Law Enforcement

Fewer police, more burglaries in Oakland
Oakland's over-the-top homicide rate is only the most obvious problem when it comes to the city's explosion in crime. Although killings are tragic and make the news - and Oakland has already exceeded its total for all of last year - many more residents are falling victim to auto and home burglaries. Those are up a stunning 43 percent from last year. Police Department figures show that as of Sunday, 11,081 homes, cars or businesses had been reported broken into so far this year. That translates to about 33 burglaries a day, or about one every 43 minutes.
San Francisco Chronicle

Celebrity 'swatting' problem may be tough to swat
Count Bieber and Cowell as the latest high-profile victims of "swatting," a fast-growing phenomenon masterminded by anonymous mischief-makers who alert police to a bogus crime situation, prompting a tactical response - sometimes by SWAT officers - that involves a high-risk search for phantom assailants. Several officers have already been injured responding to such calls, and officials, including Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck, fear that it's only a matter of time before events turn deadly.
Los Angeles Times

Most L.A. County youths held for prostitution come from foster care
A majority of juveniles arrested on prostitution charges in Los Angeles County come from the county's foster care system, and, in some cases, pimps use underage sex workers to recruit fellow group home residents, county officials said. Until now, foster youth caught in the sex trade have largely been the responsibility of the county Probation Department. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to launch a multiagency task force to address the ongoing issue of sex trafficking involving youth in the foster care system.
Los Angeles Times

Black Friday's gun-buyer checks set a record
For the second consecutive year, prospective gun buyers joined Black Friday shoppers in record numbers as firearms dealers swamped the FBI with required buyer background check requests. The FBI fielded 154,873 calls, a roughly 20% increase from last year's previous one-day record of 129,166, according to bureau records. The requests came in such volume throughout the day that FBI call centers experienced two brief outages - one of 18 minutes and one for 14 minutes -during the busy day, bureau spokesman Stephen Fischer said Monday.
USA Today

Missing Narbonne High School student found
A missing 16-year-old mentally impaired boy was found Tuesday morning and reunited with his family, Los Angeles police said. Kevin Tippen was reported missing Monday by his foster parent. He had last been seen around 10 a.m. at the cafeteria at Narbonne High School. LAPD said Tippen was found around 6:45 a.m. Tuesday in Long Beach and returned to his family.
Los Angeles Times

Pensions

What's next for Riordan's pension plans?
Now that he's dropped his effort to place his pension plan on the May municipal ballot, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan says he'll go directly to union leaders to seek their support. "I think this has to be worked through the unions, because in L.A. the unions control the city council," Riordan said. Most members of the council had expressed opposition to his plan. It was a quick turn of events Monday for the wealthy businessman.
KPCC

Prisons & Jails

LAUSD 'jails' fill with teachers as misconduct complaints rise
They call it "teacher jail" - the administrative offices where nearly 300 Los Angeles Unified educators accused of misconduct spend months on end reading, blogging or texting. The cost is enormous: $1.4 million a month in salaries while district and law-enforcement investigations proceed, and $865,000 to hire substitutes to fulfill their classroom duties. Los Angeles Unified officials insist the cost is worth it - the price the district has to pay for years of downplaying or ignoring suspected abuse.
Los Angeles Daily News

Prison rodeo offers hope where it is lacking
Louisiana State Penitentiary hosts a popular, long-running prison rodeo, where inmates, many facing life sentences, compete for prizes and a bit of respect. Through sales of tickets, food and prisoner-made crafts, the rodeo, held twice a year, helps pay for the prison's educational reentry programs. This fall, it will generate about $2.5 million.
Los Angeles Times

Politics

Antonio Villaraigosa seeking ambassadorship in South America?
Antonio Villaraigosa's current whirlwind tour of South America has sparked speculation that the Los Angeles mayor really has his sights set on an ambassador's position, possibly to Mexico or even Colombia. Villaraigosa was in Chile Monday heading up a delegation of Los Angeles officials and business executives, all as part of a trade mission that also includes Colombia and Brazil. The trip, which ends Dec. 3, is being billed as an effort to market the expansion of the Port of Los Angeles ahead of the expected opening of a widened Panama Canal in 2014.
VOXXI