Law Enforcement

Police nab alleged burglar via his GPS ankle bracelet
You can rob but you can't hide - not when you're wearing a GPS ankle bracelet. The Los Angeles Police Department announced Monday that officers arrested parolee and gang member Perry Pemberton, 29, in December after a relatively new computer system called Vericheck tracked his ankle bracelet and placed him at the scene of two burglaries in Sherman Oaks on October 24.
Los Angeles Daily News

Police arrest suspect in Sportsmen's Lodge shooting
A Valley Glen man suspected of shooting his ex-girlfriend in the head at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City early Monday morning and then fleeing with the couple's two children was arrested in the west San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles police said. Authorities said Michael Lajun Green met up with his ex-girlfriend in a room at the lodge. Police said the couple were attempting to reconcile after a period of estrangement but began to argue.
Los Angeles Times

L.A. Unified removes teacher, principal from Wilmington school
The Los Angeles Unified School District has replaced the principal of a Wilmington elementary school shortly after opening an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct by a male teacher. The veteran teacher, whose name has not been released, worked at George De La Torre Jr. Elementary School and was pulled from classes Friday. The investigation began Thursday night when five children and their parents made allegations against the teacher at the Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor station, according to district and law enforcement sources.
Los Angeles Times

Encino Little League burglarized
A storage shed holding the Encino Little League's supplies was burglarized over the weekend, police said Monday. The unknown suspect entered the shed at 5120 Hayvenhurst Avenue through the roof, and then unlocked the door from the inside. The suspect took the air conditioning unit, presumably to sell the metal parts, and other equipment, officers said. LAPD's West Valley Area personnel asked the public's help in catching the suspects and locating the missing property.
Los Angeles Daily News

Kaiser Woodland Hills employee allegedly stabs man to death outside hospital
A Kaiser Foundation Hospital employee was arrested Monday on suspicion of murder after a man was fatally stabbed during an altercation outside the Woodland Hills Medical Center, officials said. Solomon Lee Washington, 58, was being held at the LAPD's Van Nuys jail in lieu of $1 million bail in the slaying of the unidentified man.
Los Angeles Daily News

Chatsworth man allegedly planned beating father to death with hammer
A Chatsworth man suspected of using a hammer to kill his father planned the murder, police said Monday. Jun Hyuk Chang, 45, called 911 around noon Sunday and told them he had killed his father. He waited for police to arrive and was calmly taken into custody at the scene. "It was premeditated," said Los Angeles Police Department Detective Humerto Fajarado of the Devonshire station.
Los Angeles Daily News

The Evolution of Policing: An interview with Chief William Bratton
Forty years has changed quite a lot. When I went into the business in 1970, I was on the streets of Boston after about 6 weeks of training, with my 6-shot revolver, my 6 spare rounds in loops on my belt, my 12-inch club, my ticket book, my set of handcuffs, and my pen. And that is what I went forth to do policing with. Today, the average police officer in America goes out armed with probably a 40 millimeter firearm with two or three spare clips on their belt, two sets of handcuffs, a bulletproof vest, a Taser, a walky-talky-which no officer would go out into the field without-and still has the ticket book, but oftentimes that ticket book is now computerized.
DoJ Transcript

Collective Bargaining

San Jose Police Officer's union sues city
Attorneys for the San Jose Police Officers' Association on Monday elaborated on two lawsuits they filed against the city of San Jose, including one that seeks to force the city back to the bargaining table and another that alleges the city violated the union's contract by trying to change retirement benefits through an election rather than arbitration.
San Jose Mercury-News

The Courts

Calif. chief justice warns of dangerous delays
California's chief justice warned Monday that hundreds of millions of dollars in budget cuts to the state court system at a time of rising need have led to potentially dangerous delays in the administration of justice. In her first address to a joint session of the Legislature, Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said the state's judicial branch, which includes 58 trial courts, six appellate courts and the state Supreme Court, has seen its budget cut by nearly a quarter since 2008.
Associated Press

Legislation

Law would deny benefits to abusers
Carlsbad stockbroker Crystal Harris said she is willing to relive the pain if it helps prevent future hurt. Harris is in the Capitol promoting legislation to close a loophole that now allows abusers convicted of violent sex crimes against their spouses to still be awarded support payments, community property or other financial benefits.
U-T San Diego

State bill would restrict data from license-plate scanners
A state lawmaker representing Silicon Valley wants to rein in a cutting-edge law enforcement technology that enables police to stockpile digital personal information on motorists and build a portrait of their whereabouts. Agencies across the nation are swiftly adopting the use of license-plate recognition devices, which are affixed to the outside of their patrol cars and scan passing vehicles.
California Watch