LOS ANGELES – In response to persistent failures in how Los Angeles handles domestic violence restraining orders, especially when it comes to removing guns from abusers, Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky joined Attorney General Rob Bonta, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, and 150 public safety and advocacy leaders yesterday for the first convening of the City’s Domestic Violence Restraining Order Enforcement Task Force. The effort brought together court administration, law enforcement, attorneys, and service providers with a clear goal: to ensure restraining orders are enforced effectively and survivors are kept safe.
Held at the California Endowment, the convening marked an important step toward a coordinated citywide strategy to improve enforcement of protective orders for survivors. Court staff, prosecutors, law enforcement officials, legal advocates, and survivor advocates came together to examine existing gaps and commit to meaningful reforms.
As part of the convening, the Task Force released new findings from a citywide survey of legal advocates and service providers. The responses revealed deep and widespread problems with enforcement that leave many survivors at risk, especially when abusers have access to firearms.
Key findings included:
- Firearm relinquishment is inconsistently enforced. Abusers often falsely report that weapons are lost or are toy guns, and no system exists to confirm that firearms have actually been surrendered.
- Survivors face language and access barriers. Limited English proficiency, lack of legal representation, and unfamiliarity with the court process often result in delayed or denied protection.
- Judicial responses are inconsistent. Some judges deny restraining orders based on outdated assumptions about abuse or penalize survivors for ongoing contact with their abuser.
- Serving orders can be difficult. When the restrained person is unhoused or avoids service, survivors may remain unprotected for extended periods of time.
- Police response to violations varies. Reports are sometimes dismissed if the violation does not involve new violence, undermining the intent of protective orders.
“A restraining order is only as strong as the system behind it,” said Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky. “We need to remove guns more quickly from the hands of abusers, give law enforcement the tools and training they need, and make sure survivors can access help without being retraumatized. This Task Force was created to fix the breakdowns that put people in danger, and I’m proud to see so many leaders coming together to do the work.”
The creation of the DVRO Enforcement Task Force stems from a broader initiative led by Councilwoman Yaroslavsky to strengthen the city’s response to domestic violence. In February, the City Council unanimously passed two motions she authored—one to launch this task force and another to fund the largest expansion of domestic violence services in Los Angeles history. Together, these efforts are focused on improving enforcement, removing firearms from abusers, and ensuring survivors have access to shelter, legal support, and housing assistance.
“The City’s new DVRO Enforcement Task Force marked Gun Violence Awareness Month with their inaugural convening, hopefully the first of many that will move us closer toward successful implementation of our gun relinquishment laws. We look forward to building on today’s event with our city, county, and state partners, and thank Attorney General Rob Bonta for his support of our efforts," said Hydee Feldstein Soto, Los Angeles City Attorney. "DVROs, when enforced, can save lives. When we remove guns from prohibited parties, we protect victims, hold offenders accountable, and build a safer Los Angeles.”
“Protective orders like the domestic violence restraining order can be life-changing, and life-saving pathways to safety,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “We have much more work to do to make sure that survivors who ask for protection and obtain these orders are protected by ensuring that respondents are promptly and safely disarmed. We need to make sure that protective orders live up to their fullest potential and promise. That requires us working together, breaking through silos. Embracing tough honest conversations about where our systems are letting survivors down. And committing to take concrete, practical steps together to enhance survivor safety.”
Yesterday’s convening marks the beginning of a broader, sustained effort to close enforcement gaps and protect the lives of domestic violence survivors across Los Angeles. The Task Force will continue its work in the months ahead, translating today’s findings into coordinated policies, training, and implementation strategies.
Video footage of Councilwoman Yaroslavsky’s remarks is available HERE.
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