From Futuromiria, it's Latino USA.

I'm Maria Inohosa.

Today, a conversation with a Cuban-American Democrat grew up in Los Angeles, became a police

chief and now is a progressive prosecutor, district attorney George Gaskon.

George Gaskon was born in Cuba in the 1950s, though at that time he wasn't called George.

No, no, they named me Jorge.

But then I went in the army and people kept spelling my name, G-O-R-G-E, and I finally

relented.

Gaskon moved with his family to Los Angeles County when he was 13.

He held on to his native language, but his Cuban Spanish started to change.

I grew up around Mexicans more than I did around Cubans, who actually went around Mexicans.

I sound less and less like a Cuban.

I had to be around Cubans for a few hours before I began to sound Cuban again.

Gaskon adapted to his new home and as a young man he joined the Los Angeles Police Department.

Now, he's making headlines for reasons that you might not expect from someone who spent

decades as a police officer.

Gaskon was recently elected as district attorney for Los Angeles County, which is the largest

local prosecutor's office in the country.

And his victory has been hailed as a major win for a movement of progressive prosecutors

who want to end mass incarceration and overhaul the United States law enforcement system from

the inside.

Gaskon has had a circuitous journey from beat cop to top prosecutor.

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