.
A couple of years ago, Don Cocek who prosecutes animal cases for for the City Attorney, moved that the court remove the permit to perform humane services such as Bernstein's SPCA. One such organization was BHLE. I don't know the outcome. Cocek was on the Board of Director's of Berstein's SPCALA at the time. He not only prosecuted cases for Bernstein, but also brokered deals where her SPCA would be paid restitution fees by the convicted hoarder or whomever.
Now it appears that the City Attorney himself, Rocky Delgadillo is using his office to shut down another of Bernstein's competitors. Bernstein is well-connected with the powers that be in the City as well as with a lot of celebrities.
Delgadillo is stating the organization, Animal Cruelty Investigations, is headed by a "militant" animal activist, and there are already enough humane society organizations in the City. Notice Boks' ACTF is mentioned with regard to getting the organziation's court endorsement removed.
What is the connection between Bernstein and the CA? Anyone know more details?
A press release by the City Attorney a few days ago. Notice the operation they were trying to shut down was run by an alleged "militant animal rights" activist.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Frank Mateljan
MONDAY, JANUARY 7, 2008 (213) 978-8340 (O)
L.A. CITY ATTORNEY ROCKY DELGADILLO
SEEKS REVOCATION OF ANIMAL RIGHTS
GROUP’S STATUS AS HUMANE SOCIETY
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo today announced
his office has filed a motion asking the Los Angeles Superior Court to revoke the
endorsement of Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) as a humane society
organization based on new evidence of prior militant animal rights behavior by a
high ranking organization member and the lack of necessity for an additional
humane society of this type in Los Angeles County.
In February 2007, ACI submitted a Petition for Incorporation along with 20
signatures from organization members seeking endorsement from the Los
Angeles Superior Court as a humane society without notice to the City Attorney’s
Office. On April 10, the Court issued its order endorsing ACI’s articles of
Incorporation. Under the Corporations Code, ACI is now eligible to request
confirmation of the appointment of humane officers who would have authority
similar to that of police officers, such as authority to carry firearms, serve
warrants and make arrests.
As part of its opposition, the City Attorney’s office noted that ACI’s chief
executive officer Frank Allen was previously convicted of, and served a one year
jail sentence for, felony attempted arson arising from a 1997 incident involving
illegal animal-rights related activities. Allen was arrested by Orange County
Sheriff’s Deputies after attempting to ignite bales of hay next to a Mission Viejo
High School agriculture classroom. He failed to disclose this conviction in his
declaration in support of ACI’s petition.
In July and September 2007, Allen on behalf of ACI, reported alleged violations
at a quail farm in Sun Valley. After a thorough investigation by the Animal Cruelty
Task Force and the California Department of Food and Agriculture, investigators
concluded the reports were unfounded and no violations of animal-welfare laws
were being violated.
The City Attorney’s office is requesting the court either void its Order endorsing
ACI’s Articles of Incorporation or conduct an evidentiary hearing to allow
development of a complete and accurate factual record on which to evaluate the
merits of issuing the order.
A hearing for the motion has been scheduled for February 4 in Division 100 of Los Angeles Superior Court.
6 comments:
We have one SPCALA and one ACTF, 7 officers, to service all of LA City and LA County, 10,000,000 people. We need more! Look at the stats. They get thousands of calls but only go after a few cases. I know for a fact that many people call with reports of abuse and no one calls them back.
We need more SPCAs! It doesn't cost the City a cent.These are private groups. They can't deny them.
Anybody can be a humane society or spca.
What do you know about California State Humane Officers, like Barbara Fabricant? You have a lot of investigating to do.
I don't see how the City Attorney's office has any standing to decide how many humane societies L.A. needs. However, if this group wants enforcement powers, to carry guns, serve warrants and make arrests, no I don't think that's a good idea. As we have seen, the only check on prosecution, if not police powers in this city, is potential liability. But a private group, with limited money -- how scared are they going to be of getting sued? At least City of L.A. has money considerations to keep it from TOO publicly trampling on our civil rights.
We hardly need vigilantes with guns and arrest powers, particularly given how nasty and judgmental some elements of this "community" get, even without guns. And if it's true that the guy running it was convicted of arson, frankly that's someone who deserves to have his judgment questioned for the rest of his life. If he'd been convicted of trying to steal and rescue at-risk animals, that would be one thing. But using arson to try to remedy a situation where animals are involved is like hitting someone with a car to get them out of the way of a bus. Hard to see the net benefit to the one being "rescued.".
Not just anyone can start an SPCA. You need 20 people to sign a statement to start one. All 20 citizens can't have a criminal background. They must pass Department of Justice background checks. They must take the police academy course PC832, then a two week Humane Academy course and weapons courses if they will carry weapons. They must have $1,000,000 insurance policy. They have to go through the same background checks as police officers and wardens. SPCALA has been around for 125 years with no problems. They are a private SPCA, so is ASPCA. The SPCAs on Animal Precinct are also private. SPCAs have been around for 150 years. It's totally legal. They get into less trouble than LAPD officers and ACOs for sure.
I do agree that they shouldn't have that guy in their spca if he committed a crime.He should have known better than to every try. I still think the city should allow these legal SPCAs to exist. If the nation wants to pass a law to make all of them illegal, fine, but don't single out one group. We need more Humane Officers out there.
Look at the ACTF. They messed up Mason's raid, didn't read him his rights, destroyed the evidence, the DA and CA won't be prosecuting him because of that. Just because someone is a police officer or animal control officer doesn't mean they will do a good job. SPCALA does a better job than the ACTF hands down. Private or public peace officer, doesn't matter. What matters are the individuals.
Another thing, if an spca had a case, they have to take it to the city attorney or district attorney to prosecute it. If they don't think there's a case, they won't prosecute, like with the Mason case. There are checks and balances with spcas. Private spca's have to obey the law just like public peace officers.
"They must take the police academy course PC832, then a two week Humane Academy course and weapons courses if they will carry weapons"
PC832 is FAR from a "police academy", college students & security guards can take it as a class, it's only 64 hours!! These guys don't even have to meet the minimum standards to qualify as a sworn 830.1PC in Calif (MMPI, background, 3 phases of grueling medical / physical tests)
To be a POST certified police officer I had to complete an 18 week police academy where we lost over 60 people who couldn't cut it, 6 months of insane "training day" like field training and 18 months of probation. This was after I, and 2 others, made the grade out of 100 applicants just to get hired.
SPCALA "officers" are under trained, under qualified and sadly unprofessional relative to a real cop. They cant even CCW off duty, sworn officers are police 24/7... these clowns play cop 8 hours a day.
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