[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6656121,"mediaKeyId","5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0","parentId",5339497,"title","Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission approves consent calendar minutes","audioSeconds",23,"startMs",63000,"endMs",86000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0&start=63&end=86","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0/thumbnail_63000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6656121/Lancaster-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Lancaster-Criminal-Justice-Commission-approves-consent-calendar-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656121-18d383d20d29a9ab34f6b36e0efd5c51/orig.mp4?Expires=1775399224&Signature=g3IMUyTjYLujDVJLsp54uR-e6UAJeWGRj5i00T0fUrz5dGgsijENzsedzuSXynS0wqneE2NV4ID8Cz5kzqcVSQxKjVsXwTjcfZt6~pLTNZP-yhPbVmyiJwkZ8id11IWFCkJoJv4tz9r7cjUlWiYnRWiYBXlQT~KhX3is6-5nIuibHbjqpuWAJkNMCXyE1O1zVTVtw~48CWNvhmdQoVaWkaOhBEMMB~TegvExPNDWEAzHxombviNLeIINhcmLRoJhC5dKXASeISH7Hy6c8~rFf1VLjV6F8Rx0t38esUrldqYQX1WrGvvP2EgjG2N0ffBJi3QuPsWB1R3yZlho5HsJKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Lancaster, CA","date","2025-07-09T17:02:35Z","article","The Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission approved the consent calendar, consisting of the minutes from the previous meeting, by voice vote after a motion to approve was made and no objections were recorded.

Roll call at the start of the meeting showed Commissioner Brown absent and a quorum present. Commissioners who were recorded present at roll call included Commissioner Harris, Commissioner McCracken, Commissioner Cynthia Hernandez, Vice Chair Little and Chairman Mercy. A motion to approve the consent calendar was made during the meeting and, because no objection was raised, the chair declared the consent calendar approved.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","07-09-25 Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The commission approved the consent calendar (minutes from the prior meeting) by voice vote with no objections; one commissioner was absent at roll call.","taxTitle","Lancaster City, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",3819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656125,"Lancaster police chief outlines hires, school resource officer program, substation and DUI grants",1127,1643000,2770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0&start=1643&end=2770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0/thumbnail_1643000.jpg","/articles/6656125/Lancaster-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Lancaster-police-chief-outlines-hires-school-resource-officer-program-substation-and-DUI-grants","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656125-6ccf80a76b41059e125f87935998d561/orig.mp4?Expires=1775399224&Signature=H9NBt-fr-p-nX0OI6TS7rfzXuHslr43EwSw~p5ve14Z1ylmqH6joMe4Lz1G2avFOdiTwf1hDNZpZA9QCUb2Xh0Ogb3ZHd0qpEDyYN9nzKlEdtRzsk7Vgxu5QNbCfbjZkh~5aqZ~RrboizJaqnTE72hPDoB2qtpBytY84zFg~gW8jcID3cfoADYWp~FSgXaQysVtJHn-sACCNtUBjgbkxE8a47smFk-VpCc4X3JqfCuUQm1tVIw2a3qzY~zf43qrsYfcmIlxL9jW0M~WyBTCS--2RzGm7hhG89r3plvRkXuXE2hWs9HQlRY5pdxqCjh0b3eERoegsDIbnnVq4zapRNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Lancaster Police Department representative (Chief, Lancaster Police Department) briefed the Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission on department staffing, school resource officers, a new substation and grants for DUI enforcement.

The chief said three officers were sworn in recently, including the department's first female hire described by the chief as a veteran field training officer and regional SWAT negotiator. The department has two officers slated for motorcycle (motor) assignments already hired, with a third in background processing and additional motor candidates in interviews.

On school safety, the chief announced that Lancaster will place a school resource officer program into the Westside Union School District under a joint arrangement; the district will fund officers for the school year and the city will cover remaining time, and the department will provide two officers (a male and a female) primarily assigned to middle schools.

The chief said the department is opening a boulevard substation near a local restaurant (identified in the meeting as Sassy Bird) and is staffing it with officers during daytime hours and as needed during events. He also said the department now has three homeless outreach teams with expanded weekend and evening coverage and that the annual homeless count was scheduled for Thursday (the week of the meeting).

On traffic and DUI enforcement, the chief told commissioners the department received a CHP education grant (stated by the chief as about $14,345,000 for education) and an enforcement grant of approximately $400,000 that will fund checkpoints, a trailer and other equipment; the enforcement grant will also fund training for drug recognition experts and allow for multiple DUI checkpoints during the grant period.

