Inside LADA

With fentanyl overdose deaths soaring, District Attorney George Gascón today joined with Department of Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer to announce the creation of a working group to address the fentanyl crisis through prevention, education and enforcement.

“I’m proud to announce that we are leading a multifaceted and collaborative effort to save lives,” District Attorney Gascón said. “The proliferation of fentanyl-related deaths poses one of the gravest challenges of our times. We are bringing together the county’s public health experts, education leaders, community advocates and law enforcement professionals to support and utilize evidence-based and effective approaches to stopping the toll fentanyl is taking.”

“This multifaceted approach is necessary because if the failed ‘War on Drugs’ of the ’90s has taught us one thing, it is that we cannot incarcerate our way out of a public health issue. Enforcement is not enough. Saving lives is the priority when addressing substance abuse and illicit drug use, as only the living have the opportunity to recover. This is a communitywide problem and will take collaboration among all of us to stem the tide of harm that is plaguing our neighborhoods.”

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A woman who stopped an international kidnapping, another who risked her job to hold a company accountable for wage theft, and a neighbor who sheltered a family under attack from their father were honored by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón.

“The extraordinary and selfless acts of these three individuals speak to what it means to live in community,” District Attorney Gascón said. “Finding the strength to speak truth to power, protect our neighbors from harm and help the most vulnerable among us – Linda McKeown, Edith Lopez and Martin Santillan, serve as inspirations to us all.”

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District Attorney George Gascón announced that an executive with a Michigan-based company responsible for the software used in managing Los Angeles County election poll workers has been arrested as part of an investigation into the possible theft of personal identifying information of those workers.

“I want to thank my prosecutors and investigators for their commitment to eliminating cyber intrusions against government entities and local businesses,” District Attorney Gascón said. “Data breaches are an ongoing threat to our digital way of life. When we entrust a company to hold our confidential data, they must be willing and able to protect our personal identifying information from theft. Otherwise, we are all victims.

This investigation is concerned solely with the personal identifying information of election workers.  In this case, the alleged conduct had no impact on the tabulation of votes and did not alter election results. But security in all aspects of any election is essential so that we all have full faith in the integrity of the election process.”

Click here to watch the news conference.

Click here to read the news release.Read more...