Law Enforcement

LAPD to pay $10 million in traffic ticket quota controversy
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday agreed to pay nearly $6 million to a group of police officers who accused their superiors of imposing a secret traffic ticket quota system on the Westside. The settlement, approved unanimously, brings to more than $10 million the amount of taxpayer money spent on payouts and legal fees from the ticket quota cases. But that number could grow because one more officer's case is still pending.
Los Angeles Times

Mother begs witnesses to help solve killing of 7-year-old son
Sawan Mock could barely speak Tuesday morning as she pleaded for someone to come forward with information about the fatal shooting of her 7-year-old son. "I know somebody had to see something," she sobbed. Police on Tuesday said they had no eyewitnesses and few clues in the killing of Taalib Pecantte, who was shot at more than 20 times while sitting in a car Dec. 2 in the 1900 block of South Corning Street. He died from his injuries a day later. A $50,000 reward has been announced in the killing.
Los Angeles Times

13-year-old boy allegedly crashes truck into mail carrier
A 13-year-old boy was allegedly behind the wheel of a pick-up truck when it ran a stop sign in Echo Park and collided with a mail truck, ejecting the mail carrier and pinning her beneath her vehicle, authorities said. The crash happened about 3:30 p.m. on Douglas Street near Bellevue Avenue. The boy allegedly took the pick-up truck from his home, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles Police Department Central Traffic Division said. It's not clear how far he made it before running a stop sign and slamming into a mail truck.
NBC4

Man burned to death while trying to siphon gas in South LA
A man was killed Tuesday while trying to siphon gas from a 76 station in South Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department received a call around 6:30 a.m. about a burned body in the 4440 block of Avalon Boulevard. When officers arrived, they found the victim, identified by family members as Richard Glover, inside a charred-out van. Authorities believe he was trying to steal gas from an underground tank when the vehicle exploded.
CBS LA

FBI arrests 19 alleged MS-13 gang members, associates in crackdown
Nineteen alleged members and associates of the Mara Salvatrucha-13 gang, including a high-ranking leader, were arrested Tuesday after a two-year investigation, authorities said. The investigation targeted "leadership, shot-callers and decision-makers" in MS-13 connected to its overseer, the Mexican Mafia, said Timothy Delaney, special agent in charge of the Los Angeles FBI criminal division.
Los Angeles Times

San Diego man arrested, accused of operating 'revenge porn' website
A 27-year-old San Diego man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of operating a "revenge porn" website and demanding up to $350 to remove sexually explicit photos of women that were often posted by angry former boyfriends or ex-husbands. Kevin Christopher Bollaert was arrested by California Department of Justice agents and is being held at San Diego County jail on $50,000 bail. He faces 31 felony counts of conspiracy, identity theft and extortion.
Los Angeles Times

Prisons

Judge orders state to plan for mentally ill on death row
A federal judge has ordered California to come up with a plan to provide intensive, long-term psychiatric care to mentally ill prisoners on death row. U.S. District Judge Lawrence Karlton's order, issued Tuesday afternoon, says California made progress three years ago when it created a special program for the most seriously mentally ill prisoners on death row and earlier this year when it set aside 10 beds in a medical unit within the San Quentin Prison for their care. But, he said, those efforts fall short in both the level of care and the number of people it can treat. He called the current care "inadequate."
Los Angeles Times

Realignment has reduced California prison population, but what about other effects?
Two years ago, under intense pressure from federal judges to reduce overcrowding in state prisons, Gov. Jerry Brown and the Legislature enacted "realignment," diverting low-level felons into local jails, supervision and, it was hoped, rehabilitation. However, local officials have described a very difficult adjustment, even with billions of dollars in implementation money from Sacramento. They say the diversions have packed their jails with felons, forced them to release local miscreants and, some complain, raised crime levels.
Sacramento Bee

City Government

Deal between L.A., DWP workers finalized despite new union challenge
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday finalized a salary deal with the powerful union that represents Department of Water and Power workers, obtaining a hike in the retirement age for future employees and no pay increases for three years. The pay pact is part of a much larger agreement to settle a three-year-old lawsuit filed by DWP union representatives over the utility's practice of hiring hundreds of employees from other city agencies.
Los Angeles Times