ANTONOVICH DISPLAYS WEAPONS CONFISCATED FROM PROBATIONERS IN RECENT D.I.S.A.R.M. SWEEP
LOS ANGELES COUNTY – “These weapons were confiscated during Wednesday’s operation,” said Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich who held a press conference today announcing the successful confiscation of 23 firearms and the arrest of 35 probationers who were in violation of their probation Wednesday as part of the D.I.S.A.R.M. program. “The Probation Department led a team of 250 law enforcement officers from 5 federal and state agencies in a sweep of 158 residences within the fifth district of Los Angeles County.”
“Since the inception of the D.I.S.A.R.M. program in February 2000, there have been over 16,000 arrests, nearly 8,000 weapons confiscated and over $360 million dollars in illegal drugs and drug money seized,” he added.
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.
In Los Angeles County, there are 50,000 adult probationers, and 20,000 juvenile probationers. They are prohibited from possessing firearms and are subject to warrantless searches as a condition of probation.
In November, D.I.S.A.R.M officers conducted 1,832 unannounced searches of residences, persons, vehicles, and businesses and confiscated 188 weapons, over $53 million in illegal drugs and arrested 136 probationers.