Law Enforcement

Police search for gunman in car-to-car shooting
Police are searching for a gunman who they said fired from a black BMW at someone in another car in the Harvard Park section of South Los Angeles. Officers witnessed the shooting on Slauson Avenue between Western and Denker avenues at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, Officer Bruce Borihanh of the Los Angeles Police Department said Thursday. At least one officer fired his weapon in response, Borihanh said. No one was hurt in the exchange of gunfire, he said.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD squad car crashes into tree in Rancho Park area
An LAPD squad car crashed into a tree in the Rancho Park area Thursday, sending the two officers who were inside to the hospital, police said. The crash occurred in the area of Pico Boulevard and Malcolm Avenue around 3:40 a.m., said Lt. Gena Brooks of the Los Angeles Police Department's West L.A. Station, adding that one of the officers was extricated from the wreckage by firefighters. The officers, who both suffered cuts and complained of pain, were taken to a hospital, she said.
Los Angeles Daily News

LA homeowners warned of home inspection scam
Los Angeles homeowners are being warned of bogus letters they may receive advising them that their home will be inspected by the LA Fire Department. Los Angeles police say the letters are fraudulent and homeowners should call 911 if anyone comes to their door presenting themselves as an LAFD employee asking to perform a home inspection. Police discovered the scam when a Pacoima resident reported receiving the letter.
Associated Press

State says 1,000 care facilities match sex offender addresses
The addresses for more than 1,000 state-licensed care facilities for vulnerable people in California matched addresses on the state sex offender registry, according to a newly released audit. State Auditor Elaine M. Howle said the California Department of Social Services failed to check the sex offender registry even after her office advised it to do so in 2008.
Los Angeles Times

New Devonshire LAPD Captain warns: 'Hide it, lock it, keep it'
Talk of property crime in Chatsworth dominated Thursday evening's discussion at the Neighborhood Watch meeting at St. Eudes Church. Captain Kris Pitcher, the new LAPD Devonshire Division commander, used the meeting to introduce himself to the Chatsworth community, discuss his division's successes and pinpoint areas of concern for next year. Chatsworth is safer than most areas in Los Angeles with regard to violent crime, Pritcher said. It is second-safest in L.A. overall.
Chatsworth Patch

3 citizens honored for helping in arrest of alleged drunk mom who flipped car with child inside
Three citizens who helped police arrest a woman who was allegedly drunk and flipped her car in North Hollywood with a four-year-old inside before abandoning the child at the scene were recognized Tuesday by the Mid-Valley Community Police Council and LAPD Honor Awards at a ceremony at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn.
Studio City Patch

In rare cases, law enforcement agencies can tell people no records exist, when they do
The Justice Department is being criticized by open government groups for proposing a regulation that would in rare instances allow federal law enforcement agencies to tell people seeking information under the Freedom of Information Act that the government has no records on a subject, when it actually does. Avoiding tipping off people that they are under criminal investigation is one of three highly sensitive law enforcement situations where the government - for the past 2 ½ decades - has been permitted to respond to FOIA requests by falsely denying that it has records.
Associated Press

Study: Use red-light cameras for safety, not cash
Outsourcing traffic enforcement to red-light and speed camera vendors can spell trouble for municipalities, according to a new report from a consumer watchdog group. The report by the California Public Interest Research Group finds that about half the states have enabled use of automated traffic cameras, letting local governments contract with private companies to install the equipment and issue citations. But citizens have often objected to privatized forms of traffic enforcement and many municipalities have found themselves in legal trouble when they attempt to change or update these contracts, the report says.
Contra Costa Times

Pensions

Jerry Brown: Raise public worker retirement age
Gov. Jerry Brown unveiled a 12-point proposal on Thursday aimed at shrinking the costs of public employee pension benefits in California, in part by raising the retirement age for most new employees from 55 to 67. The plan would affect state, city, county and other public workers, including teachers, police and firefighters. Public safety workers would be allowed to retire with full benefits before the age of 67 depending on their ability to perform their jobs.
San Francisco Chronicle Retirement System Overhaul at a Glance

Occupy L.A.

Occupy L.A. protesters say they have no plans to leave City Hall
After Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa commented that the Occupy L.A. encampment outside City Hall "cannot continue indefinitely," protesters issued a statement saying they plan to do just that. "As for a time stamp on our departure, there is none," the protesters wrote. "Regarding the perceived lack of focus: Our actions are governed by a democratic process and we go through process to gain consensus. This can sometimes be lengthy, but we are determined that, as representatives of the 99%, all voices are heard and considered."
Los Angeles Times