Council amends item to waive police-report fees for domestic-violence victims citywide

Los Angeles City Council amended a proposed fee waiver on police reports that originally singled out immigrant women and voted to extend the waiver to all domestic-violence victims.

Council Member Bernson moved to strike the word "immigrant," saying the waiver should cover "all victims of domestic violence." Mrs. Walters and other members supported that expansion, arguing a crime report is an essential document often used to obtain immigration (INS) relief, divorce evidence or other legal remedies. "I certainly support the item which would remove the fee to immigrant women but I would remove the fee to all people who are victims of crimes and need to get a crime report," Mrs. Walters said.

Joe Gun, executive director of the Police Commission, told the council the item came from a request by the Legal Aid Society and noted state Assembly Bill 403 was pending to make such reports free for battered victims statewide; he described it as a state-mandated program in prospect. Laura Johnson of LAPD Records warned that additional free reports could create a personnel burden and described current operational steps for retrieving digitized reports and redaction needs.

Council debated options including approving relief for domestic-violence victims immediately and requesting a report back from the public-safety committee on broader fee waivers and staffing implications. The clerk recorded the final vote on the amended item as 11 "ayes." The council approved the amendment and asked staff and the public-safety committee to examine resource implications and possible broader expansion.

Next steps: council requested a committee review of department staffing and operational changes needed to implement the fee waiver and asked for a report back with recommendations on broader fee-relief options and service delivery.