County Supervisors Working on New Security Policy After Courthouse Park Stabbing

Fresno County supervisors are developing a new security policy for prosecutors and courthouse workers after a senior prosecutor was stabbed three times Thursday afternoon at Courthouse Park in downtown Fresno.

“We’re going to be working on a policy with our district attorney, with our sheriff, that makes something that works for our community, that works for, more importantly, for our prosecutors,” said Supervisor Luis Chavez, who represents District 3.

Authorities arrested 42-year-old Dustin Crawford in connection with the attack. District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp said Crawford targeted the deputy district attorney who prosecuted his attempted murder case in 2016.

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Sheriff John Zanoni announced residents can expect to see more deputies at Courthouse Park following the attack. He said the stabbing is one of several violent crimes that have occurred in the downtown area.

“There are concerns about security. Making sure that the public has access to this park, they can get access to county services while remaining safe,” said Supervisor Nathan Magsig, who represents District 5.

Chavez pointed to plans for a future courthouse as an opportunity for the state and county to work together on safety improvements, including more access points and entry areas.

“What I would like to personally see is an area, understanding that the state has their own rules, the county has their own rules, but to allow our prosecutors to carry a weapon as they travel from their office that is across the street into the courthouse,” Chavez said.

Courthouse Park is home to several county and state buildings, including the current Fresno County Courthouse. The attack has left community members and county workers on edge.

The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case and determine what charges Crawford could face.

The Breakdown

• Fresno County supervisors are developing a security policy for prosecutors and courthouse workers in response to Thursday’s stabbing at Courthouse Park.
• Sheriff John Zanoni announced more deputies will be stationed at Courthouse Park.
• Supervisor Luis Chavez proposed allowing prosecutors to carry weapons when traveling between their office and the courthouse.
• The policy is being developed jointly by the Board of Supervisors, the District Attorney’s office, and the Sheriff’s office.

What This Means for You

The security policy your county supervisors are working on will determine what protection prosecutors and other county workers have when they’re doing their jobs in downtown Fresno — including whether they can defend themselves. That policy will be shaped by how seriously the elected officials you vote for on the Board of Supervisors take workplace safety for public employees, and whether they’re willing to push back against state rules that might limit what the county can do on its own property. If you work downtown, use county services, or visit Courthouse Park, the changes they settle on will affect how safe you feel there.

What to Watch

The material names a real concern but doesn’t answer it: why was someone with an attempted murder case prosecuted in 2016 out and able to carry out what officials are calling a targeted, retaliatory attack eight years later? District Attorney Smittcamp framed this as “no accountability and no responsibility to violent criminals” under state policies, but the material doesn’t state what outcome Crawford’s case had, how much time he may have served, or under what terms he was released. A reader trying to judge whether the accountability system actually failed here needs to know those details — the policy your supervisors are working on addresses security after the fact, but it doesn’t touch the question of whether the person who attacked this prosecutor should have been free to do it in the first place.