Law Enforcement

Crime alerts for Winnetka, Sunland and 10 other L.A. neighborhoods
Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in 12 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times' Crime L.A. database. Four neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Winnetka was the most unusual, recording six reports compared with a weekly average of 2.5 over the last three months. Sunland topped the list of eight neighborhoods with property crime alerts.
Los Angeles Times

2 transients killed in Skid Row crash; teen driver arrested
A teenage driver has been arrested on suspicion of DUI in a crash along Skid Row that left two people dead. The accident happened just after midnight on Sunday at the intersection of Crocker and Fourth Streets in downtown Los Angeles. Police say Carmen Elena Chavez, 19, lost control of her 1989 Mercedes-Benz as she tried to make a right turn at an unsafe speed. The car jumped the curb and struck the unidentified man and woman, who were sleeping on the sidewalk, dragging them some 50 feet.
KTLA

Halloween party gunfight leaves one dead, another wounded
A gunfight at a Halloween party in the Florence neighborhood of South Los Angeles early Sunday left one man dead and another wounded. The shooting occurred in the 600 block of East 83rd Street about 1 a.m., said Officer Venus Hall of the Los Angeles Police Department. It was unclear what led to the violence, she said. The "suspect fired some rounds, striking the victim in the head twice," Hall said. "The victim also exchanged gunfire and struck the suspect once."
Los Angeles Times

LAPD veteran eyes reform as LAX police chief
A new police chief is pledging to beef up security at the nation's second-busiest airport. KNX 1070 Charles Feldman reports a 34-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department also hopes to strengthen ties between his former department and police at Los Angeles International Airport. As the Chief of LAWA's Airport Police Division, Gannon will oversee law enforcement and security operations at LAX, LA/Ontario International and Van Nuys general aviation airports, as well as at LAWA's aviation-related property in Palmdale.
CBS LA

LAPD motorcycle officer hurt in downtown car crash
A Los Angeles motorcycle officer was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries after his bike collided with a car in the downtown area early Friday morning. The incident happened just after midnight at the intersection of 4th and Alameda streets. Investigators say the officer was driving along a Ford Mustang when the driver of the car started to make a left hand turn and hit the officer. The officer lost control of the motorcycle and crashed. The officer was transported to the hospital in stable condition.
ABC7

Twitter, Facebook help LAPD identify women in 'Grim Sleeper' case
The Los Angeles police officials said they believe they have identified at least four women seen in photos found at the home of the alleged "Grim Sleeper" serial killer after posting images on special Facebook and Twitter pages. Forty-two photographs found at the home of suspect Lonnie Franklin Jr. were posted last week on the social media sites as police sought the public's help identifying the women.
Los Angeles Times

Pensions

L.A. City Council approves pension reform plan for city workers
Under pressure from a stricter competing plan by former Mayor Richard Riordan, the Los Angeles City Council on Friday voted to adopt a new pension tier with higher retirement ages, increased contributions and reduced payouts for workers hired next year. The 10-0 vote came even as union leaders threatened to go to court to force the city into formal negotiations over its plan before it can take effect. They also cited workers' past efforts to help the city with its financial problems.
Los Angeles Daily News

Prisons

Matt Cate, head of state prison system, resigns to lead county group
Matt Cate, who oversaw a dramatic, court-ordered reduction of California's prison population as secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, is resigning, the Brown administration confirmed Friday. Cate will become executive director of the California State Association of Counties. Cate was instrumental in the controversial shifting of responsibility for newly convicted, low-level offenders from prisons to county control last year, helping Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, implement the shift.
Sacramento Bee

City Government

Los Angeles council wants to work around the city attorney
As weeks go, this was not a great one for Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich. On Monday, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa proposed a charter amendment that would strip the city attorney of the power to represent the city in civil court. The next day, a budget official called for 50 of Trutanich's staff lawyers to be laid off. And on Friday, several City Council members mounted a campaign in support of a ballot measure that would allow the council to stop relying on the city attorney for legal advice.
Los Angeles Times