Law Enforcement

LAPD looking for missing 19-year-old woman family believes is in danger
The Los Angeles Police Department is asking the public to be on the lookout for a missing 19-year-old woman. Stephanie Zepeda was last seen on June 7 about 6 p.m. in the 600 block of Euclid Avenue in Los Angeles. Her family believes she is in danger and worried for her safety. Officials believe Zepeda is in the company of Lilliana Huerta, who they believe lives in the 150 block of North Bonnie Beach Place. Authorities said the two could also be in the Pico Rivera area.
CBS LA

Tow truck driver in fatal crash with Metro bus lacked license, permit
The tow truck driver involved in a deadly crash that killed a Metro bus driver Wednesday lacked both a valid drivers' license and an operating permit, an NBC4 I-Team investigation has found. There are a slew of illegal tow truck companies operating in Southern California, and the company involved in the fatal collision near Fifth Street and Broadway appears to be one of those so-called "bandit" companies.
NBC4

LAPD surrounds Orange Line bus after reports of armed man inside
Los Angeles police late Wednesday had surrounded an Orange Line bus in the Valley Village area and were ordering passengers to exit the vehicle after receiving a report of at least one armed man on board. The incident was reported near Chandler Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Officers who had swarmed the area reported that the situation was unfolding, police said. Television news footage showed the passengers standing outside the bus as officers searched the vehicle.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD patrolling Murphy Ranch for taggers, vandals
There's been a dramatic increase of Neo-Nazi's and graffiti taggers hanging out at the popular Murphy Ranch in Rustic Canyon, according to Los Angeles police. Brentwood LAPD Senior Lead Officer Maria Gray and Pacific Palisades LAPD Senior Lead Officer Michael Moore said the former alleged Nazi stronghold off Sullivan Fire Road has become problematic recently for vandals and graffiti taggers.
Pacific Palisades Patch

U.S. Attorney's Office cracks down on Los Angeles County pot dispensaries
Federal prosecutors are targeting more than 100 marijuana shops in Los Angeles County this week, threatening prosecution if dispensary owners stay in operation. Officials also moved to seize two properties in Long Beach catering to marijuana users. Letters from the federal government were sent to dispensaries in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Lancaster, and Pearblossom, U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Thom Mrozek said. The letters informed dispensary owners they are operating in violation of federal laws.
Los Angeles Daily News

L.A. County sheriff to hold gun buyback Saturday in East L.A.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's East Los Angeles station will host a gun buyback program this weekend, officials announced Wednesday. The "gifts for guns" event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of Belvedere Park, 4801 E. 1st St., East Los Angeles. Residents can anonymously exchange their weapons for gift cards redeemable at Target stores or Ralphs supermarkets, officials said.
Los Angeles Times

Rifle in Santa Monica shooting was pieced together, sources say
The semiautomatic weapon used in the Santa Monica shooting rampage appears to have been put together from various parts, possibly in an attempt to circumvent the state's restrictions on such guns, law enforcement sources said Wednesday. Although certain types of AR-15-style rifles are banned in California, it's legal to purchase parts used to assemble and customize the guns. Santa Monica police have said John Zawahri, 23, used an AR-15-style gun during the attack and was also carrying a .44-caliber handgun.
Los Angeles Times

Texting hands-free while driving still dangerous, study finds
With Siri on the iPhone and Bluetooth in dashboards, it's a lot easier for drivers to talk or text on their cellphones -- but a study released Wednesday found these hands-free technologies could be even more dangerous than hand-held devices when used on the road. The study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety measured drivers' brainwaves while they were multitasking and found they had to cope with a heavier "mental workload" and distractions when using voice-to-text email features compared to talking on a cellphone, whether hand-held or hands-free.
Los Angeles Daily News

FBI sharply increases use of Patriot Act provision to collect US citizens' records
The FBI has dramatically increased its use of a controversial provision of the Patriot Act to secretly obtain a vast store of business records of U.S. citizens under President Barack Obama, according to recent Justice Department reports to Congress. The bureau filed 212 requests for such data to a national security court last year - a 1,000-percent increase from the number of such requests four years earlier, the reports show.
NBC News

The Courts

L.A. County Court to complete elimination of 511 court-related jobs Friday
Los Angeles County Superior Court will complete the elimination of 511 positions Friday as the court system grapples with a projected $85-million budget shortfall for the coming fiscal year. The move will result in 177 layoffs, 139 workers who will be demoted with pay cuts, 223 who will be transferred to new work locations and some positions that will remain unfilled, a court official said. All told, the action will impact 539 court employees.
Los Angeles Daily News

City Government