Law Enforcement

LAPD want to crack down on civilian drones after police station incident
Los Angeles police officials say they may have to set boundaries on hobbyist drone use because local ordinances are vague and federal regulators are unlikely to put clear-cut rules in place anytime soon. "It's just a quagmire ... we're really on some pretty unstable ground" on private, civilian drone use, said Lt. Phil Smith, a commander in the LAPD's air support division.
Los Angeles Times

Misuse of statistics behind erroneous LA police officer salary claims
Ed Ring can't be taken seriously, given the bile he regularly spews out, such as public employee unions "are the primary force behind the erosion of our freedoms and the ebb of our prosperity. They must be eliminated" and "A California renaissance requires only one thing-the abolition of public sector unions." However, since Ring's views that are churned out at either his "UnionWatch" or "California Policy Center" websites are sometimes picked up other sites, some obvious misstatements beg to be rebutted.
LAPPL Blog

San Jose flight stowaway arrested again at LAX
The 62-year-old airplane stowaway who breached security at San Jose's airport and made her way onto a flight to Los Angeles was arrested again Thursday at Los Angeles International Airport when she showed up without a ticket, police said. Marilyn Jean Hartman, a Bay Area resident, was arrested at 11:15 a.m. by LAX police officers near Terminal 7. She was taken immediately to the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division jail for booking, LAX Police Chief Patrick Gannon said.
Torrance Daily Breeze

Amber Alert issued for two children believed abducted by their mom
The California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert on Thursday for two children allegedly abducted by their mother from their Exposition Park home. The Amber Alert was activated around 12:15 p.m. Thursday. The mother, Ameenah Rasheedah Freeman, 37, showed up at the home of the children's grandmother - their legal caregiver - Wednesday night and asked for the boy and girl, Los Angeles police said.
Los Angeles Times

Teen girl detained after USC student's death charged with 7 felonies
The 14-year-old arrested with four other teens after a USC student was beaten near campus has been charged with seven felonies in connection with a Dockweiler Beach robbery following the deadly assault, officials said. The girl, who was not named by prosecutors because of her age, was charged with seven counts related to the July 24 robbery, according to Greg Risling, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.
Los Angeles Times

LAPD motorcycle officer injured in Hollywood traffic crash
A Los Angeles police motorcycle officer was injured early Thursday when he was struck by a car in Hollywood, officials said. The collision occurred about 5:40 a.m. at the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Las Palmas Avenue, said Officer Liliana Preciado. The car's driver remained at the scene and no arrests had been made. The officer complained of pain in his leg and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation. The incident highlights the dangers officers can face on the roads.
Los Angeles Times

Baca, Tanaka sharply criticized in final sheriff watchdog's report
In a stinging final rebuke, the longtime civilian watchdog for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department accused top leaders of letting their worst employees run rampant, causing a series of scandals that tarnished the agency. Merrick Bobb has been the Board of Supervisors' special counsel reviewing the department for 22 years, and has written reports on how the agency is run. But this last report before Bobb steps aside was particularly cutting, placing much of the blame for a jail abuse scandal - in which criminal charges have been filed against 20 sheriff's officials since December - at the feet of former Sheriff Lee Baca and his chief assistant, Paul Tanaka.
Los Angeles Times

Legislation

California Assembly OKs smartphone 'kill switch' bill
Pushing aggressively ahead of other states, California on Thursday moved closer to requiring that all new smartphones come equipped with a "kill switch" that renders the device useless if stolen or lost. Senate Bill 962, authored by Sen. Mark Leno, D San Francisco, and championed by San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and other law-enforcement authorities, easily cleared the Assembly on a 53-20 vote.
San Jose Mercury News

City Government

Kevin James defends L.A. street agency against city audit criticism
The rollout of an audit of the Los Angeles agency responsible for fixing city streets has given Angelenos an "unfair" impression of its work, the president of the Board of Public Works argues. "They think that the bureau is mismanaging money," Kevin James said. "And the bureau is not." James, who ran for mayor last year as a City Hall outsider, argued that the public "campaign" surrounding the recently released audit by Controller Ron Galperin failed to include key information that would soften criticism of the Bureau of Street Services.
Los Angeles Times