Los Angeles Police Department detective Jamie McBride said he advises visitors not to come to the city because he considers it unsafe.
McBride blamed Gov. Gavin Newsom for rising crime rates in California and accused progressive district attorneys of “advocating for the criminals.”
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“We’re telling people don’t visit because we don’t think we can keep you safe right now,” he said in an interview with Fox News on Monday. “Los Angeles is like the movie Purge, but instead of 24 hours to commit your crime, they have 365 days.”
He said the “zero bail” policy and Proposition 47, which reduced sentencing for various nonviolent crimes, have led to an increase in crime.
Newsom recently criticized the state’s cities for their lenient policies on retail theft, saying authorities should enforce the law against thieves.
“Police need to arrest them. Prosecutors need to prosecute them. Judges need to hold people accountable for breaking the law,” Newsom said. “These are not victimless crimes, and I have no empathy for these criminal elements.”
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The Bay Area in California has seen a rise in organized retail theft since the pandemic. Companies such as Best Buy and Walgreens have said the spike in crime has become one of their top challenges.
A 2020 survey by the National Retail Federation ranked three of California cities — Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento — as part of the top 10 worst cities in the U.S. for retail crime. Los Angeles topped that list.
