Law Enforcement

L.A. City Council approves LAPD labor contract
Looking to save money while taking care of its police force, the Los Angeles City Council on Friday approved a labor contract containing historic concessions on health costs and pensions. The 11-1 vote, with Councilman Bernard Parks opposed, sealed a contract that will save taxpayers an estimated $300 million over the next three years. And concessions made by the LAPD will help give rank-and-file officers their first pay raises since 2008.
Los Angeles Daily News

Crime alerts for Reseda, Chesterfield Square and 14 other L.A. neighborhoods
Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in 16 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times' Crime L.A. database. Eight neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Reseda was the most unusual, recording 13 reports compared with a weekly average of 3.5 over the last three months.
Los Angeles Times

What's going on here? L.A. crime declines, but assaults on police are rising
In a disturbing disconnect, violent crime in Los Angeles is down 10.3 percent and property crime has declined by 7.9 percent, but it's becoming more dangerous to be a police officer in this city. Chief Beck reported last week that assaults on police officers are up by 42 percent over the same period last year, bringing the 2011 total to 97 attacks.
LAPPL Blog

Stoned driving is uncharted territory
Experts say they don't know what level of marijuana impairs a driver, but statistics show that fatal crashes involving drugged drivers have jumped. Law enforcement puts much of the blame on the growth of medical marijuana use. In California alone, nearly 1,000 deaths and injuries each year are blamed directly on drugged drivers, according to CHP data, and law enforcement puts much of the blame on the rapid growth of medical marijuana use in the last decade. Fatalities in crashes where drugs were the primary cause and alcohol was not involved jumped 55% over the 10 years ending in 2009.
Los Angeles Times

Suspects in helicopter laser incidents arrested
Two Los Angeles men were arrested Monday on suspicion of shining a laser at police helicopters in South Los Angeles, police said, which could lead to both state and federal felony charges. Floyd Atkins, 22, and Alvaro Jimenez, 20, were apprehended around 2:40 a.m. at a home near the corner of Paloma and 29th streets, not far from Central Avenue. Officers found two laser devices, which can cause a pilot to be temporarily blinded and sustain retina damage, said Sgt. Mel Stevenson of the Los Angeles Police Department's Air Support Division.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD helicopter makes emergency landing
A Los Angeles Police Department helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing Saturday night after reporting a mechanical problem. Two LAPD pilots and two civilians were about the helicopter when the engine light came on, indicating a possible engine problem, department officials said. The pilot decided to land the helicopter immediately. He touched down safely near the intersection of Manchester Avenue and Broadway.
KTLA

Police hunt for suspects in fatal hit-and-runs
Police are searching for two hit-and-run drivers involved in separate accidents over the holiday weekend. An unidentified 32-year-old man was riding his bicycle around 2:30 a.m. Monday morning on Vista Del Mar near Dockweiler State Beach when he was struck from behind by an unknown vehicle, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Los Angeles Fire Department Paramedics responded to the location and pronounced the victim dead at the scene. On Sunday, a 34-year-old man was crossing the street east on Pacific Avenue at 14th Street when he was struck by a white Ford F-150 pick-up truck with tinted windows, LAPD said. The victim was rushed to a local hospital where he later died.
NBC4

Legislation

July 1 marks start date for a number of new laws in California
July 1 marked the start of a number of new state and local laws. Solo drivers of hybrid vehicles with yellow Clean Air decals can no longer use carpool lanes. Plug-in hybrids and vehicles with hydrogen internal combustion engines will be issued a green Clean Air decal effective next year. Zero-emission vehicles with a white Clean Air sticker may continue to use the carpool lane until Jan. 1, 2015. Drivers who use push-to-talk cellphones are no longer exempt from the hands-free law that took effect in 2008.
Los Angeles Times