THE CRIMINAL BRANCH

MAKING LOS ANGELES A SAFER CITY THROUGH CRIME PREVENTION
AND EFFECTIVE PROSECUTION OF CRIMINALS

The Office of the City Attorney prosecutes all misdemeanor criminal offenses and infractions committed within the City of Los Angeles.

Criminal Branch Operations
Los Angeles City Attorneys prosecute criminal cases through seven Criminal Branches located throughout Los Angeles. The Office of the City Attorney works closely with local law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, and California Highway Patrol, and numerous city, county, state, and federal regulatory agencies to effectively prosecute crimes occurring throughout Los Angeles.

The Safe Neighborhoods Division
The Safe Neighborhoods Division advances the Office of the City Attorney's objective to improve public safety and preserve the quality of life in our City's neighborhoods. Through the Neighborhood Prosecutor Program , the Citywide Nuisance Abatement Program, and the Dispute Resolution Program, City Attorneys partner with law enforcement and the community to proactively address crime problems and utilize a series of innovative crime prevention programs and comprehensive legal actions to create safer, stronger neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles.

The Special Operations Division
The Special Operations Division is comprised of 11 highly specialized vertical prosecution units focused on crime prevention and prosecution efforts within specific areas of the law. The AIDS/HIV Discrimination Unit advises City officials and departments on AIDS policy and law, enforces the City of Los Angeles' AIDS discrimination ordinance. The Animal Protection Unit prosecutes crimes of animal abuse and neglect. The Consumer Protection Unit enforces and consumer protection laws. The Elder Crimes Unit addresses financial crimes and physical abuse committed against the elderly and dependent adults.The Environmental Protection Unit enforces all misdemeanor environmental protection ordinances, statutes and regulations within the City of Los Angeles.The Gang Unit targets identified gangs with a combination of civil injunctions and criminal prosecutions. The Hate Crimes Unit prosecutes crimes against victims targeted because of their race, ethnic or national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability. The Housing Enforcement Unit prosecutes criminal violations of habitability codes and the City of Los Angeles's Rent Stabilization Ordinance. The Public Integrity Unit uses both advice and criminal prosecution to ensure compliance with government ethics and campaign contribution laws.The Special Enforcement Unit prosecutes crimes involving sensitive or vulnerable victims.The Tobacco Enforcement Program enforces the City's tobacco control laws.