Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman provoked an outcry from the Inland Empire when he posted a warning on Instagram to any criminals coming from San Bernardino County that times have changed and they now will be held accountable.
Hochman was standing in Claremont, at the L.A./San Bernardino county line, when he remarked that the border was something “criminals used to look forward to when they entered L.A. County because the laws weren’t being enforced as much as they were in San Bernardino County.”
“I’ve got a rude awakening for those criminals. We’re back!” he said. “The DA’s office is working with law enforcement and we’re going to actually enforce the laws and hold criminals accountable.”
Intended as a swipe at his predecessor, former one-term District Attorney George Gascon, who was perceived as soft on crime, Hochman’s comments instead were interpreted by some as tone deaf and, in the words of one critic, “a cheap shot.”
Feeds into ‘old stereotype’
That critic, Steve Lambert, a partner at the Upland-based public affairs firm The 20/20 Network, also branded Hochman’s comments “flat-out wrong.”
“If his point is that he’s tough on crime, he shouldn’t be using San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire as a prop, and that’s what he did,” Lambert said. “The inference of everything he’s saying is that the criminals are coming from elsewhere. It just feeds into that old stereotype of San Bernardino County being a source of crime for the region.”
In reality, Lambert said, the county has experienced tremendous growth in economic development and housing construction since the turn of the century. The Southern California Association of Governments projects a million people will be moving into San Bernardino County by 2050 for more affordable housing and better employment opportunities, he said.
And, as Hochman acknowledged, the region is attacking crime.
“So for him to lay out that old stereotype of our region is more than offensive; it counteracts all the great work that’s been done here. He’s got to be better than that,” Lambert said.
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Paul C. Granillo, president and CEO of the Inland Empire Economic Partnership, said he, too, was frustrated by Hochman’s comments. Granillo said he received a spate of text messages and phone calls from community leaders Thursday about the Instagram post as word rapidly spread through the community.
“The implication is that people from San Bernardino County were coming to L.A. and committing crimes, and that’s a bold stereotype,” said Granillo, whose Rancho Cucamonga-based organization promotes community members, local businesses and local government working together to build a stronger economy and quality of life in the Inland Empire.
“We need to be working together on issues around crime and not pointing fingers. But I am happy that the DA recognizes the good work of our sheriff and police departments,” he said.
Granillo said he also understands the intent behind Hochman’s message — that he was touting his tough-on-crime stance as a major about-face in his office — but feels the execution was poor.
“I voted for him,” Granillo said. “It’s not that I’m not supportive of what he’s doing, but unfortunately the message missed the mark.”
Mayor ‘dumbfounded’
Fontana Mayor Acquanetta Warren she was was sent a link to Hochman’s post by a friend, a retired probation officer living in Los Angeles.
“He said, ‘Did you see this mess?’ ” said Warren, who has served as Fontana’s mayor for the past 15 years.
“I was like, ‘Where are you going with this, dude? You’ve got enough trouble over there,’ ” said Warren said in a telephone interview.
When she viewed it, Warren said, she was “dumbfounded.”
She said she understands Hochman’s intended message, but thought it was poorly delivered and had unintended consequences.
“I think professionalism will prevail, but this guy has some catching up to do,” Warren said of Hochman, who deposed Gascon in the November election.
Hochman apologizes
In a phone interview with the Southern California News Group, Hochman apologized to anyone who took offense at his post. He said he certainly didn’t intend to cast stones at San Bernardino County.
“I wanted people to understand that L.A. County was going to join San Bernardino County in holding criminals accountable,” Hochman said. He praised San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson and the work his prosecutors have been doing over the years to hold criminals accountable.
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