Feature Stories
Haubert Vows to Make City Safer
by Kirt Ramirez
Many want Long Beach City Prosecutor candidate Doug Haubert elected April 13.
Haubert, who entered the race in December, vows to make the city safer for everyone by enforcing the laws and “will prosecute violent law breakers as aggressively as the law will allow.”
As a prosecutor, Haubert’s job would entail prosecuting misdemeanors in Long Beach including DUI’s, vandalism, battery, prostitution, drug cases, and others. But Haubert also wants to address municipal code violations, including code enforcement.
By going after serious code enforcement violators and slumlords – Haubert would be doing something the current Prosecutor, Tom Reeves, has chosen to step back from, due to budget cuts.
But Haubert believes in adding code enforcement back into the mix, even if he has to work harder. The “broken window” theory – that a filthy, run-down eyesore of a place is a magnet for criminal activity, and that crooks move into, and eventually take over slum neighborhoods and then the entire neighborhood is lost – should not be ignored.
In addition to the many duties as prosecutor, Haubert would include tackling slumlords and force them bring properties up to code – resulting in a cleaner, safer living environment less likely to be a hang out for thugs.
Retired member of the City Prosecutor’s Office, John Fentis, told the Beachcomber this:
“One of the most embarrassing things for me, as a former deputy city prosecutor for the City of Long Beach for 25 years, is the complete abandonment of environmental enforcement by Tom Reeves. We need a city prosecutor who is going to bring back meaningful environmental enforcement, and I believe Doug Haubert is the appropriate candidate to do that.”
Long Beach Head of the Code Enforcement Division, Lei Ronca, said she currently takes code enforcement violations that are not life-safety-related to the City Attorney, as Reeves has stopped taking non-life-safety code enforcement matters.
Told of Haubert’s running and his plans to address the serious code enforcement problems, Ronca said, “An emphasis on those issues would be beneficial to the residents and to the city as a whole.”
Haubert has a strong history of going after the most notorious slumlords during his time as Long Beach Deputy City Prosecutor from 1999-2001 and his successful prosecutions were headlined in several Press-Telegram articles, including the Henry Crossman, Greysen Cooley, and John Schimmenti cases.
Haubert convicted DUI offenders to the maximum sentence. The Long Beach Police Officers Association is endorsing Haubert for his tough stance on crime.
Haubert has over ten years of experience as a prosecutor and is currently with a law firm where he serves as city prosecutor to several cities in Southern California on a contract basis. A Long Beach resident for nearly 20 years, Haubert is married with two children, who are students in the Long Beach Unified School District.
“With my experience in civil and criminal prosecution, I am dedicated to making sure that Long Beach residents can live the best quality of life in this city,” Haubert said. “I look forward to working with residents to make Long Beach a safer city for everyone.”
In the 48 hours since Haubert announced he was running for prosecutor, he amassed an impressive list of endorsements.
“Doug is a proven prosecutor. Being endorsed by 15 current and former city council members in just two days shows incredible support across the city,” said Long Beach Community College Board Member and Former Mayor Tom Clark. “I have never seen this level of support so quickly for a candidate in Long Beach, and I’ve been in Long Beach politics for over 45 years.”
District Attorney Andrea Davalos has known Haubert for many years: “He’s very experienced in municipal law, a man of integrity, and a long time resident of Long Beach who cares for his city and is the man for the job.”
The following is a partial list of people endorsing Haubert for Long Beach City Prosecutor. For more information about Haubert visit www.dougforcityprosecutor.com:
State Senator Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), Senator Tom Harman (R-Seal Beach), Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach), Former State Senator Betty Karnette (D-Long Beach), Long Beach City former Mayor Ernie Kell, former Mayor Tom Clark, current Councilmember Robert Garcia, Suja Lowenthal, Gary Delong, Patrick O’Donnell, Dee Andrews, Rae Gabelich, Gerrie Schipske, former council members Evan Anderson Braude, Doug Drummond, Ray Grabinski, Jackie Kell, Jeff Kellogg, Doris Topsy-Elvord.
Long Beach School Board Members Dr. Felton Williams, John Meyer, Mary Stanton, Jim Choura (former), Bobbie Smith (former), Long Beach City College Board Members Mark Bowen, Thomas Clark, Jeff Kellogg and Doug Otto.
Water Replenishment District Member (Long Beach) Lillian Kawasaki, Dick Gaylord, immediate past president of the National Association of Realtors.
Long Beach Unified School District Superintendent Chris Steinhauser, Mike Day, president, Teachers Association of Long Beach, Orange County Deputy District Attorney James Young, Long Beach Deputy City Attorney Randy Fudge, Long Beach Deputy City Attorney Gary Anderson.
Long Beach Harbor Commissioner Mario Cordero, Dirk Voss, president, California Association of Code Enforcement Officers, Long Beach Police Officers Association, Harbor Commissioner Mike Walter, and many more endorsers.
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