The Glendale police chief would like for felons who’ve been released from prison and have to check in with L.A. County probation to also drop by his police station, check in and register.  

Police Chief Ron De Pompa joined Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) Tuesday in pitching a bill to the Senate public safety committee. It would give local municipalities the authority to create ordinances that require people on what’s called “post-release community supervision” to also report and register with the local police department in town. Right now, felons released from prison have to check in with the county probation department.

“When you can create that face-to-face relationship, you have a much greater start on ensuring compliance and adherence and successful reintegration,” Chief De Pompa told state senators at the hearing.

Pompa and Gatto said that one reason they’re asking for the bill is because the information local police are getting from the state’s corrections agency and L.A. County probation is often either incorrect or incomplete. Pompa said the Glendale Police Department is getting a 70 percent error rate on personal information on released felons.

A few organizations, including the Chief Probation Officers of California, testified against the bill. Opponents called it “duplicative” and another opportunity for people to “technically violate” a registration rule that could continue to keep people in-and-out of the corrections system.

“Don’t create a new situation which will undermine the ideas behind realignment,” said Libby Sanchez with the California Public Defenders Association.