Senator Alvarado-Gil Takes a Stand to Keep Sexually Violent Predators out of Mountain Communities as it Hits Close to Home
Senator Alvarado-Gil (D-Jackson), co-author of the “Sexually Violent Predator Accountability, Fairness, and Enforcement Act” (SAFE Act), is vehemently opposing the placement of a Sexually Violent Predator (SVP) in Sutter Creek, near her hometown of Jackson, CA. The act, also authored by Senate Minority Leader, Brian Jones, Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R-Yuba City), and Assemblymember Megan Dahle (R-Bieber) has been created to ensure that community safety remains the highest priority and that the California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) conducts their due diligence in finding a safe and suitable accommodations for these offenders instead of placing them in vulnerable communities.
Senator Alvarado-Gil has penned a letter of opposition to Presiding Judge Alan V. Pineschi and Stephanie Clendenin, Director of the State of California Department of State Hospitals (DSH), opposing the placement, citing concerns for public safety. “The safety of our mountain communities should be our top priority, and placing a sexually violent predator in close proximity to our homes and families is simply unacceptable,” stated Alvarado-Gil.
Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones (R-San Diego) agrees, stating “Sadly, the Sutter Creek SVP placement proposal is the latest example of the state’s secret attempt to dump SVPs in unsuspecting communities. Senator Alvarado-Gil and I have introduced the bipartisan SAFE Act to reform the SVP placement process, force state officials to own up to these decisions, and make public safety the highest priority. It’s not fair to make families live in fear because of the state’s failure to protect the community from dangerous SVP placements.”
The proposed placement of the SVP has raised extensive concerns among residents and local officials in the Amador area. Amador County Sherriff, Gary Redman, along with District Attorney Tom Riebe have determined that the SVP, William Stephenson, poses a serious risk to not only neighborhood children, but also to the broader Amador County School District population due to the numerous school bus stops that run in front of the proposed residence.
As Sherriff Redman explains “under the SVP act, the DSH will locate the SVP in the community in which they became an SVP. In this case, the predator, William Stephenson, is not from nor committed his offense in Amador County. Liberty Health Care, who is contracted to provide SVP services has failed to conduct a proper risk assessment and show there are extraordinary circumstances that warrant the placement in Amador. DSH is placing an undue burden and putting the people of Amador at risk by this reckless decision.”
Senator Alvarado-Gil concluded “the placement of SVPs in our communities should be done with great care and consideration. We must ensure that our laws and processes provide accountability, fairness, and enforceability in the placement and supervision of these individuals, and that they are not relegated to our rural, mountain communities in an attempt to hide them. Placing Mr. Stephenson in Sutter Creek is an egregious violation of the trust we place in the DSH and judicial system to prioritize the safety of our communities. “
To learn more about Senator Alvarado-Gil please go to: https://sd04.senate.ca.gov/.
Senator Alvarado-Gil represents the 4th Senate District including the Counties of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Nevada , Placer, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne.
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