Law Enforcement

Funeral held for LAPD officer killed on duty
A funeral will be held Tuesday for the LAPD officer killed in the line of duty after a suspected DUI driver struck him while he was on his motorcycle. The service for Chris Cortijo is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Cortijo, 51, was stopped at a traffic light around 5:30 p.m. earlier this month at the intersection of Saticoy Street and Lankershim Boulevard in Sun Valley, when an SUV hit him and pinned him between two vehicles.
ABC7

"Man of Honor": Colleagues remember fallen LAPD officer
Friends and colleagues of a Los Angeles police motorcycle officer are remembering him as one of the hardest working and most generous officers in the department. Officer Chris Cortijo, a 26-year LAPD veteran, died this month after he was hit by a motorist suspected of driving under the influence of cocaine. Cortijo was responsible for the apprehension of more than 3,000 DUI drivers in his career. Cortijo's dedication and compassion is what made him a beloved member of the department, colleagues said.
NBC4

Passenger in SUV in collision that killed officer may also face charges
Authorities are exploring the potential criminal liability of the passenger in the SUV that fatally injured an LAPD motorcycle, a source close to the investigation told NBC4. The complaint against the driver, Qaneak Shaney Cobb, alleges that she was under the influence of cocaine when she hit Officer Cortijo on April 5. The passenger, whom authorities have not publicly identified, is believed to be the owner of the vehicle, the source said.
NBC4

Police seek public's help in man's fatal shooting in Boyle Heights
Los Angeles police detectives asked for the public's help Monday in finding the person who fatally shot a 25-year-old man over the weekend in Boyle Heights. The shooting of Ramon Gerardo Vera occurred about 12:20 a.m. Saturday in the 2900 block of East Olympic Boulevard, police said in a statement. Investigators said Vera was shot multiple times with a 12-gauge shotgun in a parking lot of an apartment complex.
Los Angeles Times

Man shot by police in downtown L.A. in critical condition
A man was in critical but stable condition after he was shot in a confrontation with officers in a downtown Los Angeles parking garage, police said Monday night. No officers were injured in the shooting at the building in the 600 block of South Grand Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Officer Sara Faden said earlier Monday that initial reports from the scene stated that the man was armed with a gun. On Monday night, she said it was unclear whether the suspect had a weapon. The suspect was shot, she said, after he "failed to cooperate with officers' commands."
Los Angeles Times

Police looking for vehicle that led pursuit near Baldwin Hills
Police were searching for a vehicle that led them on a pursuit Sunday afternoon near Baldwin Hills. A silver Mercedes with black rims and no license led Los Angeles Police Department officers on a pursuit around 1 p.m. for unknown reasons, police at the scene said. The pursuit led to a third vehicle crashing, going offroad and sliding down an embankment near S. La Cienega Boulevard and S. Fairfax Ave. in West Adams.
KTLA

LAPD Criminal Conspiracy Unit takes over Aldon Smith case
Charges have not yet been filed against 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith for his recent decision to tell TSA workers at LAX that he had a bomb. If they do, the charges will come via the recommendation of the Los Angeles Police Department's Criminal Conspiracy Unite. Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area reports that the arm of the Major Crimes Division, charged with preventing significant disruptions of public order, will lead the investigation. Police at LAX previously ran the investigation.
NBC Sports

Badges, guns stolen during LAPD football game with San Diego officers
Guns and badges were among the items stolen during a burglary in Boyle Heights that occurred amid a charity football game between two teams of public safety officers, authorities said Monday. The thief or thieves struck in the locker room area Saturday, during a game at Bishop Mora Salesian High School at 960 Soto St. between an LAPD team and a San Diego-area team, according to Sgt. Gabriel Lara of the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollenbeck Station.
KTLA

Police hunt burglary suspect they say has been pelting them with objects at construction site
The Los Angeles Police Department searched a building under construction in Hollywood Sunday for a burglary suspect they said at times threw things at officers. The incident took place in the 1400 block of Poinsettia, just south of Sunset, around 9 p.m. Kevin Takumi in Sky9 reported it began when someone reported a possible burglary in progress at a building - a five-story apartment complex - that is under construction.
CBS LA

Bad vibrations
The Venice Beach Drum Circle used to be about peace, love and music. Lately, however, the recurring Sunday night celebration of Venice's bohemian spirit has developed a lousy reputation for boozing, unruly behavior and clashes with police. Los Angeles police officers ordering drum circle crowds more than 400 strong to disperse after nightfall have twice been met with refusals to move, verbal taunts and flying glass bottles.
The Argonaut

Prison Realignment

California lawmakers want more data on prison realignment
Since state lawmakers approved a law in 2011 making counties responsible for lower-level offenders, supporters and critics have offered many opinions as to whether or not the law is working. Gov. Jerry Brown, for instance, recently reported that it is. However, the difficulty in measuring the effectiveness of AB 109 was underscored Monday afternoon during a panel discussion held by the Public Policy Institute of California. The law was passed amid state budget problems in response to a federal court order requiring the state to reduce prison population.
Sacramento Bee

Child Protection

Los Angeles County child protection system in 'state of emergency,' panel says
Warning Los Angeles County's safety net for abused and neglected children is in a "state of emergency," a panel of experts will urge the Board of Supervisors Tuesday to make drastic changes to its child protection system, including creating a new agency with the sole mission of directing deputy sheriffs, social workers, doctors and support staff in a unified effort to rescue children. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Protection issued its final recommendations over the weekend.
Los Angeles Daily News