PANEL URGES CAR SEIZURES FROM PIMPS, DRUG DEALERS.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

A Los Angeles City Council committee, looking to crack down on street crime and nuisances, on Monday urged the expansion of a program to seize the vehicles of panderers, drug dealers and illegal dumpers.

The council's Public Safety Committee voted 5-0 to expand the city's vehicle-seizure program, despite one member's concern it could create additional problems in the future.

``We want to make sure we are not creating criminals by seizing their vehicles,'' Councilman Bernard C. Parks said, urging that the measure require conviction of crimes before the vehicle is seized and sold off.

``We could have cases where there are problems with the registration of the vehicle, and we are taking cars from people who don't own them.''

Parks said he also wanted to make sure the city did not repeat the mistakes of the federal government, where its asset forfeiture program ran into legal problems.

``The goal of this should be to reduce crime and not target property,'' Parks said.

Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski said she hoped the program would serve as a deterrent to crime once people realize that the potential penalty includes loss of their vehicle.

Deputy City Attorney Asha Greenberg said current procedures give owners a chance to claim their vehicles if they were not driving them at the time. Also, the new measure would have any proceeds going into the city's general fund, so there would be no particular benefit to law enforcement in going after vehicles.

However, she acknowledged, the city's attempt to seize vehicles would occur even if people were acquitted of a crime.

``This would be a civil proceeding, and that is completely separate from anything criminal,'' Greenberg said. ``We could go ahead and seize a vehicle even if the person is acquitted.''

The measures, expected to go to the full City Council within the next month, would greatly expand the city's efforts to deter and punish street crimes.

Currently, the city can seize vehicles used in street racing and by those seeking to hire a prostitute. Greenberg said the city had seized 38 vehicles under the two programs.

Greenberg said the new proposals include an expansion of the crackdown on prostitutes by aiming at pimps, who often now park their cars a distance away to avoid seizure. It also includes those seeking to buy drugs and to illegally dump large materials.

The measure would exempt those who litter while driving and is aimed at people who dispose of large bulky items.

Bill Robertson of the Bureau of Street Services said his agency ran a recent sting operation and made more than 100 arrests. Some involved commercial operators from outside the city of Los Angeles, who tried to dump used tires in city alleyways.

Councilman Jack Weiss said he wanted the city to look at ways it could seize the cars of gang members - even though officials say it is difficult to determine what is a gang crime.

``If we are able to identify it for a gang injunction, we ought to be able to identify it for this,'' Weiss said.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com