Law Enforcement

LAPD to try voluntary mediation in racial profiling cases
The Los Angeles Police Department on Tuesday received the go-ahead to launch an experimental mediation program for racial profiling cases. The three-year pilot program, approved Tuesday by the Police Commission, will give an officer accused of racial profiling and his accuser the option in some cases to meet face to face to discuss the encounter. Participation in the meetings will be voluntary for both sides, and neutral volunteers trained by city officials will mediate the sessions.
Los Angeles Times

DUI suspect shot after fleeing from police in Harvard Heights
A man suspected of driving while under the influence fled from police during a traffic stop Tuesday morning and held officers at bay outside an apartment building in the Harvard Heights area until they used bean bag rounds to secure his surrender. The 5- to 10-minute standoff unfolded around 12:30 a.m. in the 1800 block of Manhattan Place, said Sgt. Dino Caldera of the Los Angeles Police Department's Olympic Station.
City News Service

Sun Valley man arrested on suspicion of kidnapping
A man who held his wife and another man at the point of a shotgun inside his Sun Valley house was being booked Tuesday morning on suspicion of kidnapping, police said. The man, who is in his early 30s, surrendered as soon as police arrived at the house at 8803 Omelveny Avenue just before 11 p.m. Monday, said Sgt. Scott Kennedy of the Los Angeles Police Department's Foothill Station.
City News Service

5,000 guns from buyback events melted into rebar, officials say
More than 5,000 weapons collected in various buyback programs were melted down into steel rebar Tuesday morning, authorities said. Officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Santa Monica, Inglewood and Culver City police departments oversaw the 20th annual "gun melt" at Gerdau Steel Mill in Rancho Cucamonga, the sheriff's department announced.
Los Angeles Times

2 arrested in robbery spree near banks in Los Angeles, Gardena, Torrance
Two suspected gang members have been arrested in connection with about 40 street robberies of victims walking to or from banks in Los Angeles, Gardena, Torrance, Culver City and Alhambra, a police detective said today. Donte Eshmon, 24, of South Los Angeles and Richard Thompson, a 50-year-old ex-convict who lived in Rancho Cucamonga and Long Beach, were arrested Thursday just hours after allegedly committing a robbery in Gardena, police said.
Torrance Daily Breeze

Police in the Inland Empire on alert after another attack
The arrests of the men accused of ambushing two San Bernardino police officers last week brings to light that it's been a violent year so far for peace officers in the Inland Empire. This year alone, two law enforcement officers were killed and seven other officers were shot at. The alleged actions of Keijuan Tyrone Mayfield, 22, of Redlands, and Eric Newson, 22, of Los Angeles, suspected of opening fire on police during a traffic stop Friday night, have put law enforcement officers on high alert.
San Bernardino Sun

Warrantless cellphone tracking is upheld
In a significant victory for law enforcement, a federal appeals court on Tuesday said that government authorities could extract historical location data directly from telecommunications carriers without a search warrant. The closely watched case, in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, is the first ruling that squarely addresses the constitutionality of warrantless searches of historical location data stored by cellphone service providers. Ruling 2 to 1, the court said a warrantless search was "not per se unconstitutional" because location data was "clearly a business record" and therefore not protected by the Fourth Amendment.
New York Times

Growing use of FBI screens raises concerns about accuracy, racial bias
Employers are increasingly turning to the FBI's criminal databases to screen job applicants, sparking concerns about the accuracy of the agency's information and the potential for racial discrimination. Many of the FBI's records list only arrests and not the outcomes of those cases, such as convictions. Consumer groups say that missing information often results in job applicants who are wrongfully rejected.
Washington Post

Traffic

I'm Stuck app helps delayed commuters stick it to politicians
A new, free mobile app enables commuters and airline passengers who are delayed by travel headaches to dash off a quick email message to their elected officials demanding upgrades to the nation's crumbling and outmoded transportation networks. The app, called I'm Stuck, is the creation of Building America's Future, a bipartisan coalition of former and current elected officials who advocate increased investment to modernize transportation and infrastructure in the U.S.
Chicago Tribune

City Government

Kevin James grilled during City Hall confirmation session
After being grilled about controversial past statements on immigration and climate change, former mayoral candidate Kevin James was confirmed as a new appointee to the Los Angeles Board of Public Works by the City Council. The council voted 11-0 on Tuesday to appoint James, a Republican, to the board, with some members saying deference should be given to Mayor Eric Garcetti, who nominated James, in picking commissioners.
Los Angeles Times