The chief said the department has reconnected CCW (concealed carry weapon) processing lines with the county sheriff's office, is completing the required router and LEHI (law enforcement information) hookups, and expected to resume application processing within days of the briefing. He said the department had already processed and queued roughly 100–200 CCW applications pending the final technical step.

Commissioners and the chief also discussed problem rental properties and property owners who allegedly permit recurring criminal activity. The chief said the department is working with the city's legal team to bring chronic problem properties before the city council and explore sanctions, including financial penalties and other remedies aimed at encouraging property owners to control illegal activity on their sites.","The Lancaster Police Department reported three officers sworn in, plans for additional motor officers, a school resource officer (SRO) program with Westside Union School District, a new boulevard substation, expanded homeless outreach teams and new DUI education and enforcement grants.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656127,"Antelope Valley DA reports filing backlog reduction, outlines common reasons for declined cases",418,978000,1396000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0&start=978&end=1396","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0/thumbnail_978000.jpg","/articles/6656127/Lancaster-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Antelope-Valley-DA-reports-filing-backlog-reduction-outlines-common-reasons-for-declined-cases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656127-fdfa3b5dd5750bf3e25e44e4fac38c38/orig.mp4?Expires=1775399224&Signature=jjh3qmqaAdi4pVD25SaUw1XdT5DgtUxKHXcSoh9aWXbllA8CmGeif57bRNlkcMixk7VkBz~LaEqdd-Ca3amOZ1TzagKM7fC1vQ6UFYbHcxtYR~gp0epVfrNUVFXpkAHxUuUYAA5JKE62css40pqG4u0DArfl4tJSI~K1L7LMSzD4Qc93gUSDle78d8AmSQ2IOmQB~ltnGY9Z90NNlDlqGYG2GFls9Bs~1yCX2~43BvMQkQSnSxFssCpFModc~JNv2SPEBFpLPFm2AlQNtf7S325-L6~Td3vJVY4JvyZZXJhrFrG~Ay~Ux7Qadl9MMZJf8FY8zS8F81H7UeP4K0Pj~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Micah Piantoneta, head deputy for the Antelope Valley office of the District Attorney, reported to the Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission that his office has been working through and substantially reducing a backlog of older electronic case submissions. Piantoneta said the office had about 450 backlog cases when the project began and had reduced that number to roughly 100 older submissions; the office is now focusing on recent investigations and defendants in custody.

Piantoneta presented filing and decline counts for May and June across several felony categories. Examples he provided include: auto theft filings of 24 in May and 12 in June with 12 declines in May and nine in June; burglary filings of 15 in May and six in June (one decline in May); felony assault filings of 24 in May and 16 in June with 11 declines in May and eight in June; felony DUI filings of eight in May and two in June with one decline in each month; illegal firearms filings of 14 in May and 12 in June with declines of six in May and two in June; and murder/attempted murder filings one in May and one in June with no declines in those months. Piantoneta also reported filings and declines in other categories including criminal threats, drug sales, domestic violence, grand theft/identity theft, robbery and vandalism.

On the question why some cases are declined, Piantoneta said declines can reflect insufficient evidence, missing victim cooperation and lengthy forensic waits (for example, DNA results that can take months). He noted that on sex‑crimes cases, victim unwillingness to cooperate is sometimes decisive and that the office will not proceed without victim cooperation in some categories. Regarding auto theft declines, he cited Vehicle Code section 10851 (unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle without the owner’s consent) and said prosecutions can be difficult where there is no evidence the driver knew the vehicle was stolen — for example, where a driver claims they were loaned the car.

Piantoneta told commissioners the backlog work was accomplished primarily through extra work time rather than new hires: his office requested comp time for deputy DAs to work weekends and was given comp time to use later. Commissioners asked for more detailed reasons for declines in specific categories; Piantoneta offered to speak with specialty unit prosecutors (for example, the sex‑crimes unit) and return with more granular explanations at a future meeting.

