On Monday, February 1, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón administered the oath of office to Robert Arcos, who will serve as chief of the DA’s Bureau of Investigation
Arcos is an interesting choice. He has been with the Los Angeles Police Department for 32 years, and was one of three candidates who were short-listed to be the chief in the spring of 2018, after former LAPD Chief Charlie Beck resigned.
Mayor Eric Garcetti ultimately chose Michel Moore to lead the department. Yet, Moore wisely promoted Arcos to the position of first Assistant Chief, meaning until he retired on Sunday, January 31, he was the person running most of the day-to-day operations of the LAPD, including overseeing patrol.
Former LAPD Assistant Chief Robert Arcos is sworn in by LA DA George Gascón.
Now Arcos is coming to the Office of the District Attorney.
Interestingly, with more than 300 sworn officers, the Bureau of Investigation for the DA’s office is the fourth largest law enforcement agency in Los Angeles County. Basically, the officers under Arcos will support the investigative work of approximately 1,000 deputy district attorneys.
“Bobby Arcos brings a depth of law enforcement experience and compassion to the District Attorney’s Office,” said Gascón of his new hire.
“I am proud that Bobby has agreed to join my executive management team and will help me fulfill my promises to voters that we will protect our community by preventing crime, reducing recidivism and restoring victims. Together, with other members of the team, we will rely on data, science and research to guide this office into the future.”
Whether having a well-liked and extremely experienced leader in the world of LA law enforcement working for the new DA will soften the criticism of the law-and-order elements of Los Angeles will remain to be seen.
Criticism of DA Gascón goes to court
And while we’re on the topic of criticism, in other DA news, on Tuesday, February 2, there will be a hearing regarding the application for a preliminary injunction filed by the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys against Gascón in the hope of preventing him from following through with many of his reforms, which the LA ADDA has characterized as radical and plainly unlawful.
For this who have forgotten, when George Gascón was sworn in on December 7, after defeating the incumbent, two term DA Jackie Lacey, right away he announced a list of reforms that were in keeping with his campaign promises. The changes were labeled Special Directives, and were posted on the DA’s website.
Among the new directives were announcements that the DA’s office would no longer charge juveniles as adults, nor would it seek the death penalty. The Gascón-led office would not charge many low-level first time offenders. DA Gascón would eliminate cash bail. (In the case of those accused of murder and other violent felonies, prosecutors would seek detainment, not bail.)
In addition, the new DA launched a victim services group, and a supercharged sentencing integrity unit that would, “in good-faith” perform case reviews,” and when necessary “remedy wrongful convictions, and take any remedial measures necessary to correct injustices uncovered, within the bounds of the law.”
And, Gascón would, he announced, for the most part get rid of nearly all sentencing enhancements, including certain parts of California’s three strikes law, the California STEP Act (which allows for the lengthening of a sentence if the defendant is believed to part of a street gang), 10-20-life, which drastically lengthens sentences if a gun is involved, even if the defendant never held nor fired the gun, plus other sentencing strategies that can add years or decades to someone’s prison term, far in excess of what the range of sentences that the commission of certain crimes already requires.
The matter of sentencing enhancements in particular, caused energetic pushback among certain prosecutors, and victims rights organizations, which persuaded Gascón to modify his directive on sentencing enhancements for hate crimes, certain financial crimes, elder and child abuse, and sex trafficking, after meeting with the various groups.
Nevertheless, the attacks have kept on coming, most claiming that truly dangerous people who have committed terrible crimes, will not be appropriately sentenced under DA Gascón’s directives, thus doing profound harm to public safety, while ignoring the needs of victims.
Many prosecutors and legal experts do not agree, as was demonstrated last month when a group of 65 prosecutors from all over the U.S., many of them high profile DA’s from large U.S. cities, lined up behind Gascón to say that his changes were not a threat to public safety, and they were perfectly lawful.
This broad group of prosecutors expressed their views in the form of an Amicus Brief in support of Gascón and his team against the ADDA’s attempt to gain an injunction against many of the new DA’s new reforms, a matter that will be heard on Tuesday in the court of Judge James C. Chalfant.
Naturally WitnessLA will be observing the 1:30 p.m. hearing virtually, and we will report back to you.
So….stay tuned.
Photo of Robert Arcos in his former office at the LAPD, on his retirement day, January 31, 2021, via Robert Arcos Twitter
Don’t know Arcos nor his reputation up to this point. But must question his personal integrity to work for Gascon. Double dipping for extra money over reputation. He’ll be real popular at the LAPD reunions. SMH.
Ask LAPD how they feel about this douchebag leaving.
Sellouts stick together.
Trash has been taken out.
Who’s next?
“Bobby Arcos brings a depth of law enforcement experience and compassion to the District Attorney’s Office,” said Gascón of his new hire.
So, he’s another reliable liberal who will spit in the face of law enforcement, prosecutors, and especially victims, just as Gascan has been doing. Nice.
ReaLOW, sounds like someone is jealous. You are still driving around a car and this Latino rose up the ranks. And, he is going to get more in pension than you ever will and gets a nice paying job in another department. Damn, ACLU. Can’t we go back to the days when the LAPD looked like the officers from Dragnet or Adam-12.
Dope of Reality, here I am thinking you cops are all the same. If he does what you say he’ll do to other law enforcement and prosecutors I just may like this guy. I guess all of you aren’t bad.
They should have just promoted someone from within. These management double dippers are ridiculous and end up collecting three pensions in the end.
Jealous, aren’t you?
Well – not all the trash. You are still inside.
Well at least you nailed the reason he moved up in rank.
