Law Enforcement

LAPD arrests 3 in Reseda man's stabbing at Cleveland High
Online chatter about a fatal stabbing Wednesday afternoon outside a Reseda high school helped police find three suspects, who were arrested Thursday morning. Kevin Orellano, 18, of Reseda was playing handball at Cleveland High School just before 4 p.m. when two young men, whom Los Angeles police said are gang members, walked up and got into an argument with him.
Los Angeles Daily News

Northridge kidnap suspect in court; girl's family offers thanks
In a statement issued through the Los Angeles Police Department, the girl's family thanked the law enforcement agencies involved for their work in tracking Summers down. "Throughout this ordeal, they've been working around the clock hunting this man - not only for justice for our daughter, but to make sure he's unable to hurt anyone again," the statement said.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD: Sherman Oaks man, 88, kills wife and self
Despondent over health problems, an 88-year-old Sherman Oaks man apparently gave his wife a lethal dose of medication early Tuesday, then walked into his backyard and shot himself dead, police said. Burton Levin called a relative about 4:10 a.m. Tuesday and said he had given his wife the medication and planned to commit suicide. The relative called police, but by the time officers got to the home on Weslin Avenue, Levin was dead in the yard.
Los Angeles Daily News

Kaiser, LAPD team up to collect unwanted prescription drugs
The Los Angeles Police Department and Kaiser Permanente, in cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, are teaming up to collect unwanted prescription medications. The so-called Take Back collections will take place Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at four Kaiser facilities in Los Angeles. Expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs can be dropped off. The service is free and no questions will be asked.
City News Service

Why have car break-ins suddenly exploded in Studio City?
Car break-ins and car thefts continue to increase in the Studio City area. About 60 to 70 cars are damaged a month in Studio City, particularly in the Silver Triangle area and near Fryman Canyon Park. Some local residents have asked what Senior Lead Officer Mike Lewis is doing about the crime spike. Lewis said part of the problem with the recent rash of car thefts and break-ins is that a lot of the prisons were opened and more criminals were released due to budget cuts.
Studio City Patch

Tweeting crime: Law enforcement adapts to social media
Last Friday evening the Boston Police Department tweeted the news that the city and the nation had been waiting for. Captured. The hunt is over. The search is done. The terror is over and justice has won. Suspect in custody. Over the course of that long week, police and other law enforcement agencies also used tweets to correct misinformation that spread on Twitter and other media. Once suspects had been identified, their Twitter and Facebook accounts became part of the investigation, even an Amazon wish list.
NPR

Traffic

Toll lane monthly fee to be suspended for L.A. County residents
After a vigorous debate Thursday, the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority temporarily suspended the monthly fee that Los Angeles County residents pay on devices required to use new toll lanes. Metro's board of directors voted 7 to 4 to waive the $3 charge for six months. The motion, proposed by county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, addresses a complaint raised by motorists who bought $40 FasTrak transponders but don't regularly use the toll lanes on the 110 and 10 freeways.
Los Angeles Times

Public Safety

LAFD chief presses ahead with firefighter reassignment plan
Los Angeles Fire Chief Brian Cummings vowed Thursday to press ahead with a controversial plan to reassign dozens of city firefighters from fire engines to ambulance duty, despite an outcry from groups representing city firefighters and the department's top commanders. The plan would add 11 new ambulances to the LAFD's fleet by removing one member per shift from 22 firetrucks across the city.
Los Angeles Times

City Election