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Bill to Grant More Power to
L.A. Library Guards Vetoed

California Gov. Gray Davis vetoed a bill July 24 that would have given Los Angeles Public Library’s security officers the power to issue warrants, arrest patrons on library property, and transport suspects to local police stations. Officers now may only guard detainees while waiting for police, the Los Angeles Times reported July 25.

In his veto message, Davis said the matter should be handled at the local level, perhaps through an improved partnership between the library system and the police department. He also recommended that the city make the library guards reserve police officers.

City Librarian Susan Kent told American Libraries that the library plans to work with police in their local jurisdictions just as they would if the bill had passed— “It really doesn’t change much,” she said.

Library spokesman Peter V. Persic said in the July 15 Times that the city’s 68 libraries reported 717 crimes from July 1998 to June 1999, most involving disorderly conduct, vandalism, and disturbing the peace.

Posted July 31, 2000.

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