Dennis P. Zine: We Need Public Involvement
Posted by Judy Corcoran
Dennis P. Zine: We Need Public Involvement
Dennis P. Zine served on the Los Angeles City Council and represented the Third District from 2001 to 2013, which covered the western part of the San Fernando Valley. He was a member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 45 years, staring in 1969. He spoke at our Club on April 8.
He will be a security officer at the Special Olympics World Games being held in Los Angeles in late July. There will be more than 7,000 athletes from 177 countries who will show the true meaning of courage, joy and determination. Athletes will be competing in 25 different sports at venues throughout Los Angeles, including USC and UCLA. “Truthfulness, fairness, and goodwill are important characteristics that benefit all of us,” said Zine. “There should be truth in government and truth in society. When the Republicans and Democrats fight, a lot of money disappears that could be put to better use to help society.”
The recently passed Proposition 47 has turned many non-serious, nonviolent crimes into misdemeanors, unless the defendant has prior convictions for murder, rape, certain sex offenses, or certain gun crimes. What is happening is that many prisoners are being released from prison with no support system or resources. “This has affected the city’s quality of life,” said Zine. He encourage everyone in the Valley to get involved in his or her city and to get to know their neighbors as a way to prevent crimes from happening.
Zine said that part of the problem is that few people vote in Los Angeles City elections. In the recently held March elections less than eight percent of eligible voters cast a ballot. Voting is one way to let government know what is important to us.
Zine is an active member of MADD, Haven Hills, and Battered Women’s Center. He grew up in Hollywood and is the son of Lebanese immigrants.