Meet Steve

FAIR AND FOR THE PEOPLE

As a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney for more than 25 years, Steve Ipsen has represented our community and fought to keep our families safe. He has prosecuted numerous complex and violent cases including: murder, rape, child molestation, robbery, kidnapping, car jacking and terrorist threats. Early in his career, Steve was invited to join the prestigious Crimes Against Peace Officers Section (CAPOS), where he successfully prosecuted crimes against police officers and deputy sheriffs. Steve has prosecuted over 100 jury trials without a single acquittal.

Steve has been committed to protecting victims of crime in and out of the courtroom. Young or old, from any background, race or ethnicity, protecting their rights, their property and their lives has remained Steve's highest priority. In 2008, Steve co-authored the Victims Bill of Rights, known as Marsy's Law. This act amended California's Constitution and became the most powerful guarantee of rights for victims anywhere in the United States. Steve's experience, leadership and dedication to the people of Los Angeles County make him the right choice to elect as our District Attorney in 2012.

FROM WISCONSIN to LA

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1961, Steve grew up in the mid-west with his mother, father and four sisters. In 1983, Steve graduated with honors from the University of Virginia with a double major in Economics and Rhetorical Studies. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree, he moved to California and attended law school at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he was awarded the esteemed John M. Olin Fellowship in Law and Economics. While in law school he followed in the footsteps of his mother, an educator, by teaching a class in "street law" at Grant High School in the San Fernando Valley. In 1986, Steve joined the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office in pursuit of his abiding commitment to advocate for the people.

A NATURAL LEADER

Steve was elected by his peers to nine terms as President of the Association of Deputy District Attorneys. As President he championed this organization's call to unionize and built it into the largest prosecutors union in the United States. During this same time, Steve served as one of the Vice-Presidents of the California State Bar Association, the organization which both represents and disciplines attorneys in the state of California. As our next District Attorney, Steve will work tirelessly with prosecutors, investigators and support staff to build a unified coalition in service of the people of Los Angeles. His dynamic leadership will inspire public confidence and restore our belief in the integrity and character of the Office of the District Attorney.

THE SMART CHOICE

With jails and prisons dramatically overcrowded and budget cuts on the horizon, the threat to public safety has never been greater. Steve has the vision, the plan and the solution needed to reform the criminal justice system. He is ready to face the unprecedented challenges of our time that require a new perspective on crime and demand a creative and innovative approach. This ground breaking path to justice, known as "Reform First," is a bipartisan movement and has a manifest appeal that will unify the multitude of political, ethnic and economic interests which make Los Angeles the diverse and extraordinary community we all embrace.

No other candidate seeking the Office of District Attorney in the 2012 election can offer as much.

Paid for by Steve Ipsen for District Attorney, 2012 FPPC# 1335300