Law Enforcement

House catches fire during East L.A. SWAT standoff
An hours-long SWAT standoff at an East Los Angeles home took a turn Wednesday morning when a fire broke out at the residence. The fire started shortly after 8 a.m., after authorities shot tear gas into the home in the 1000 block of North Alma Avenue. White smoke billowed and flames shot out the side of the house as firefighters hosed water onto the burning building, and investigators tried to determine the status of the man believed to be barricaded inside.
Los Angeles Times

Debate over driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants reignited by DMV study
Immigrant advocates are welcoming a California study that found unlicensed drivers are the most hazardous motorists on the road, saying it supports their longstanding argument that denying driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants has put everyone at risk. Drivers without a valid license are nearly three times more likely to cause a deadly crash, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles report.
Associated Press

LAPD Devonshire Division district meeting is tonight
The LAPD Devonshire Division district meeting will be 6 p.m. this evening at the World Vision Church, 19514 Rinaldi St. in Porter Ranch. The public is invited to hear a police presentation on the 2012 "State of Devonshire," quality of life and Municipal Code enforcement. This regional meeting is being held instead of most Neighborhood Watch basic car meetings scheduled for January.
Northridge - Chatsworth Patch

South LA suspected gunman may have shot at LAPD
A gunman firing shots sent LAPD officers running for cover near Vermont and Rosecrans avenues in South Los Angeles. Officers say they heard several shots during a car crash investigation around 10 p.m. Tuesday. When officers looked up, they saw what they believed was a flash from a gun coming from the second floor of an apartment building. It's unclear if the gunman was targeting police. Officers used security footage to identify and arrest the gunman Wednesday morning.
ABC7

City Elections 2013

Wendy Greuel wins important backing from LAPD labor union
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel scored a major endorsement Wednesday when she won the backing of the union that represents nearly 10,000 rank-and-file LAPD officers. Union President Tyler Izen issued a statement that said: “Wendy recognizes the importance of putting public safety first while at the same time working on issues that people really care about, like creating jobs, fixing potholes and fighting waste, fraud and abuse in city government.”
Southern California Public Radio
LAPPL News Release

Gun Control

Background check system for guns deeply flawed
President Obama's emphasis on fixing federal background checks for firearms sales targeted a system so flawed that even federal agencies, as well as many states, haven't been turning over records meant to determine who can buy guns. The first six of Obama's 23 executive actions announced Wednesday were pledges to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. The database, maintained by the FBI, holds more than 7.3 million records of people who are barred from buying guns: felons, drug users, domestic violence offenders, fugitives and people who have been committed to mental institutions.
Los Angeles Times

Pensions

L.A. is a bright spot among underfunded city pensions
Cities across the country have badly underfunded pensions and retiree health plans, although Los Angeles is doing far better than most, according to a study released Wednesday. The report by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that 61 U.S. cities had a collective gap of more than $217 billion in looming pension and health obligations that they will owe to retiring workers in coming years.
Los Angeles Times

L.A. pension boards asked to end investments in assault gun firms
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Wednesday that he has asked the city's three pension funds to review all investments and work to end those in companies that manufacture assault weapons. Invoking the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 27 dead in Newtown, Conn., last month, Villaraigosa said it was inappropriate for the city to make money off weapons manufacturers.
Los Angeles Times

The Courts

Courts relieved not to have more cuts coming in budget proposal
After years of dealing with the chopping block, court systems throughout California would be spared additional cuts under Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal for the 2013-14 fiscal year. That's good, local court officials say, because the courts cannot afford any more chipping away at their budgets. In November, Los Angeles Superior Court proposed a restructuring plan that calls for 10 of its courthouses to close this year.
Los Angeles Daily News

Legislation

Bill to shield addresses of concealed weapons permit holders
California counties would be prohibited from releasing the addresses and telephone numbers of residents who carry concealed weapons under legislation proposed today by two Republican assemblymen. Dan Logue of Marysville and Allan Mansoor of Costa Mesa are joint authors of the proposal, Assembly Bill 134. The bill would require counties to continue releasing the names of concealed weapons permit holders, but addresses and telephone numbers would be available only to law enforcement agencies.
Sacramento Bee

Prisons

State misses prison benchmark on overcrowding
It's official. In a federal court filing Tuesday, California told federal judges that its prisons remain crowded beyond benchmarks set by the court nearly two years ago. The state said its 33 prisons on average are at 149.4% of design capacity. Nearly half of the individual prisons are much higher than that: 172% at North Kern State Prison, 187% at the Central California Women's Facility, and the men's section of Valley State Prison in Chowchilla is now at almost 352%.
Los Angeles Times