WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Police and prosecutors stood shoulder to shoulder Thursday applauding recent gun seizures and arrests in West Palm Beach. However, they're looking for ways to keep the people they arrested off the streets.
Mayor Keith James, Deputy Police Chief Rick Morris and Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg were among the people who spoke at a news conference at the downtown police station.
Police said during a 30-day period that more than 50 illegal guns and felony arrests took place. This included 50 handguns and two long guns in August.
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"Over 1,700 illegal guns in the last three years have been recovered," Morris said. "That's a serious issue."
Morris passionately outlined his frustration regarding the problem of the quick pre-trial release of offenders following arrests.
"When you see people getting released on serious charges in one day, that's a problem. That's a big problem, and it's a big frustration, and the community is in an uproar," Morris said. "What we need is a look at where the system is failing and to make the adjustments that need to be done, so the people that are committing these crimes stay incarcerated."
He said he supported raises for workers in the state attorney's office, which he believes would help the situation.
"We got to make their lifestyle livable," Morris said. "Our state's attorneys in this state are very underpaid."
He also said the criminal justice system was in need of reforms to rehabilitate offenders.
Aronberg echoed the same frustrations.
"It is important to note that under the law, nearly all criminal defendants are entitled to pre-trial release," Aronberg said. "They are entitled to a bond, and it can be frustrating."
So where does the change they want to see begin?
"First, you have to have a change in attitude where the community feels safe in speaking up, victims and witnesses are unafraid to testify in cases because our prosecutors are only as good as our victims and our witnesses," Aronberg said. "Then you'd to have a review of our bond schedule to make sure that those individuals who get bond are not the violent career criminals who put people at risk."
Aronberg said the attrition rate is high in his office because private firms are recruiting his workers. He also cited that the pandemic created a backlog of cases, causing prosecutors to easily get burned out.
"This is the toughest time since I've been state attorney when it comes to employee recruitment and retention," Aronberg said.
