San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan addressed Point Loma Rotary on May 31, cluing members in on the latest crime developments including efforts to reform Proposition 47 and the fentanyl drug crisis.
Prop. 47, passed in 2014, changed certain low-level crimes from potential felonies to misdemeanors to reduce California’s prison population. The law applies to some non-violent property crimes where the value does not exceed $950, and some simple drug possession offenses. The savings from reduced incarceration costs have been invested into drug and mental health treatment programs for at-risk students and victim services. Some state leaders want to amend the law to bring harsher penalties to repeat offenders.
“San Diego remains one of the safest urban counties in America,” Stephan said adding, “That is work that requires service of others over self, so I feel a kinship, and a connection, with the Rotaries because of your mission and the good that you do in our communities.”
Stephan pointed out the DA’s office gets the honor of serving and having jurisdiction over all 18 cities and 39 unincorporated areas in San Diego County. She added that allows her to work with police, sheriffs, and other crime-related agencies to “work together to come up with innovative solutions to make the community as safe as possible.”
The DA characterized the role she plays as “my dream and my passion since I was 12 years old,” noting she has spent 28 years prosecuting in courtrooms for justice creating a Human Sex Crimes and Trafficking Division that “became the answer to my dream.”
Stephan noted it is collaboration and sharing of resources among regional law enforcement that allows us to “make sure we’re able to fight the big monsters and organized crime that comes at us.” She added, “San Diego County is the largest entry point for illicit fentanyl and all sorts of deadly drugs that come through our border.”
Regarding Prop. 47, Stephan said: “This is a very well-intentioned proposition, and I don’t think it should be just scratched. It should be reformed and fixed so we keep the good parts, and we get rid of the bad parts.”
The stipulation that property stolen under $950 constitutes a misdemeanor rather than a felony under Prop. 47 was described by Stephan as an easily exploitable loophole allowing repeat offenders to get off the hook too easily for crimes they’ve committed. “It’s almost like the criminal’s rights have way overcome the right of the person who’s just trying to earn a living, and that’s an unacceptable situation,” she concluded.
The DA added lax punishment called out for presently in Prop. 47 has caused “stores to stop calling, and police officers are often not responding, because they know all they can do is give a citation.”
Stephan said the legislature “is working on fixes” for Prop. 47.” But she added, “It will take the people deciding again that they want to put some ‘borders’ around Prop. 47,” to reform the measure.
Meanwhile, fentanyl has emerged as San Diego’s worst drug-crime dilemma killing over 77,000 people in America in 2023. “For ages 18 to 45, that is the highest number of deaths than any other cause,” said Stephan who labeled the continuing battle to stop fentanyl from coming across the border as “an unbelievable race against time.”
