Law Enforcement

Crime alerts for San Pedro and three other L.A. neighborhoods
Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in four L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times' Crime L.A. database. Two neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. San Pedro was the most unusual, recording 13 reports compared with a weekly average of 3.8 over the last three months. Valley Village topped the list of two neighborhoods with property crime alerts.
Los Angeles Times

Judge clears the way for a lawsuit challenging LAPD's vehicle impound policy
The Los Angeles police officers union and a conservative government watchdog group won their first legal step in challenging the city's new policy on vehicle impounds. L.A. Superior Court Judge Terry Green overruled a motion Friday that would have essentially dismissed the case against the city. The ruling allows the lawsuit filed by the Los Angeles Police Protective League and Judicial Watch to move forward.
Southern California Public Radio

Police sent to Chris Brown home in latest hoax
Police responded to Chris Brown's home after they received a call about a domestic violence situation that turned out to be false. The Los Angeles Times reports police were contacted shortly before 5 p.m. Monday about a domestic violence incident. When police arrived, members of Brown's staff were at the home, but the singer wasn't. Police searched the home and didn't find any problems. It's the latest so-called "swatting" prank targeting celebrities. The practice is intended to get multiple officers, including specialized SWAT teams sent to a home.
Associated Press

LAPD investigating West Adams officer-involved shooting
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating an officer-involved shooting Friday in West Adams. The 7:50 a.m. shooting occurred near Advance Food Market in the 5400 block of West Adams Boulevard, said LAPD Officer Rudy Lopez. Authorities didn't know how many officers were involved or how many people were shot, Lopez said. Over the last three months, West Adams averaged 3.2 violent crimes and 7.2 property crimes per week, according to Mapping L.A.
Los Angeles Times

Three LAPD officers become "Foster Mommies" for dog struck by car
Three police officers were returning to the LAPD Southeast Division station Jan. 10 when they stopped to help a dog whose owner did not want "to fix him" after the pit bull needed surgery for injuries suffered when he was struck by a car. The brown pit bull-Shar Pei mix -- the officers named him "Philly" after an LAPD sergeant -- had been struck by the car at the corner of 108th Street and Central Avenue. Witnesses told the officers he had been suffering on the ground for at least five hours.
NBC4

LAPD: Northridge slayings suspect threatened five others with gun
Before shooting four people dead in the yard of a home in Northridge, Ka Pasasouk threatened five others in the house with a gun, police said Friday. New details of the Dec. 2 attack were revealed as Pasasouk was formally charged more than six weeks after the crimes. In a complaint filed in court Thursday by Los Angeles police Detective Daniel Myers, Pasasouk was charged with four counts of murder in the deaths of Amanda Ghossein, Jennifer Kim, Robert Calabia and Teofilo "JoJo" Navales.
Los Angeles Daily News

Commercial vendor strikes LAPD officer
A vendor on Ocean Front Walk that was allegedly selling commercially made hats and key chains struck an LAPD Pacific Division officer at approximately 2:30 pm this afternoon. Pacific Division was "conducting an undercover operation on illegal commercial vending on the Boardwalk" said Senior Lead Officer Peggy Thusing. The undercover officers "observed a violation and requested uniformed officers to issue the violator a citation". The vendor "refused to sign the citation and became combative with the officers".
Yo! Venice!

Man fatally shot after argument at taco truck
A 27-year-old man died Sunday morning after being shot several times during an argument at a taco truck parked in El Sereno Saturday night, according to Los Angeles police. Officers responded to a 911 call of a shooting in the 5100 block of Huntington Drive about 10:15 p.m. and found a wounded Angel Serna Mancilla laying on the sidewalk. Paramedics took the wounded man to L.A. County/USC Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead several hours later. Police said Mancilla and another man had argued before the shooting.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD helicopter helps rescue two hikers
A Los Angeles Police Department helicopter helped rescue crews find two lost hikers at Will Rogers State Park Friday night. The incident was first reported at about 5 p.m. and by 6:30 p.m. the rescue was over, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. "There were no injuries reported," said Shawn Lenske, LAFD public information officer.
Palisadian-Post

LAPD honoring Northridge man who rescued officer after '94 quake
Nineteen years after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the Los Angeles Police Department Tuesday will honor a man who helped rescue a police officer who was trapped in his apartment after the temblor. Michael Kubeisy, 53, will be honored at the Police Commission meeting for his bravery in the immediate aftermath of the quake, which struck at 4:31 a.m. Jan. 17, 1994. The quake collapsed freeways, injured thousands and caused the deaths of nearly 60 people. It caused about $20 billion in damage.
City News Service

City Elections 2013

LAPPL endorses Joe Buscaino for reelection
The Los Angeles Police Protective League on Friday announced its endorsement of Councilmember Joe Buscaino for reelection to the Los Angeles City Council. "Since first being elected in January 2012, Joe has fought hard to make our city safer and create jobs," said Tyler Izen, president of the LAPPL. "Joe Buscaino has dedicated his life to serving the community and protecting the public's safety. He was a full-time Los Angeles police officer before becoming an LAPD reserve officer.
LAPPL News Release

Prisons

Prison population decreases since A.B. 109
The inmate population in the state prison system has reached its lowest level in 17 years, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The drop in the state prison population is due largely to the implementation of Assembly Bill 109, the state's prison realignment plan aimed at reducing the prison population, officials said. On the eve of the bill's inception on Oct. 1, 2011, the state's inmate population was 160,295, or at more than double what the system was designed to hold.
Pasadena Star-News