Law Enforcement

Fallen LAPD motorcycle cop is mourned at large downtown ceremony
Hundreds of uniformed police officers gathered in downtown Los Angeles early Tuesday to pay their final respects to a veteran LAPD motorcycle officer who died earlier this month after being struck by a driver suspected of being under the influence of cocaine. A 26-year veteran of the LAPD, Christopher Cortijo, 51, had been assigned to the Valley Traffic Division when he was struck from behind on April 5 by an SUV.
Los Angeles Times

Shooting prompts LAPD to review security measures at the front desks of police stations
Los Angeles police are reassessing whether security changes are needed at the front desks of police stations after a gunman opened fire two weeks ago inside the lobby of a Mid-City police station, wounding one officer. "We want to look at front desk operations and see if there's any way we can make it safer for both our officers that work there and for the general public that comes in there," said LAPD Commander Andrew Smith.
KPCC

Man injured in Venice stabbing attack, LAPD says
A man was injured Tuesday night in a stabbing attack in Venice, police said. The victim was attacked around 8:30 p.m. in the 1600 block of Venice Way, just a short walk from the boardwalk, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The victim's name was not released. He was believed to be in his 20s and was taken by paramedics to a hospital. "It does not appear that his wounds are life threatening," Officer Sara Faden said. The attacker or attackers fled the scene. Anyone with information is asked to call the LAPD at (877) 527-3247.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD Pacific Division uses experimental method to deter crime
The LAPD Pacific Division is using an experimental method to deter crime called "Predictive Policing." KCAL9's Andrea Fujii reported that police teamed up with UCLA in using past crime reports to determine a mathematical logarithm that tells authorities where crime is more likely to happen. Officers then get new maps every day to know where they should deploy to best stop criminals. "Give us what we call our crime missions on a daily basis where the biggest probability where crimes may occur," Capt. Brian Johnson, who helped start the program in March, said.
CBS LA

NYPD's Twitter request for photos backfires
Its request that Twitter users share pictures of them posing with police officers has caused people to start sending in photos of police brutality. The NYPD sent a tweet on Tuesday, saying it might feature the photographs on its Facebook page. The responses soon turned ugly when Occupy Wall Street tweeted a photograph of cops battling protesters with the caption "changing hearts and minds one baton at a time."
Associated Press

Legislation

Another med-pot bill advances
State lawmakers have approved another measure to regulate medical marijuana, signaling that for the first time in nearly 20 years the state may impose strict new conditions on an industry many say has grown out of control. "The status quo is not working," said Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco. Ammiano's legislation giving most of the enforcement authority over medical marijuana to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board cleared the Assembly Public Safety Committee Tuesday on a 4-1 vote.
U-T San Diego

California massage fix proposed
Seeking to work out the kinks in California's disputed massage regulations, Assembly members are poised to announce a bill giving local governments broader powers to crack down on wayward operators. In the years since California transferred oversight of the massage industry from municipal authorities to a centralized state nonprofit known as the California Massage Therapy Council, many cities have witnessed a boom in the number of massage establishments.
Sacramento Bee

Taxi-backed bill regulating Uber, Lyft insurance advances
Lawmakers advanced a bill on Monday that would force all drivers of online transportation companies like Uber and Lyft to obtain primary commercial insurance policies akin to those held by taxi drivers. The bill, authored by Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian, D-Los Angeles, and backed by a coalition of taxicab and limousine interests, could impose new costs on the online transportation companies or their drivers, resulting in higher fares or fewer drivers.
Sacramento Business Journal

California bill banning 'Affluenza' defense is nixed
California lawmakers on Tuesday killed legislation that would ban the use of the so-called "affluenza" defense, stopping what would have been the first such ban in the nation. State Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduced the bill after a wealthy Texas teenager was given only probation last year for killing four people and injuring others in a drunk driving accident.
Time

City Government

L.A.'s chief legislative analyst announces he's retiring
A top advisor to Los Angeles lawmakers announced Tuesday he plans to retire after decades working in city government. "This decision does not reflect any dissatisfaction with the city," Chief Legislative Analyst Gerry Miller wrote in a Tuesday letter to the City Council. "After nearly 30 years and much thought I have decided that it is time to move on to explore other interests and spend more time with my spouse and family."
Los Angeles Times