Law Enforcement

Crime alerts for Echo Park and eight other L.A. neighborhoods
Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in nine L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times' Crime L.A. database. Eight neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Echo Park was the most unusual, recording five reports compared with a weekly average of 1.6 over the last three months. Lake View Terrace was the lone neighborhood with a property-crime alert.
Los Angeles Times

Sheriff Baca's resignation leaves much up in the air for department
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca's surprise retirement announcement Tuesday upended the election campaign to lead the nation's largest sheriff's department and added new complexities to reform efforts after a series of scandals and an ongoing federal criminal probe. With Baca out of the race, the field of candidates is expected to widen in what will be the first sheriff's election without an incumbent in more than 50 years.
Los Angeles Times

Slew of candidates set to run for L.A. County sheriff
Sheriff Baca's announcement Tuesday that he would not seek re-election has provided an opening for several candidates to join an already crowded field planning to run in the June 3 primary election. Candidates who have already declared include Patrick Gomez, retired sheriff's lieutenant; Bob Olmsted, retired sheriff's commander; Paul Tanaka, former undersheriff; and Lou Vince, a Los Angeles Police Department detective supervisor and sheriff's reserve deputy. At Tuesday's news conference at Sheriff's Department headquarters in Monterey Park, Baca said assistant sheriffs Todd Rogers and James Hellmold were strong candidates to replace him. Others may decide to run, such as Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell, who long has been long rumored as a possible candidate for the position.
Los Angeles Daily News

LAPD announces reward in Joseph Gatto homicide case
The Los Angeles City Council voted 12-0 Tuesday morning to offer a $50,000 reward for information in the case. LAPD Robbery-Homicide Capt. William Hayes said he hopes the reward will spur the public to provide the information investigators need. "We're at a point where we believe someone out there knows or is aware of who is responsible for Mr. Gatto's death but is reluctant to come forward," Hayes said.
Los Angeles Times

Police: Fear of crime needs to be reduced
Senior Lead Officer Michael Lewis of the Los Angeles Police Department's North Hollywood Division provides a wrap-up for Studio City crime in 2013: "What is more boring and monotonous than going through a bunch of statistics, especially when it comes to crime and crime numbers? However, if we like it or not, crime statistics are the mother's milk of law enforcement."
Studio City Patch

Grim Sleeper: Judge allows DNA evidence gathered at restaurant
A judge on Tuesday ruled that DNA evidence that led to alleged Grim Sleeper serial killer Lonnie Franklin Jr. was lawfully obtained via plates and utensils seized by a police officer who posed as a restaurant busboy. Appearing on the stand for the first time, Franklin testified that he was attending a birthday party that day in July 2010 at John's Incredible Pizza in Buena Park with one of his employees and her three daughters when the DNA evidence was gathered.
Los Angeles Times

Google Glass's unlikely testers: Your local cops
Sgt. Eric Ferris of the Byron, Ga., police department recently added to his usual law-enforcement duties the role of cutting-edge gadget reviewer. In his review, Ferris said the new technology didn't obscure his vision while driving or shooting, but it did result in "some funny looks and faces" from the public. Those funny looks should increase across the U.S. as local police forces are outfitted with wearable devices, including Google Glass, the techy eyewear that stupefied Byron's residents.
CNBC

New Laws

New year means new laws for public employers
Like death and taxes, new employment laws are inevitable with each new year. In 2014, public employees are facing a bevy of new laws, including those that address leave, discrimination and retirement benefits and those that expand paid family leave, whistleblower protections and the rights of crime victims at the workplace. As many of the new laws took effect Jan. 1, public agencies should review their employment policies to ensure they are up to date.
Public CEO

Legislation

New bill targets underreporting of sexual assaults at state colleges
A new bill introduced Monday would impose new reporting requirements for crimes occurring at colleges and universities, a response to reports that several California schools did not fully disclose on-campus sexual assaults. The bill, by Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles), would require colleges to report violent crimes and hate crimes on or near campus to local law enforcement for investigation, unless the victim of the crime requests that such a report not be submitted.
Los Angeles Times

Pensions

San Jose mayor's California pension initiative cleared, but will it make the ballot?
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed was cleared Tuesday to start gathering signatures for his statewide initiative aimed at cutting pension costs, but it will be weeks before supporters decide if they will even attempt to put it on the ballot. It comes a day after Attorney General Kamala Harris issued the formal title and summary for the initiative, which would allow cities around California to renegotiate future pension and retirement benefits for public workers.
Contra Costa Times