Law Enforcement

Crime down, but killings surge in San Fernando Valley
Although overall crime is down across the city of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, homicides in the Valley are up by 50 percent in the first half of 2012, according to the latest police statistics. Through July 7, there had been 33 homicides reported in the seven LAPD divisions in the Valley, compared with 22 during the same period in 2011. Deputy Chief Jorge Villegas, who oversees the Valley Bureau, said the uptick in homicides is concerning. But the stats also show shootings and overall violence are down.
Los Angeles Daily News

Veteran dad and rookie daughter: LAPD officers patrol San Fernando Valley together
It's a tradition at the Los Angeles Police Department - when the child of a veteran officer joins the force, father and child pull a shift on patrol together. Usually it's a proud dad and his son. On Wednesday, Officer Jamie Carganilla, 29, joined her father, Officer Pat Cronin, to cruise a quiet corner of the San Fernando Valley for a father-daughter reunion.
Associated Press

Riverside girl escapes sex traffic ring
A Los Angeles man who forced a 15-year-old Riverside girl to work as a prostitute and threatened to torture her if she didn't make enough money has been charged with human trafficking, police say. Riverside County juvenile probation officials contacted the Los Angeles Police Department on May 4, after the teen told officers that she was a victim of the sex trade, according to an LAPD statement.
Riverside Press-Enterprise

FBI to review thousands of convictions for possible faulty lab analysis of hair evidence
The Justice Department and the FBI will review thousands of criminal convictions from over a decade ago for possibly flawed analysis of hair sample evidence. The department and the FBI are in the process of identifying historical cases for review where a microscopic hair examination conducted by the FBI was among the evidence in a case that resulted in a conviction, Justice Department spokeswoman Nanda Chitre said.
Associated Press

Municipal Finance

Los Angeles not going bankrupt like other California cities, budget chief says
Although L.A.'s budget chief earlier this year issued dire warnings about the city's finances, he said Wednesday that the city is not about to go bankrupt like San Bernardino, Stockton and Mammoth Lakes. In April, City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana had raised the specter of Stockton's bankruptcy as a warning that L.A. needs to do more to get its finances in order or risk the same fate. But on Wednesday, he also noted that Los Angeles has already taken some important steps to avoid that outcome. "We've made significant progress, but we still have work to do," Santana said.
Los Angeles Daily News

San Bernardino bankrupt: Blame pet projects, not labor, union says
San Bernardino's labor unions pushed back at the suggestion that lucrative labor agreements were forcing the city to seek bankruptcy protection - and instead blamed city officials for frittering away money. Steve Tracy, a fire engineer and spokesman for the city firefighters' union, said the city's labor groups had already given $10 million in concessions. He cited the mayor and former city manager's pet projects, including a call center and new movie theater downtown, as reasons for the $46-million deficit.
Los Angeles Times

Ballot Initiative

End death penalty measure will be Prop. 34 on California's November ballot
By California's first opportunity to abolish the death penalty in more than three decades will be on the November ballot as Proposition 34. The so-called SAFE California Act was designated as that proposition on Wednesday. It asks voters to repeal the death penalty and replace it with life in prison without the possibility of parole. The measure would clear California's death row, which now has more than 720 inmates. Backers of the measure say ridding the state of the death penalty would save billions of dollars over time.
Bay Area Newsgroup

New Law

Gov. Brown signs bill barring tickets for parking at broken meters
Gov. Jerry Brown has used his pen to address a pet peeve of many California motorists - getting a ticket for parking at a broken parking meter. Brown signed legislation this week to allow drivers to park at broken meters, or in spaces with inoperable payment stations, for the posted time limit without getting a ticket. "This bill was needed because motorists don't know what to do when they find they've parked at a broken meter," said Steve Finnegan, government affairs manager for the Automobile Club of Southern California.
Los Angeles Times

State Government

Jerry Brown administration issues furlough orders for holdout California state worker unions
It's official. Gov. Jerry Brown has accomplished what his predecessor couldn't: All state workers under the governor's authority are now furloughed. Despite Brown's long-time criticism of furloughs as a bad business practice for the state, his Department of Human Resources last week issued a memo to government personnel officers detailing how to execute a 4.62-percent cut in the hours and pay for employees whose unions didn't negotiate a salary reduction with Brown.
Sacramento Bee

City Election 2013

High-level Villaraigosa aide runs to replace Councilman Garcetti
The traffic jam that is the race to replace Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti saw yet another candidate jump in, with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's No. 2 policy adviser announcing that he will run for the seat. Matt Szabo, 36, on Wednesday became the 13th person to pursue a bid in the 13th District, which takes in all or part of neighborhoods such as Echo Park, Silver Lake, Historic Filipinotown and Hollywood.
Los Angeles Times