Wanted parolee in Valley killing highlights parole system failures
Omar Armando Loera is one of over 13,000 parolees unaccounted for

For Immediate Release

Contact: Eric Rose (805) 624-0572
or Paul Haney (626) 755-4759

Los Angeles, September 15, 2010 - In most classrooms in America, answering 15% of the questions right is a failing grade. In law enforcement, the fact that the State Parole Board has captured about 15% of the nearly 13,000 parolees "at large" also deserves a failing grade. It is a stark reminder that thousands of dangerous criminals are roaming our streets without the parole supervision we expect. The recent murder in Valley Village of Chere Osmanhodzic allegedly by Omar Armando Loera, 34–a parolee and transient with a long criminal background released early from prison—only highlights the danger that at-large parolees present to the public.

"For the past several years, we have been warning the public and elected officials about the dangers presented to public safety by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) early release program, which in essence, commutes prison sentences and releases thousands of dangerous inmates early to the streets. Compounding the public safety danger of the various early release programs, these inmates are sent to local communities without any supervision, notification to local police agencies of their arrival, and with no ability to return the former felons to prison absent the conviction of a new crime," said Paul M. Weber, President of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

"In one of the most ridiculous comments in history by a public official, on March 10, 2010, CDCR Spokesman Oscar Hidalgo claimed that the early release program would "incentivize" local police and prosecutors to arrest and convict these felons. We were more than happy, and public safety was better served, with the old parole system that swiftly returned criminals back to prison on a parole violation if they failed to strictly follow their conditions of parole. Unfortunately, in an effort to save money and with scant regard for public safety, state parole rammed through their new system. Now, innocent residents need to become the newest crime victim of the parolee before they can be returned to prison," continues Weber. "As my mother would say, 'that is penny wise and pound foolish.'"

Given the ineptitude of the CDCR, the program wasn’t even implemented correctly. Within weeks of its implementation, Corrections officials had egg on their face and put public safety in even more jeopardy, admitting they had misclassified and improperly released 656 parolees without conditions or supervision while using a new system called Parole Violation Decision Making Instrument (PVDMI), a system being used at selected state parole offices to classify and manage parolees. Of course, since the statewide early release program did not keep track of the erroneously released inmates, they become yet more parolees at large.

"With the LAPD and other law enforcement agencies looking for Omar Armando Loera, we now learn that the CDCR has nearly 13,000 dangerous felons it is supposed to supervise, roaming free on our streets. Instead of patting itself on the back that it had located and arrested over 2,000 of the over 15,000 parolees at large, maybe when they cut that number of missing parolees by 10,000, which still leaves far too many unaccounted for, they can take a break from doing their job of supervising released felons and pat themselves on the back with their laudatory press releases," concluded Weber.

Related releases:
1. Failed state parole early-release program nearly costs LAPD officers their lives (7/14/10)
2. Los Angeles Police Officers call on Governor to Stop Dangerous New Parole Program (5/5/09)
3. LAPPL Statement on Proposed Massive Prisoner Release (5/23/09)
4. Los Angeles police officers denounce inmate early releases as dangerous and counterproductive (7/9/09)
5. State to release thousands of felons; Prison gates open January 25 (1/15/10)
6. Governor "commutes" sentences of 6,000 inmates (1/21/10)

About the LAPPL:Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com.