Law Enforcement

Pacific Division crime report: Violent crimes increase 37 percent
Violent crimes increased 37 percent in the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division in the reporting period ending June 23 with increases reported in homicides, rapes and aggravated assaults, according to statistics released by police. There were six homicides, two rapes, 23 robberies and 25 aggravated assaults between May 27 and June 23 in the Pacific Division, which includes Venice, Del Rey, Playa del Rey and Mar Vista.
Venice-MarVista Patch

USC journalist maligns LAPD detectives
One would expect a news story questioning the integrity of hard working LAPD detectives to be backed by thorough reporting and years of experience investigating shootings and murders. But none of these things are evident in "New Details In Shooting Case Linked To USC Murders Point To Lax Investigation," by USC Neon Tommy journalist Catherine Green. If anything is "lax," it's her reporting. Ms. Green's sensationalistic, innuendo-filled story suggests LAPD detectives could have prevented the April 11 murders of USC graduate students Wu Ying and Qu Ming.
LAPPL Blog

Suspected drunk driver arrested in fatal Northridge crash
A wrong-way drunk driver who plowed head-on into a car going the opposite direction on a San Fernando Valley street, killing one woman and injuring a man, was in custody Tuesday morning, police said. The driver, a 50-year-old woman who had a blood alcohol level of .22 - more nearly three times the legal limit - was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and drunk driving, LAPD Officer James Norton told NBC4. Norton said the collision occurred at about 9:37 Monday night. NBC4

LAPD Street Festival July 13-15 on Windward Circle in Venice
The Los Angeles Police Department will hold a street fair July 13-15 in Venice that will prompt the closure of Windward Circle. The street fair is being held by the LAPD's West Bureau and will feature mechanical rides and games with an estimated attendance of 15,000 people per day. Windward Circle will be closed starting at 3 p.m. July 11 and will re-open July 15 at 11 p.m., according to city officials
Venice-MarVista Patch

SWAT Team to get a swank new home in former Rampart police station
Looks like the leaders of the LAPD's SWAT Team are concerned with style as well as security. The former Rampart police station in Historic Filipinotown is being converted into the home for the LAPD's Metropolitan Division, which includes the SWAT Team. Last week, the conceptual design for the renovated station was one of the projects honored during the 2012 L.A. Architecture Awards.
Eastsider LA

LAPD officer in charge of Skid Row promises to enforce sidewalk laws
LAPD Officer Deon Joseph is the Senior Lead Officer for Skid Row in Downtown Los Angeles, where the city is currently undertaking a massive cleanup. Amidst the street sweeping and powerwashing, there are rumors of a crackdown on the homeless population that congregates on (and essentially lives on) Skid Row's sidewalks. Here's what he had to say: As far as Skid Row being a sit/lie/sleep safe zone, they are allowed to sleep on the sidewalk from 9 PM to 6 AM.
Blogdowntown

Homeless descend on Sunland Park as crackdowns shuffle transients from place to place
The increase of homeless people who sleep all day in the shade of pine trees at the local park has sparked outrage and a feeling of helplessness. For decades, Sunland has attracted the rebels and the desperadoes to its borders, especially to the Big Tujunga Wash at the edge of the Angeles National Forest, where people who prefer to live on their own terms have set up encampments. But after recent police sweeps through the wash to dismantle those encampments, the homeless have dispersed to other areas, many to Sunland Park, some residents have observed.
Los Angeles Daily News

Largest cyber sting in history nabs 24 on four continents
An international cyber sting led by the FBI attracted criminals from around the world and led to 24 arrests in what is believed to be a multi-million online financial fraud case, federal law enforcement officials said. Eleven people were arrested in the United States, law enforcement officials said. The other arrests occurred in 13 countries on four continents. Officials called the sting the largest coordinated international police action in history targeting cyber crime.
ABC News

Municipal Bankruptcy

Stockton, California, to File for Bankruptcy Protection
Stockton, California, said it will file for bankruptcy after talks with bondholders and labor unions failed, making the agricultural center the biggest U.S. city to seek court protection from creditors. "The city is fiscally insolvent and must seek chapter 9 bankruptcy protection," Stockton said in a statement released Tuesday after its council voted 6-1 to adopt a spending plan for operating under bankruptcy protection. "In addition to the bankruptcy petition, the city will file a motion with the courts to share information from the confidential mediation."
Bloomberg

Education

LAUSD to spend up to $400K to review files of 8,300 employees
Los Angeles Unified plans to spend up to $400,000 to review at least 8,300 employee files unearthed in a search for misconduct that may have gone unreported over the last 40 years, officials said Tuesday. Principals at 941 of the district's 1,222 campuses met Superintendent John Deasy's deadline of June 22 to sift through employee files, and any files from the remaining 281 schools and offices are expected soon, District spokesman Tom Waldman said.
Los Angeles Daily News

Ballot Measures

Measure that includes budget changes makes California ballot
California voters heading to the polls in November will consider a package of proposed fixes for state governance that includes changes to the budget process. The constitutional amendment, backed by the California Forward Issue Action Fund, would switch the state to a two-year, performance-based budgeting process and allow the governor to make cuts on his own in times of fiscal emergency. It would also enact legislative transparency measures and let local governments to change or opt out of certain laws and regulations.
Sacramento Bee