Jail Closure Makes Bail Harder for Detainees
With the closure of the jail at the LAPD’s West Los Angeles division, people getting arrested in Brentwood, Bel-Air, Westwood and Pacific Palisades are going to the LAPD’s Pacific division in Venice.
According to bondsman Chris Bailey, who owns a bail bonds operation near Santa Moncia Boulevard and the San Diego Freeway, those who used to be in the West L.A. jail are now housed with a much tougher group and are facing longer jail time before they can bail out.
“At West L.A., the time it took to book someone was less than an hour,” Bailey said. “Now it takes several hours just to get someone in jail.”
City Hall officials say that closing the jail, which detained its last prisoner July 5, will save $90,000 a year.
“I would prefer that they left it open,” said Councilman Marvin Braude, whose district includes the West L.A station.
“However, I don’t like it when the City Council tells the police what to do. And since they felt it would be beneficial to close the jail, I feel they know best.”
Bailey said his business of bailing people out of jail is down drastically.
Bailey owns Allstate Bail Bonds, which is across the street from the West L.A. police station.
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