Law Enforcement

Elderly man fatally struck during hit-and-run in Reseda
An elderly man was fatally struck Monday during a hit-and-run in Reseda. The victim has been identified as Ashgar Abbassi, 82. The incident took place just after 6 a.m. on White Oak Avenue near Valerio Street, according to the Los Angeles Police. "A vehicle traveling northbound on White Oak at Valerio struck a pedestrian who was crossing from the southwest corner to the southeast corner - a gentlemen, senior citizen with a walker," Det. Bill Bustos told KNX1070.
CBS LA

Police begin crackdown on car cruising in South L.A.
In an effort to curb vehicle cruising, the Los Angeles Police Department on Sunday began a more strict enforcement of related traffic laws in South Los Angeles. Tricked-out low-riders are often seen in the area near Crenshaw Boulevard and Slauson Avenue, especially on Sundays, when car enthusiasts gather to show off their vehicles. The gatherings may seem harmless, authorities said, but are in fact potentially harmful to pedestrians and motorists.
KTLA

Bicyclist struck by hit-and-run driver in Van Nuys
A bicyclist struck by a car in Van Nuys on Monday night was taken to a hospital and the driver fled, authorities said. The collision was reported at 8:28 p.m. in the 13000 block of Oxnard Street near Buffalo Avenue, said Eric Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The bicyclist's condition was not known, said Officer Cleon Joseph of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section.
City News Service

DUI arrests up so far during L.A. County summer crackdown
An 18-day crackdown on drunk driving in L.A. County has so far netted 1,373 arrests, putting it on track to surpass the number logged during the same operation last year. Police agencies throughout the county made the arrests starting Aug. 16 through Sunday as part of a nationwide effort to curb driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The number so far exceeds the 1,258 DUI arrests made over the same period last year, according to the county sheriff's department.
Los Angeles Times

Dozens of misdemeanors downgraded to infractions
Driving without a license, drinking in public, gambling and dozens of other violations that the Los Angeles Police Department used to write up as misdemeanors can now be considered mere infractions, punishable by fines instead of jail time under a new city policy. But police say scofflaws shouldn't take this as a license to misbehave. LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman stressed they could still face a misdemeanor charge - as opposed to just a ticket - if this is a second violation, or the person has a criminal record, and there are no extenuating circumstances.
Los Angeles Daily News

Man sentenced in skid row health fraud scheme, fined $9.8 million
A Los Angeles man who recruited homeless medical patients on skid row as part of a scheme to defraud federal programs of millions of dollars was sentenced Monday to 18 months in federal prison. Estill Mitts, 68, of Los Angeles was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George H. King five years after Mitts pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme. Prosecutors said he recruited homeless people in downtown Los Angeles and sent them to hospitals, which drained their Medi-Cal and Medicare benefits before sending them back to the streets.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD officers completing mandatory bias training
The Los Angeles Police Department has come into line with new training standards aimed at lowering complaints of racial bias, according to a new report. The Police Commission is expected to hear a report from Inspector General Alex Bustamante's office Tuesday indicating 93 percent of the 6,257 mostly front-line and supervisory officers required to complete the training on constitutional law and biased policing have done so as of June 7.
Los Angeles Daily News

Have you seen Northeast LAPD's monthly webcast?
Anyone interested in crime trends and safety in Northeast Los Angeles should be sure to check out Capt. Jeffery Bert's monthly webcast, The Los Angeles Police Department Northeast Division captain talks about crime trends and statistics in the area in the video, and he points out a number of interesting facts. Some of the stats Bert lists are: Violent crime was down 20 percent in July compared to the same time last year.
Eagle Rock Patch

Android security holes worry FBI, DHS
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are increasingly aware of the threats that law enforcement officers and officials face at a federal, state, and local level by using older versions of the Android mobile operating system, according to a document obtained by Public Intelligence, a group focused on releasing government information to the masses.
CNET

Legislation

Bill mandates 3-foot buffer between cars, bikes
The state Senate approved a bill on Monday that would require drivers to stay at least three feet away from bicyclists when they are passing in the same direction, despite Gov. Jerry Brown's previous vetoes of similar legislation. Lawmakers approved AB1371 by Assemblyman Steven Bradford, D-Gardena, on a 31-7 vote. It aims to protect bicyclists from harassment by drivers who deliberately travel close to bikes in an effort to intimidate riders.
Associated Press

New Laws

Brown signs bills into law
Community youth athletic programs can request state- and federal-level background checks for a volunteer coach or hired coach candidate, under a bill signed into law Monday by Gov. Jerry Brown. AB 465 by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, D-Concord, and Assemblyman Brian Maienschein, R-San Diego, closes what they and others said was a big loophole in California law: Sports coaches in public schools had to undergo background checks, but not coaches in youth sports leagues.
Contra Costa Times