Assemblymember Curren Price (D-Inglewood) announced today that he has sent a letter to Gov. Schwarzenegger to determine why the California Dept. of Consumer Affairs conducted joint enforcement actions with the Moreno Valley Police Dept. on six African-American-owned barbershops in Riverside County in April of 2008.
In his letter, Mr. Price wrote, “As a member of the Assembly Committee on Business and Professions, I am concerned anytime our state boards and commissions are engaged in enforcement actions with local police agencies where there has not been a clearly established violation of state law by the businesses in question.”
“I am requesting that the Dept. of Consumer Affairs’ Bureau of Barbering and Cosmetology provide an explanation for the questions that follow. If crimes were allegedly being committed at the Moreno Valley barber shops in question, and the Moreno Valley Police Dept. was the lead agency in a criminal investigation, why was the Bureau of Barbering and Cosmetology involved in that alleged criminal investigation? Furthermore, if the Moreno Valley barber shops were alleged to have violated state barbering and cosmetology statutes, why was the Moreno Valley Police Dept. asked to participate in the Bureau’s inspection and enforcement activities?”
Currently, the state Dept. of Consumer Affairs has a mission, vision and values statement on its website (http://www.dca.ca.gov/about_dca/morabout.shtml).
Mr. Price, who is heavily favored to defeat two opponents on May 19 in the runoff election for County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas’s old state Senate seat, said he wants a clearer explanation about the involvement than he has received to date.
“I would like to know, from the Dept. of Consumer Affairs’ acting-Director, how the Bureau of Barbering and Cosmetology’s activities in April 2008, involving six barbershops in Moreno Valley, conform to the Department of Consumer Affairs’ mission, vision and values?” Mr. Price added.
The Assemblyman’s website is currenpricejr.com
