The Hertzberg-Polanco Crime Laboratories Construction Bond Act of 1999.
	Argument in Favor of Proposition 15

Arguments on this page are the opinions of the authors and have not been checked for accuracy by any official agency.

REPAIRING DETERIORATING, OUTDATED CRIME LABS WILL ENSURE THAT MORE CRIMINALS ARE IDENTIFIED, CAUGHT, CONVICTED AND PUNISHED. PROPOSITION 15 IS AN INVESTMENT IN JUSTICE. THESE CRIME-SOLVING FUNDS WILL BE USED TO:

• Improve DNA tests, which identify criminals.
• Speed up the analysis of crime evidence to reduce the number of murderers and rapists who go free.
• Provide improved equipment to identify blood alcohol content and reduce the number of drunk drivers on the street.
• Improve the analysis of evidence so fewer innocent people are charged with crimes.

"Updating crime labs will result in the positive identification of more rapists and murderers who are currently going free." Crime Victims United of California.

PROPOSITION 15 PROVIDES FOR TAXPAYER SAFEGUARDS:

• Money cannot be used to pay administrators' salaries.
• An independent Forensics Laboratories Authority will be created to ensure money is spent efficiently where it is needed.
• Crimes solved faster will save taxpayers' money spent in lengthy trials.
• This measure will not increase taxes.
• An independent annual audit will ensure funds are spent efficiently.

"Crime labs need updated technology to process evidence rapidly in order to prosecute criminals and exonerate the innocent faster." Tom Torlakson, Member, California State Assembly Information Technology Budget Subcommittee.

MODERN HIGH TECH CRIME LABS ARE ESSENTIAL TO LAW ENFORCEMENT'S ABILITY TO QUICKLY SOLVE CRIMES:

• Updated crime labs will increase the speed with which crimes are solved.
• Proposition 15 will provide high tech equipment to examine and identify DNA, toxicology, blood typing, bodily fluids from sexual assaults, drugs, ballistics, arson and explosives.
• Renovated crime labs will provide independent, unbiased information.
• Proposition 15 will relieve overcrowding and prevent criminals from going free because of backlogs at crime labs.

UPDATING AND REPAIRING CRIME LABS IS CRUCIAL TO LOCAL SHERIFFS AND POLICE FOR QUICKER APPREHENSION AND PROSECUTION OF CRIMINALS.

• The California State Auditor says: "Without adequate facilities, laboratories may experience a greater risk of evidence contamination, compromised efficiency . . . and health and safety problems . . . the degree of severe overcrowding in the laboratories is of major concern.
• "Almost two-thirds of California's crime labs are in disrepair or out-of-date.
• Proposition 15 will give local police and sheriffs modern high tech crime-solving equipment and repair deteriorating crime labs.
• Money from Proposition 15 will be distributed to local law enforcement agencies throughout the state.

CALIFORNIA'S CRIME FIGHTERS, AMONG MANY OTHERS, SUPPORT PROPOSITION 15:

California Police Chiefs Association
Attorney General Bill Lockyer
California Association of Crime Lab Directors
Assembly Member Bob Hertzberg, former chair Assembly Public Safety Committee
California State Sheriffs Association
California Union of Safety Employees
California Peace Officers Association
Senator Richard Polanco, chair Joint Committee on Prison Construction & Operations

The need to repair and update overcrowded deteriorating crime labs is critical. Vote YES to improve the analysis of evidence to solve crimes faster, prevent criminals from going free and protect those who are innocent. Vote YES for public safety. Join us and Vote YES on Proposition 15.

GRAY DAVIS
Governor of California

WILLIAM J. HEMBY
California Organization of Police & Sheriffs

DANIEL A. TERRY
President, California Professional Firefighters

Proposition 15 | Vote 2000 Home | Next - Prop 16 | Secretary of State Home |