Law Enforcement

Suspect in Valley shootings described by police as a 'serial killer'
A Sylmar man described by police as a "serial killer" was charged with murder and attempted murder Tuesday and is believed to be responsible for five days of shootings that killed four people and wounded several others, authorities said. LAPD officials said they recovered a shotgun with a pistol grip from the home of Alexander Hernandez that connects him to three separate shootings in the San Fernando Valley on Sunday in which three people were killed.
Los Angeles Times
Related story: Suspect in Valley rampage charged in two other shootings

The aftermath of police encounters with "unarmed" individuals - 57 murders
Repeated descriptions of a suspect as "unarmed" when shot by a police officer does not, contrary to the belief of the New York Times and others who use the term without further describing the facts of the encounter, determine if the force used by an officer was lawful or reasonable. Labeling the suspect as "unarmed" does not begin to answer the question of the danger they posed in each instance where deadly force was used.
LAPPL Blog

Three men charged in shooting of San Bernardino police officer
Three men were charged Tuesday with attempted murder of a peace officer and possession of an assault rifle in connection with a shooting that left a San Bernardino police officer critically wounded and a suspect dead. Jonathan Contreras, 20; Orlando Cruz, 24; and Gonzalo Medina, 22, all of San Bernardino, face two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and one count of possession of an assault weapon, prosecutors said. An assault rifle with high-capacity magazines and a revolver were recovered at the scene, officials said.
Los Angeles Times
Related story: Vigil held for shot San Bernardino police officer

Legislation

Bright-colored air gun bill passes state Assembly
The state Assembly approved legislation on Tuesday that would require certain replica guns to be sold in bright colors or transparent to avoid deadly mix-ups with police officers. SB199 advanced on a 41-34 vote, the minimum needed to pass, after Republican lawmakers and an influential Democrat blasted it as ineffective. It now returns to the Senate.
Associated Press

Family members of Isla Vista victims urge passage of gun bill
Parents and other family members of three UC Santa Barbara students shot to death in the Isla Vista massacre appealed to state lawmakers Tuesday to approve a bill aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future. In a letter, 11 relatives of Katie Cooper, Christopher Ross Michaels-Martinez and Veronika Weiss urged approval of legislation that would allow law enforcement officials and family members of individuals they suspect to be dangerous to petition the courts for a restraining order barring possession of firearms.
Los Angeles Times

California Senate approves measure banning warrantless drone surveillance
The California State Senate passed legislation on Tuesday imposing strict regulations on how law enforcement and other government agencies can use drones, a move supporters said will protect privacy and prevent warrantless surveillance. The bill attracted bipartisan support in the Senate, passing 25-8 during the evening vote in Sacramento.
Reuters

Courts

Los Angeles police, sheriff's scan over 3 million license plates a week
A county judge is expected to decide this week whether the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department must turn over weeks worth of data from cameras on cruisers and fixed locations throughout the county that automatically scan and save information from more than 3 million license plates per week.
San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Homeland Security

FBI, DHS bulletin warns of retaliation for airstrikes against ISIS
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security have sent out a bulletin to law enforcement officials warning that U.S. airstrikes in Iraq could provoke retaliation by Islamic State sympathizers in the U.S., Fox News has learned. The warning on Friday comes shortly after U.S. intelligence officials said there is evidence foreign fighters have returned to their home countries and started Islamic State cells.
Fox News

Prisons

High-priced drug Sovaldi coming to California prisoners with hepatitis C
It's the drug that can cure most people with hepatitis C in 12 weeks - but comes at a high cost: $1,000 a pill. Now, California Correctional Health Care Services, which oversees clinical care and drug prescriptions for 125,000 inmates at 34 prisons across the state, began using Sovaldi last month. Made by Gilead Sciences of Foster City, Sovaldi has become part of the "community standard" for medical professionals treating patients with hepatitis C, according to prison officials.
State of Health

City Government

L.A. Mayor Garcetti expected to announce plan for $13.25 minimum wage
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is circulating a plan to raise the city's minimum wage to $13.25 an hour over three years, followed by annual boosts keyed to inflation, according to business representatives and City Hall officials. The action is expected to be announced on Labor Day.
Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles looking for options to repair sidewalks
With nearly 4,600 miles of crumbling and broken sidewalks that will cost $1.5 billion to repair, the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday asked for a review of options to reverse a 40-year policy in which the city took responsibility to fix the sidewalks. "Our sidewalks are the most visible example of L.A.'s crumbling infrastructure," Councilman Joe Buscaino said. "Whose responsibility is it to repair them? That's the question we need to answer."
Los Angeles Daily News