles, Buscaino said. In addition, thanks to a new state law, the statute of limitations on hit-and-runs will be extended for six years.
The council also went on record in asking the state to have hit-and-runs always be declared a crime and never an accident.
Councilman Gil Cedillo said he believes the new law giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants will help reduce the number of hit-and-runs.
"No doubt the collision between our immigration policy and our driving policies resulted in the increase we have seen," Cedillo said. "I think we need to look at the nexus between those two of a lack of immigration policy and the driving policy."
Councilman Mitch Englander believes the most important thing is that the city will begin tracking hit-and-runs through its CompStat crime-mapping program, which will allow officers to focus on areas where there might be a higher ratio.
Copyright 2013 - Daily News, Los Angeles
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
