Law Enforcement

Report shows economy has significant impact on public safety
The U.S. Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services Office has released a study that reveals the economic state of cities has eroded the manpower of police forces and their ability to respond to public safety concerns. Drawing on research from NLC and other national organizations, the study shows that a quarter of American cities surveyed have made cuts to public safety budgets, and by the end of the year, nearly 12,000 police officers and sheriff's deputies will have been laid off.
National League of Cities

UCLA writes computer program to battle East L.A. gangs
A team of UCLA researchers has once again delved into the world of crime fighting, this time developing a computer program capable of pointing police in the right direction when rivalries between street gangs erupts into violence and crime. The university announced Monday that mathematicians have devised a complex algorithm that crunched information from the Los Angeles Police Department on more than 1,000 gang-related crimes and suspected gang crimes in the LAPD's Hollenbeck Division -- an area of East L.A. that is home to more than two dozen active gangs.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD officers wound assault suspect in South Los Angeles
Officers responding to a shooting call in South Los Angeles wounded an armed man, Los Angeles police officials said Monday night. Details about the Halloween night incident, which was reported shortly before 8 o'clock near the intersection of 22nd Street and Central Avenue, were not immediately available, said LAPD Officer Bruce Borihahn. Officers responded to a 911 radio call of shots fired/assault with a deadly weapon when they saw a man holding a handgun, Borihahn said.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD asks for the public's help to find missing Northridge man with Alzheimer's
The Los Angeles Police Department is asking for the public's help in locating Won Lee of Northridge who suffers from Alzheimer's. Around 10:30 a.m. Monday, Lee walked from his home in the 18900 block of Los Alimos Street, possibly headed to the Porter Ranch Pharmacy at 11167 Tampa Ave. Lee has not been heard from since, and his family is very concerned for his well being.
Los Angeles Daily News

Missing man last seen at gas station near Mendota
Los Angeles police are asking for help in locating a missing man who was last seen at a gas station west of Mendota in mid-September. Michael Bell, 26, of Los Angeles, was taken to the Chevron gas station on Interstate 5 at the West Panoche Road exit about 3 p.m. Sept. 17 by a California Highway Patrol officer after Bell's car ran out of gas on Interstate 5, Los Angeles police said.
Fresno Bee

Hollywood joy riders cause a stir
A trio of joy riders who scattered after their stolen ride crashed in Hollywood kept LAPD officers busy for about four hours this morning - until two were nabbed, one of them after being overpowered by a police dog, authorities said. Patrol officers noticed a suspicious car around 12:30 a.m. and determined it had been reported stolen in Pasadena, said Sgt. Tim Jenneman of the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Station, adding that they tried to pull it over on Cosmo Street. But instead of complying, the driver took off, leading the officers on a short pursuit south on Cosmo and east on Selma Avenue, Jenneman said.
City News Service

Homeland Security

LAX to name new head of homeland security
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is expected to announce this week that one of his former deputies will oversee homeland security at Los Angeles International Airport, several sources confirmed Monday. Arif Alikhan, 43, will be named the airport's new deputy executive director of law enforcement and homeland security, according to several City Hall insiders with knowledge of the appointment. Alikhan is expected to start his new duties next Monday.
Torrance Daily Breeze

Probation

Probation takeover looms
After three years of federal monitoring, the Los Angeles County Probation Department missed Monday's deadline for overhauling its 14 juvenile camps, raising the possibility of a takeover by the U.S. Justice Department. Under an agreement signed Oct. 31, 2008, the agency was given three years to attain substantial compliance with 41 reforms, such as preventing "abusive institutional practices," swiftly investigating child abuse allegations and implementing effective rehabilitation and behavior management.
Los Angeles Daily News

Pensions

Calif. cities take pension reform to the ballot
San Francisco's public pension system took a beating during the recession, which has left it carrying a hefty unfunded liability for its 26,000 current and 28,000 retired employees. The city's pension obligation is growing by $100 million a year, leaving less funding for police and fire protection, park maintenance and health services for the needy. Unable to keep up, San Francisco is among several California cities asking voters to help tackle the public pension problem-which is now one of the biggest causes of municipal budget shortfalls.
Associated Press

California's retirement-age increase puts state in rare company
Governor Jerry Brown's proposal to raise the age when most public workers can retire with full benefits to 67, from 55, would put California in the company of just three other states. The change, which still must win Legislative or voter approval, reflects Americans' increased longevity and the strain that adds to government pension plans, Brown said Oct. 27, when the Democrat released proposed changes. Extending the retirement age boosts fund contributions and curbs benefit payments.
Bloomberg