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John K. Van de Kamp
District Attorney

1976-1982

District Attorney John K. Van de Kamp

John K. Van de Kamp

An experienced prosecutor from a famous local family is named District Attorney.

It took the Board of Supervisors six months to pick a replacement after District Attorney Joseph Busch's sudden death. But John Van de Kamp, of the family that owned the bakery of the same name, was an understandable choice. He had served as U.S. Attorney and was the first federal public defender in Los Angeles.

Van de Kamp dramatically increased the number of women deputy district attorneys in the office, beginning with the appointment of Andrea Ordin as assistant district attorney. He also created special units focused on gangs, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, career criminals and a unit to monitor crime in the entertainment industry. He also set in place programs to help victims and witnesses of crime, as well as special teams to quickly respond to cases of police officer-involved shootings.

Van de Kamp was elected state attorney general in 1982.

Reprinted from FOR THE PEOPLE -- Inside the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office 1850-2000 by Michael Parrish. ISBN 1-883318-15-7