Law Enforcement

Sheriff Lee Baca expected to resign Tuesday, sources say
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is expected to announce Tuesday that he has decided to leave the beleaguered sheriff's department, ending a four-term tenure rather than fight for reelection. Several media reports said Baca will announce his resignation this morning. The sheriff's spokesman did not immediately comment. Baca, 71, told top officials in county government late Monday that he believes stepping down will help the department recover after several years of tumult and criticism, sources familiar with the conversations said in published reports.
City News Service

LAPD: City murder rate drops 16 percent
The murder rate for the city of Los Angeles was down 16 percent in 2013, police said Monday. There were 251 murders within the city limits last year, compared to 299 in 2012, according to LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman. Authorities attribute the drop to a number of things, including technology. "A lot of people believe it's the sociology of our environment. A lot of kids and youthful individuals are spending a lot more time on the Internet, which means they're indoors a lot more. They're not on the streets involved in street-level activities," Lt. Neiman said.
CBS LA

2 bodies found in separate apartments in Venice building
Los Angeles police Monday were investigating the death of two people found dead in separate apartments in a building in Venice. The bodies were reported at 11 a.m. at 15 Horizon Ave. and Speedway, according to the LAPD. One person possibly died from natural causes, according to the Coroner. The cause of death for the second body was unknown. No further details were released.
CBS LA

Gunman still sought in Echo Park drive-by shooting
Police on Monday were still looking for a suspect in a drive-by shooting in Echo Park that wounded a man in his 20s. The shooting happened Friday around 4:10 p.m. at the intersection of Temple and Firmin streets, said Officer Sara Faden of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section. The victim, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds, was taken to a hospital for treatment, she said. His condition was not immediately available.
City News Service

Reckless driving suspect nabbed after chase, foot bail
Authorities apprehended a reckless driving suspect who led police on a chase in South Los Angeles Sunday afternoon. The unidentified suspect was eventually nabbed after a foot bail. The chase started around 4:10 p.m. and lasted until just after 4:25 p.m. Police said they saw the man driving erratically near Harcourt Avenue and 67th Street. When officers tried unsuccessfully to stop the suspect, a man in his mid-30s, he fled, according to Sgt. Rudy Alaniz of the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th Street Station.
CBS LA

Mother arrested after baby left alone on sidewalk
A mother is facing charges of child cruelty after allegedly abandoning her 2-year-old baby girl on a Los Angeles sidewalk early Monday, officials said. A man working at a bakery called 911 around 2:30 a.m. after spotting a baby unattended in a stroller near Washington and Western, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. When authorities responded, the mother appeared and was detained. She was expected to face charges of child abandonment, authorities said.
NBC4

Unique program reduces stress for cops
In a groundbreaking program, Oregon police officers are learning mindfulness techniques to deal with stress, be more focused on the job and connect more meaningfully with the people they serve. The unique program was the subject of an article in the magazine Mindful and was written by Pulitzer prize-winning Seattle Times reporter Maureen O'Hagan. "Basically, the department hit rock bottom," says O'Hagan, pointing to an incident involving a veteran officer who faced off against the rest of the police force last January.
PubSecAlliance

FBI drops 'law enforcement' from its mission statement
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's primary mission has been changed from "law enforcement" to "national security." The change in the mission was noted on the bureau's fact sheet, as first reported by Foreign Policy. The FBI fact sheet previously stated, "The primary function of the FBI is law enforcement." But the mission has now been changed to, "The primary function of the FBI is national security."
MSNBC

City Government

Police hiring, labor talks on LA City Council's 2014 agenda
The Los Angeles City Council returns Tuesday from its winter break, and police hiring and labor talks are likely to top the agenda in the coming months. The recruitment of new LAPD officers will be a hot topic. Council members want to know why the police department is not finding enough qualified candidates. The department has been trying to maintain a force of about 10,000 officers - a benchmark set by former mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Southern California Public Radio

Garcetti laments lack of diversity among L.A. firefighter recruits
Mayor Eric Garcetti acknowledged Monday that Los Angeles was continuing to have trouble diversifying its ranks of firefighters, saying he did not expect much progress with the first class of recruits on his watch. "I haven't seen all of the stats, but what I've heard initially, I'm not satisfied with," Garcetti said. "I think we need to have greater diversity in the recruit classes." Later this month, Garcetti plans to welcome the city's first class of new Fire Department recruits in years.
Los Angeles Times