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Organization: Los Angeles County / Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich
Date: August 4, 2008
Antonovich Displays Weapons Confiscated by D.I.S.A.R.M Probation Sweeps
Supervisor Mike Antonovich holds up an AR-15 Assault Rifle confiscated during a D.I.S.A.R.M sweep. From left:
Robert Taylor, Chief Probation Officer; Michael D. Antonovich, Los Angeles County Supervisor; Jack Simms, D.I.S.A.R.M Director; Milton Robinson, Deputy Probation Officer; Jae Chong, Deputy Probation Officer.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY — Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich joined Chief Probation Officer Robert Taylor, and D.I.S.A.R.M Director Jack Simms in holding a press conference discussing the ongoing success of D.I.S.A.R.M. (Developing Increased Safety through Arms Reduction Management) and displaying guns confiscated from successful sweeps by D.I.S.A.R.M officers of convicted criminals in the County’s probation system.
The D.I.S.A.R.M unit was created by Supervisor Antonovich following the tragic August 1999 shootings at the North Valley Jewish Community Center and the murder of a postal worker by Buford Furrow, an armed felon on probation from Washington State.
"Since its implementation in February of 2000, the D.I.S.A.R.M program has seized 4,275 weapons and nearly 300 million dollars in illegal drugs and drug money, and resulted in 9,545 arrests," said Antonovich. "Twenty percent of probationers in this program have been out of compliance with their terms of probation."
Currently, there are 80,000 individuals under the supervision of the County’s Probation Department — including 20,000 juveniles.
"Last year, I participated in a D.I.S.A.R.M sweep in the Antelope Valley; what we discovered in the home of the parolee was shocking — he had court transcripts and the names and addresses of those who had testified against him, including the Deputy Sheriff who was escorting us and who was the convicting officer in the case," said Antonovich. "I'd like to see a state law that would require every county have this operation in effect," Antonovich added.
"I want to thank Supervisor Antonovich for his vision and continued support of this vital program," said Probation Chief Robert Taylor. "What this program is really fundamentally all about, is about violence, and curbing violence in our communities — these are not children’s toys displayed here, this is a display of weapons common to criminals in the street."
The D.I.S.A.R.M program entails pairing Deputy Probation Officers with local law enforcement personnel to perform unannounced searches of probationers and their homes, as a condition of probation, and targets the confiscation of guns, drugs, and other contraband."
