Sacramento City Attorney Threaten Fines Over ‘Public Nuisance’
Today, we’ve got a story straight out of Sacramento, California, that has a lot of folks scratching their heads. The City of Sacramento’s legal department recently threatened to fine a popular retail store, Target, for public nuisance due to the numerous police calls they made after thieves repeatedly stole from their Land Park location.
According to a report by the Sacramento Bee, the Target at 2505 Riverside Blvd. has been warned by city officials about these calls, with the city threatening an administrative fine. This information comes from an anonymous source familiar with the situation, who feared retaliation.
A police spokesperson confirmed the location in question after being asked about the alleged warning. This revelation has prompted state lawmakers to add an amendment to a retail theft bill, making it illegal for authorities to threaten businesses in this manner. Governor Gavin Newsom, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, and state Senator Mike McGuire are pushing a legislative package with 14 bills aimed at tightening penalties on retail theft offenses.
This move comes on the heels of a recent announcement by California’s Secretary of State that petitioners have secured enough signatures to place a measure to reform Proposition 47 on the November ballot. Prop 47, passed in 2014, has been blamed for escalating theft problems due to its lenient penalties for drug and theft crimes.
Republican lawmakers, like Assembly GOP Leader James Gallagher, argue that Governor Newsom’s policies have contributed to the rise in theft. Gallagher claimed that not only are thieves let off lightly, but now victims are being threatened for reporting crimes, suggesting that these tactics are a way to manipulate crime statistics.
Criminal defense attorney Nicole Castronova added her voice to the criticism, pointing out that lawmakers' inaction on crime is forcing retailers to leave major cities, leading to job losses and further crime increases. Castronova argued that penalizing retailers for reporting thefts is an outrageous attempt to lower crime statistics artificially.
Alexander Gammelgard, president of the California Police Chiefs Association, testified that making a nuisance case out of legitimate crime reports is inappropriate and counterproductive. Criminal justice professor Blake Randol from California State University, Stanislaus, echoed these concerns, stating that the city’s actions could deter businesses from reporting crimes, ultimately harming public safety.
Despite these troubling claims, Sacramento city officials, including Councilman Rick Jennings II, the police department, and the city attorney’s office, have reportedly worked with Target to create a safety plan to address these issues. This plan includes enhanced security measures like alarms, cameras, security personnel, better lighting, and improved landscaping to prevent thefts.
Internal communications revealed that Target acknowledged its challenges and worked with the city to address them. However, the specifics of these concerns remain vague. Efforts to contact Target and the City of Sacramento for further comments have yet to yield responses.
Data from the police department shows a significant increase in theft, robbery, and shoplifting at Sacramento’s three Target locations in 2023, with 375 calls for service compared to 80 crimes reported by Sacramento police.