Two People Arrested Five Different Times Over 15 Months During LA's Zero-Bail Policy

By Brett Rowland, Tom Gantert and Elyse Apel | The Center Square, The Center Square California

August 11, 2022

(The Center Square) - Two people released on the Los Angeles County "zero-bail" system were arrested five different times over a 15-month period.

That's part of a report released on Aug. 2, 2022, by the Los Angeles Police Department that stated 649 people were re-arrested after being released from jail on no bail. The report covered March 28, 2021, through June 25, 2022.

The police report didn't state the total number of people released on the zero-bail policy during that 15-month period.

The report highlighted five other individuals who were re-arrested the same day they were let off on the zero-bail policy.

The report states, "The pandemic pushed Los Angeles County to instate a 'zero bail' policy which issued a modified bail schedule providing 'zero bails' for individuals accused of low-level offenses, infractions, misdemeanors, and some felony offenses as a way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 infections in pre-trial incarcerations and to reduce the local jail population." This zero-bail policy expired on July 1, 2022.

The Center Square has requested a copy of the bail report under the state's open records law.

The Los Angeles Police and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office didn't respond to an email seeking that information. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office referred questions to the county sheriff.

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