SAN DIEGO — Law enforcement in San Diego and Chula Vista called Thursday for the reinstatement of a misdemeanor law, which made it illegal to loiter for the purpose of prostitution.
Senate Bill 357 decriminalized loitering for the purposes of prostitution. It went into effect January 1, 2023.
The new campaign to repeal SB357 came on the heels of an undercover operation that successfully rescued local victims of human trafficking.
“We have issued a letter to Governor Newsom asking for this law to be repealed immediately,” said justice advocate Shane Harris, during a news conference attended by National City Mayor Ron Morrison, National City Police Chief Jose Tellez, and Chula Vista Mayor John McCann.
Chief Tellez said the law makes it more difficult for officers to combat sex trafficking.
“Before this law was repealed, an officer patrolling the streets could see this happening and actually ask that individual questions,” Tellez said.
The statements came on the heels of an undercover operation targeting prostitution on Roosevelt Avenue in National City and on Dalbergia Street in San Diego.
“We rescued a 13-year-old girl. There's no way in heck she wanted to be out there. She's being trafficked,” said SDPD Chief David Nisleit, who appeared Thursday morning on CBS 8.
Nisleit also said SB357 is making the problem worse.
“That's why I'm calling for the repeal (of SB357), we have to be centric on the victim and this is leading to more people being trafficked,” Nisleit said.
The decriminalization of loitering for the purpose of prostitution was meant to protect sex workers from being arrested over and over again on misdemeanor charges.
“Let's be just very clear, they (police) don't need the loitering crime to go up and speak to a minor on the streets and rescue them from trafficking,” said State Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who authored SB357.
Wiener said officers already have laws on the books to prosecute pimps and sex traffickers, as evidenced by the recent arrest of nearly 50 people in the San Diego undercover operation.
“They just conducted a very successful anti sex trafficking operation. They arrested a large number of people. They rescued a large number of victims, including some very young women. And they did it despite the fact that this loitering crime had already been repealed (by SB357),” said Wiener.
Arresting prostitutes for loitering, Wiener said, is not the answer.
“We should not be arresting and prosecuting victims. we should be helping victims,” said Wiener.
WATCH RELATED: 48 arrests, 8 children rescued in sex trafficking operation in San Diego