LAPD is majority Latino, go figure “1” rose through the ranks. Just “1” I guess, can’t let too many make rank can we? The board idiot child is really on top of his game today.
So is it not possible for hard working Latinos to earn rank?
I think it is.
I also think it’s possible that lazy POS Latinos can get rank because they are Latino.
Wipe off your chin Fife, Arcos can’t help you anymore.
Huh? I was talking to CF and not LAPD, nice try dude. Sarcasm 101.
You leave up a post where someone mentions “blowing CF” and some of mine get trashed, unreal. So nasty trashy shit is ok now, got it.
Editor’s note:
Dear “Fife,”
Approving comments is time consuming. And I have neither the time nor interest of being a playground supervisor for adults who should know better. Thus, sometimes I miss things.
I’ve trashed so many of RealLOL’s comments, that this time I think I just glanced quickly, and put it through. Obviously, that was a mistake.
I appreciate the fact you let me know.
Your greatly injured tone, however, is wearying.
C.
Fifi- You sound like a snotty nose kid. “Mommy, Mommy, Celeste lets other kids play but not me. Not fair!” The sense of entitlement is amazing. It is Celeste’s site. Get that through head. And, Fifi don’t punk out on ReaLOW. Own up to what you said. I suspect ReaLow is not black, so need to fear him.
Celeste, please let Fifi play. Let Fifi say a few bad words before he throws a tantrum, even, or especially, if those words are directed at me. As you said, his injured tone is wearying.
BTW, Celeste, do you really read through all of the posts. Here I was thinking I was special and that you only read through mine so I would not hurt the ladies’ feelings.
I was happy to see his post Miss CF. I wish Celeste was less like “Jack” so all my posts could be seen, that would be great, was hoping she changed the rules. Her site her rules, think I know how that goes. The best blogs are those that allow for a free exchange of ideas without criminal types threats or really nasty type ones aimed at the owner like Celeste. That’s a fact, but these far lefties can’t handle that, gets them all a “twitter”, get it? You seem to have a short memory, think back dummy, you’re putting out way to much info Miss CF. Talking way too much, think about it.
Oh, be gone a spell, vacationing in the north 40. You all behave and play nice while I’m gone.
Maybe, Fifi, if that is the case, you should frequent the “best blogs” and not this one, lest you become a wearying poster to Celeste. And, thank you for the warning about me exposing myself too much. I would hate for you to come to my home and leave donut glaze on my door when you knock it down.
Enjoy your vacation. Is it the Proud Boy Reunion 2021, planning for the next Stop-the-Steal event at the Capitol or merely a Klan rally? And, do not worry about the virus. I understand the hoods do provide some protection. Have a safe trip.
Fife is one of those cop types who can’t handle criticism or responsibility for his own actions….aka, he’s a punk.
Come out swinging then bitch out when he’s called out. Typical and not an unexpected response. Hey bro, thick skin…remember that?
CF, still a punk but living an irrelevant existence that now has him bothered. Hides behind a screen name and smashes cops because if he did it in real life he would get his ass kicked. So irrelevant in life bud. Must be hard to wake everyday in your world.
Celeste, trash all the comments of mine you want. I can appreciate that. It must be hard to pump out ridiculous activism and get smacked in the face by facts on a daily basis. God help the SJW crowd. Y’all gonna need it when you’re forced to answer for your deeds.
No, not really. This is the norm. Cool name.
Oh, wow another “winner” from the retired executive ranks of the LAPD. If his management style is anything like the last “retired LAPD executive “, Jim McDonnell thrust onto unsuspecting law enforcement agencies and the current DA for that matter, God help the DA Investigator staff? Not sure what they really do though anyway?
Childish Fool, aka “CF”, do you know what these folks with “their big fast salaries and pensions” do? You seem to be an expert on nothing but a highly opinionated Ne’er-do-well?
Arcos is the worst!!!
My name was used in two criminal cases by lapd and when I called Arcos office to get assistance while he was at Lapd he did not assist and when i called to check on any updates Arcos had charges filed on me “annoying calls” for asking. Then Arcos sent his Caucasian assistant to the court hearing. If Arcos was so ethical why didn’t he show up to take the stand and say how he was harmed? I still bar the emails where i was very polite to Arcos. This is not a good decision to hire Arcos. They all work together in the end. What a joke!!
I can provide the case number also. Lapd told me if I continue to ask how my name got on two different criminal assault cases they will continue to harass me. So now Arcos is over the DA investigations? So who am
I suppose to ask to investigate Arcos? George Gascon is his boss. What a joke! What a mess!!
You are correct!!!!
Arcos lied on me. Filed annoying calls on me because I have proof Lapd added my name to criminal cases. And he never showed up to court. He sent his Caucasian assistant to say lies. Coward. Yet all my emails said “thank you”.
Like Ice Cube said “Everything is Corrupt”
Jealous of a liar. He lied on me and others. I don’t care what his race is. So many of you are blinded by race and a paycheck. It’s sad. Arcos is not to be trusted.
I retired from the streets of the Big West Coast City. I love how they electronically send me that tax-free big fat pension check every month. I find it comical how many outsiders have zero idea about the political and personal dynamics of the law enforcement promotional process. Some guys want to promote. Other guys want to stay on the street where it’s happening and they can show some gangster “Wassup!!” at 0300. I’ve seen brilliant people working the street and working in administration. I’ve seen useless people in both areas as well. I was a police officer my entire career. When I retired, I was working a felony street team. That’s what I loved. Me in administration?? Naw. Not me at all. Other guys love being the boss and that’s up to them.