Law Enforcement

LAPD on guard after Tom Cruise, Chris Brown 'swatting' incidents
Los Angeles police are recalibrating their response to some emergency calls in light of a series of prank "swatting" calls reporting violent incidents at the homes of celebrities such as Ashton Kutcher, Justin Bieber and now Chris Brown. Officers will continue to respond immediately, in large numbers and with force if needed, to reports of crime at the homes of such VIPs, top LAPD officials said. But they are trying to warn officers more quickly in cases where an emergency call appears to have the hallmarks of swatting.
Los Angeles Times

Police honor Northridge hero who rescued officer after '94 quake
Nineteen years after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the Los Angeles Police Department Tuesday honored a man who helped rescue five people, including a police officer trapped in his apartment, after the temblor. Michael Kubeisy, 53, received a certificate of appreciation during the Police Commission meeting to honor his bravery in the immediate aftermath of the quake, which struck at 4:31 a.m. Jan. 17, 1994, killing nearly 60 people, injuring thousands and causing around $20 billion in damage.
City News Service

What the LAPD leaves behind at Parker Center
From 1955 until 2009, when most staff moved to a new administrative building a block away, the Los Angeles Police Department's Parker Center was as a proud symbol of police modernization and a focal point for controversy. Last week Chief Charlie Beck padlocked its front doors, and the aging building now stands vacant. When it opened in 1955, the new headquarters brought the LAPD's traffic, central, and metropolitan divisions under one roof.
Los Angeles Magazine

LAPD arrests alleged gang member after traffic stop
Officers in the Los Angeles Police Department's Gang Unit arrested a 19-year-old man believed to be a member of a local gang after a traffic violation early Sunday morning. According to Gang Unit Detective Richard Ortiz, the arrest took place at 12:10 a.m. after the vehicle in which the alleged gang member was riding was pulled over near the intersection of Avenue 54 and Ash Street. Ortiz said the officers recognized both of the vehicles occupants as documented gang members.
Highland Park-Mount Washington Patch

Man shot and killed near Pico Union taco stand
One man was shot and killed Tuesday morning in a possibly gang-related drive-by shooting near a Pico Union taco stand. L.A. police were called to the intersection of Pico Boulevard and Alvarado Street around 10:30 a.m., Officer Bruce Borihahn of the Los Angeles Police Department said. When they arrived, they found a man who was "unconscious and not breathing" after suffering a gunshot wound to the head.
Los Angeles Times

Silver Lake residents and police seek the key to solve alleyway problem
A gated Silver Lake alley that runs behind a Sunset Boulevard minimall has been blamed for creating a safe haven for criminal activity, from prostitution to drug use, and a hang out for the homeless. On Friday, a pile of debris in the alley, which runs between Benton Way and Coronado Street, caught fire, the latest sign of trouble, according to officials with the Coronado Elsinore Neighborhood Watch.
The Eastsider

San Pedro motel fire sends 14 to hospital, called 'criminal in nature'
Officials believe accelerant was used to ignite a fast-burning fire that raced through a San Pedro motel early Tuesday, forcing one person to jump off the two-story structure, seriously burning another and sending a total of 14 people to the hospital. Firefighters returning to their station after a medical call at 3:30 a.m. spotted heavy smoke at the Palos Verdes Inn, on Palos Verdes Street near 10th Street, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Jaime Moore.
Torrance Daily Breeze

Del Rey woman assaulted, robbed while leaving her home
A woman was assaulted and robbed Tuesday morning while leaving her home in Del Rey, Los Angeles police said. The woman, who is in her mid-50s, was confronted by a man in his 20s about 7:45 a.m. near Short and Kenyon avenues, said Los Angeles police Detective Steven Katz of the Pacific Division. "She was physically assaulted. The suspect took her property and then fled on foot," he said. "Particularly over there, we really don't get many robberies at all," he added. "It's out of the norm."
Torrance Daily Breeze

City Government

L.A. City Council backs assault weapon ban
Joining with cities across the country following the shooting tragedy in Newtown, Conn., the Los Angeles City Council called Tuesday for tougher state and federal gun control laws, including a ban on the sale of assault weapons. Three separate measures from Councilmen Bernard Parks, Paul Koretz and Dennis Zine that were approved on 12-0 votes called for city lobbyists to inform state and federal officials that the city is backing the tough sales provisions.
Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Council puts restrictions on skateboarding
The City Council on Tuesday adopted measures aimed at making skateboarding on city streets safer, following the deaths of two young skaters last year. The measure looks to prevent skateboard "bombing" - where skateboarders zoom downhill on city streets at speeds sometimes approaching 40 mph - as well as require them to follow city traffic laws. Previously it was more difficult to regulate skateboarding because it was not recognized as an official form of transportation on city streets.
Los Angeles Daily News