Law Enforcement

LAPD dispatchers helped save lives; officers went back into burning home
Lia Vargas and Teresa Kachirisky don't carry guns or make arrests. But when it counts, they can help save lives as surely as police officers. The two civilian 911 dispatchers were honored Wednesday along with 47 sworn Los Angeles police colleagues who saved lives or risked their own to serve the city. "We're never, ever included in anything, and it's just an honor that they recognized us," Kachirisky said afterward, holding her Police Star in its blue case as family and colleagues had their photos taken with her outside.
Los Angeles Daily News

LAPD identifies suspect, victims in Boyle Heights double homicide
A Boyle Heights man was arrested on suspicion of murder after Los Angeles police said he shot and killed his brother and a family friend during an argument, department officials said Wednesday. The shooting was reported around 4 p.m. Tuesday in the 3300 block of Hunter Street, said Officer Lyle Knight. The suspect has been identified by police as 25-year-old Israel Lopez. The victims were identified as Gustavo Lopez, 29, the alleged gunman's brother, and Rafael Aguilar, 22, the friend.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD request help identifying suspects
The Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division released a video earlier this week in which authorities believe the two suspects in a murder at a marijuana dispensary are caught on film. The murder occurred on June 24, 2010 at around 9:00 p.m., at the Hollywood Holistic dispensary on North El Centro Avenue. According to authorities, two men entered the store then proceeded to stab Ila Packman, a store employee, multiple times. They then left with almost $3000 worth of marijuana and the store's closed-circuit recording equipment.
Canyon News

Driving the 2013 Ford Police Interceptor sedan on wide open throttle
In our last police car comparison, the 2013 Ford Police Interceptor Sedan beat the 2012 Chevrolet Caprice PPV and 2012 Dodge Charger Pursuit in most performance tests. While we didn't pick a winner - that's up to individual law enforcement agencies to decide - Jessi Lang spent some time behind the wheel of the Ford Police Interceptor sedan on this episode of Wide Open Throttle. Anatoly Delm of Motorola Solutions stopped by Motor Trend headquarters to show Lang the new Police Interceptor sedan.
Motor Trend

Election 2012

L.A. mayor undaunted as transit tax measure lags
With a county transit tax measure he backed teetering between failure and approval, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Wednesday he will go "back to the toolbox" if necessary to accelerate several projects, including a subway to the Westside. The sales tax extension proposal, Measure J, came up just short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass, with 100% of precincts reporting. The vote tally Wednesday was 1,367,357 votes or 64.72% in support and 35.28% against, according to the Los Angeles County registrar-recorder. But there were close to 800,000 outstanding vote-by-mail and provisional ballots that had not been counted, election officials said.
Los Angeles Times

D.A.-elect Jackie Lacey vows to navigate prison realignment
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty.-elect Jackie Lacey said Wednesday that she hopes to help the office navigate the challenges of realignment, shifting responsibility for some criminals from state prisons to counties, calling it a "huge threat to our public safety." Lacey will replace Steve Cooley, who has strongly backed her campaign. Before her election, Lacey served as Cooley's chief deputy.
Los Angeles Times

Softer 3-strikes law has defense lawyers preparing case reviews
A day after California voted to soften its three-strikes sentencing law, defense lawyers around the state Wednesday prepared to seek reduced punishments for thousands of offenders serving up to life in prison for relatively minor crimes. The process of asking courts to revisit old sentences could take as long as two years and benefit roughly 3,000 prisoners. They represent about a third of incarcerated third-strikers.
Los Angeles Times

39th Assembly: Richard Alarcón out of office after two decades
With a criminal trial pending, Councilman Richard Alarcón on Tuesday saw his 19-year political career come to a close - for now - when he was defeated by a former aide for a seat in the state Assembly. Alarcón, who received 33,633 votes for 41.5 percent of the vote, was topped by Raul Bocanegra, who received 47,419 votes for 58.5 percent, in the race for the 39th Assembly seat.
Los Angeles Daily News

Tony Cardenas becomes newest California Congressman
California, which has the largest number of Hispanic members of Congress, added at least one more Latino to the state delegation Tuesday with the election of Tony Cardenas from Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. Cardenas, a Los Angeles City Councilman, easily swept to victory in the newly revamped 29th Congressional District that had been specially created for a Latino Democrat.
Voxxi

City Government

L.A. council approves ID cards for city residents
Los Angeles City Council members Wednesday gave enthusiastic backing to the creation of a controversial city identification card that could be used by illegal immigrants to open bank accounts, borrow library books and pay utility bills. Councilman Ed Reyes called it a way for the city's poorest workers to "come out into the light." While the federal government has failed to pass immigration reform, the city of Los Angeles is able to manage its own affairs, said Councilman Richard Alarcon, who along with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is a chief sponsor of the card plan.
Los Angeles Times