Commissioners did not take any formal action on the DA report; the presentation was a factual briefing and followed by questions.","Micah Piantoneta, head deputy for the Antelope Valley district attorney, told the commission the office cleared most of a backlog of roughly 450 legacy filings and summarized May–June filing and declination counts across several felony categories.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6656135,"Sheriff reports May crime statistics for Lancaster showing mixed trends, spike in some violent categories",470,103000,573000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0&start=103&end=573","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5339497-80b29202909862527cbe6d62b93965d0/thumbnail_103000.jpg","/articles/6656135/Lancaster-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/Sheriff-reports-May-crime-statistics-for-Lancaster-showing-mixed-trends-spike-in-some-violent-categories","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6656135-bf8317a83ee9d148a92dc14670f662c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775399224&Signature=UGOvcWHDu4HZwW9zn2k1Cbu0SiK3lok95kgrKKDzdmT8sUWuNAB0iTPlDWXduhJWo1-a3YG6AM8ux8c6LI2-goYioEVED4-GZIZkdu9jPK178VVei00W3bivEQ7UYU6B8ET9r5sYbq0hqJDTUfoLBiJvTv4Ug7ab1tjZpJv34CjwDYKgTWibhxiis6OR-yvl7pIqcMHDJpVohdGPL6-posS-aS5TatOprJ6Q5Wmxf00H3LMqtQDHSKNouwpsHafWJOVrXouRD-9kbBsRbFDzImRnvuQNduxSlrRiB3lPt395QGSMSu7FfHMypDUglhnzrqTee4VPtGMyqNhavTaDMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy Kit Grupey, Lancaster Sheriff Station community relations deputy, presented May 2025 ComStat (crime statistics) to the Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission, reporting 10 homicides year to date — eight in the city of Lancaster and two in the unincorporated area — a 25% year‑over‑year increase from 2024. Grupey said two homicides occurred in May in the city and that both involved firearms; no arrests had been reported for those incidents at the time of the briefing.

The sheriff's figures showed mixed trends across Part I crimes. Forcible sex offenses were reported at 41 incidents in the city and three in unincorporated areas, 44 total, with the city up 51.85% year over year and an overall station total of 44. Robberies were 119 in the city and 12 in unincorporated areas (131 total), a 14.42% increase in the city. Aggravated assaults totaled 361 in the city and 51 in unincorporated areas (412 total), a city decline of 11.3% and a net station drop of 9.25%. Burglaries were 236 in the city and 47 in unincorporated areas (283 total), down 17.19% in the city and 15.52% stationwide. Larceny thefts were 461 in the city and 58 in unincorporated areas (519 total), a city drop of 12.52% and stationwide drop of 14.07%.

Deputy Grupey reported grand thefts of 529 in the city and 97 in unincorporated areas (626 total), and arsons at 19 in the city and five in unincorporated areas (24 total), a city increase of 46.15% that contributed to a station total increase of 14.29%. He said that in May there were four arsons in the city; three incidents were at residences, one incident was in a vacant building and one in a vacant garage. Grupey said some incidents were repeat locations and that arrests were made in some of the arson incidents.

Grupey noted that the station’s Part I totals were 1,774 in the city and 275 in the unincorporated area (2,049 total) and said the stationwide total represented a roughly 9.7% decrease overall with a 5.64% decrease in the city (figures presented by the deputy). He also said May saw 422 arrests in the jurisdiction, slightly higher than the previous year's 419.

On traffic, the sheriff's report listed one fatal collision, 67 injury crashes and 84 non‑injury crashes for May; deputies issued 149 citations and recorded 16 DUI‑related arrests for the month. Grupey told commissioners that the “hot spot” map for Part I crimes closely follows calls for service.

Commissioners asked how Lancaster compares to other cities in Los Angeles County and statewide. Grupey said his crime analyst could assemble comparative ranking data for similar cities and that any comparison should account for population and area covered; he offered to provide comparable‑city data before the next meeting.

Commissioners also pressed the sheriff’s office on arson patterns and whether incidents were tied to vehicle thefts or encampments; Grupey said some arsons occurred at vacant locations and repeat sites, and that the department would provide follow‑up details. He refused to speculate on victims’ housing status without firm data.

The statistics presentation was followed by questions about differences between city and unincorporated trends; Grupey and commissioners discussed population density and patrol coverage as likely contributing factors but did not identify a specific enforcement change accounting for the improvements in unincorporated areas.","Deputy Kit Grupey presented May 2025 ComStat figures to the Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission showing 10 homicides year‑to‑date, mixed changes across Part I crimes, a rise in some categories such as arson, and monthly traffic enforcement totals.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Lancaster Criminal Justice Commission approves consent calendar minutes

Lancaster police chief outlines hires, school resource officer program, substation and DUI grants

Antelope Valley DA reports filing backlog reduction, outlines common reasons for declined cases

Sheriff reports May crime statistics for Lancaster showing mixed trends, spike in some violent categories