Law Enforcement

Crime alerts for Vermont-Slauson, Lake Balboa and 15 other L.A. neighborhoods
Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in 17 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of Los Angeles Police Department data by the Los Angeles Times' Crime L.A. database. Nine neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Vermont-Slauson was the most unusual, recording 16 reports compared with a weekly average of 8.5 over the last three months. Lake Balboa topped the list of nine neighborhoods with property crime alerts.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD rejoices over guilty verdict
The LAPD couldn't be happier with Monday's guilty verdict in the Conrad Murray manslaughter trial -- telling TMZ, the verdict represents a "victory" in the eyes of law enforcement. A rep for the LAPD issued the statement -- claiming, the department "applauded" the jury's verdict. According to the rep, "Today's verdict of guilty is confirmation that the combined efforts of our investigators, criminalists, Coroner investigators and the District Attorney's Office were sound."
TMZ

D.A.: Conrad Murray unlikely to serve 'appropriate' sentence
It is unlikely that Dr. Conrad Murray will serve a lengthy stint behind bars, L.A. County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley said Monday after the physician's conviction in the death of Michael Jackson. Cooley said legislation that calls for some state prison inmates to be returned to county jails will probably mean that Murray -- who was handcuffed and taken into custody after his conviction -- will probably not serve "an appropriate sentence." Murray faces a maximum term of four years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 29.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD deploys surveillance cameras
Broadband and video surveillance solutions provider Wi4Net, a division of CelPlan Technologies, announced Monday that it has completed the installation of the first series of wireless camera systems for the Los Angeles Police Department. According to a statement, this initial deployment will help the Mission, Foothill and Southwest area police stations monitor gang activity and other crimes. In addition, Wi4Net said the city's Wireless Camera Surveillance System program will also enable other area stations to deploy compatible surveillance systems in the future.
Security Info Watch

Lancaster to consider police surveillance by plane
Lancaster is weighing a proposal to allow police to perform surveillance using a specially equipped small plane capable of recording people's movements on the ground. The plan would involve a $1.3-million, piloted Cessna 172 fixed-wing aircraft affixed with optical equipment that would circle the High Desert town at altitudes of 1,000 to 3,000 feet some 10 hours a day, Lancaster officials said. The technology, developed by Lancaster-based Spiral Technology Inc., would record video footage that would be transmitted to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Los Angeles Times

Supreme Court to weigh juveniles' life sentences without parole
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider putting a new national limit on life sentences for juveniles who are age 14 or younger. Nationwide, there are 73 prisoners who are serving life terms with no possible parole for their role in homicides committed when they were 14 or younger. The justices voted to hear appeals from two of those inmates - one from Alabama and one from Arkansas - to decide whether such a sentence for a very young criminal violates the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
Los Angeles Times

Low-emissions squad cars being tested
Regional air quality officials voted Friday to spend $65,000 on a Ford Crown Victoria that runs on natural gas and which they hope will help persuade police agencies to convert their fleets to such low-polluting cars. The South Coast Air Quality Management District already has provided one natural gas-powered Crown Victoria each to the Redlands and South Pasadena police forces and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The car approved Friday will be made available to police agencies interested in trying it out. Natural gas vehicles pollute less than gasoline-powered cars.
Riverside Press-Enterprise

More police cars are going retro -- to black and white
After years of dressing up police cars in blue or red, adding fancy swishing graphics or nothing at all, more police departments are returning to tried-and-true: going back to black and white. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review says the phenomenon is happening in towns across western Pennsylvania. "Standard cars blend in. They're not as noticeable as black and white cars," Allegheny Township Police Chief John Fontaine tells the newspaper. "Plus, black and white is a nostalgic thing. It's a traditional police car look."
USA Today

Occupy Movement

'Occupied' cities becoming a big problem for mayors
The nationwide Occupy movement might be targeting Wall Street, but it's arguably municipal governments that have felt the biggest impact so far. Protesters have staged weeks-long sit-ins at public spaces in cities from New York to Atlanta to Pittsburgh to Oakland, Calif. Although the demonstrations have been largely peaceful, hundreds of protesters have been arrested and there have been a handful of violent clashes with law enforcement. Occupy has put mayors of these cities in a delicate situation: balancing respect for civil liberties with the need to maintain law and order and limit the protests' physical toll.
NPR