Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger has proclaimed a state of emergency in Los Angeles County to address widespread unrest following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25.
The proclamation will facilitate interagency response coordination and mutual aid, accelerate the procurement of vital supplies, and enable future state and federal reimbursement of costs incurred by the County.
“This emergency comes as we are in the midst of battling another emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This taxes our resources, but not our resolve,” Barger said. “We will do everything in our power to keep our communities safe and protect lives and property. I continue to call on our residents to maintain calm and seek solutions productively, not destructively.”
The proclamation said that numerous acts of violence pose “extreme peril to the safety of persons and property,” adding that “damage, looting and arson to public and private property have affected numerous cities and locations throughout the County.”
In a statement, Barger said: “This is a time for us to come together to stand against injustice in ways that will make us stronger as a County and as a nation. If you are assembling to protest, please do so peacefully and with respect for all those who are suffering.”
To read the proclamation, click here.
Contact: Michelle Vega, MVega@bos.lacounty.gov