Law Enforcement

LAPD Officer Gives Away Coats To South LA Children
Officer Jerome Divinity is the man behind the Christmas coats. The traffic cop works South L.A.'s streets, and grew up on them." To whom much is given much is required. I truly believe that, and this is just my way of giving back to people in my community," he said. Divinity will hand out about 150 coats this year to three schools in the area. Divinity pays for all of the coats out of pocket.
ABC7

Detectives Crack $100,000 Carson Warehouse Tech Theft Ring
Four people were arrested for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a Carson electronics warehouse and trying to sell the items on Craigslist, authorities said today. The suspects were taken into custody on Wednesday, and detectives recovered more than $100,000 worth of stolen property, including 32 Apple laptop computers, four Samsung “Curve” large screen TVs, and 15 cases of “Beats” brand desk speakers, the sheriff's department reported.
Los Angeles Daily News

Arson Caused $30 million Downtown Los Angeles Fire
A fire that reduced an unfinished downtown apartment building to a block-long mountain of blackened wood was an act of arson that caused an estimated $20 million to $30 million in damage, the Fire Department announced Thursday.
Los Angeles Daily News

Unions: Anxiety Could Compromise Safety
Nationwide protests after the deaths of two unarmed black men by police in Missouri and New York might cause officers to hesitate to use deadly force for fear of becoming the "next Darren Wilson," Baltimore's mayor said Wednesday. Meanwhile, police unions say departments across the country are battling anxiety that could compromise officers' safety. They called upon more police chiefs and elected leaders to vocally back officers, who have felt their public support erode even as they continue to do dangerous jobs protecting communities.
Officer.com

The Assault on ‘Broken Windows' Policing
Recent tragic incidents involving the New York City Police Department—including the death of Eric Garner, who was being arrested on Staten Island, and the death of Akai Gurley, shot accidentally by a young police officer in the dark stairwell of a Brooklyn housing project—have reinvigorated police critics. The criticism was especially pointed amid the broader national discussion about crime and race prompted by events in Ferguson, Mo.The NYPD's critics object, in particular, to the department's long-standing practice of maintaining order in public spaces. This practice, referred to as Broken Windows or quality-of-life or order-maintenance policing, asserts that, in communities contending with high levels of disruption, maintaining order improves the quality of life for residents and reduces crime.
The Wall Street Journal

Lights Installed In Effort To Improve Silver Lake Safety
Some Silver Lake residents are fed up with vandalism in their neighborhood, where dozens of car owners have seen their tires slashed in recent months, and are demanding that the city do something to make the area safer. On Thursday, Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O'Farrell and the LAPD showed the concerned Silver Lake neighbors the enhanced lighting for the area after the rash of 40 tire-slashing incidents over the past 2½ months.
CBS2

Protests

Group to Protest LA School Police Department's Military Weapons
The Strategy Center's Fight for the Soul of the Cities and Community Rights Campaign is holding a rally and press conference outside LAUSD headquarters at 4 p.m. to protest the Los Angeles School Police Department's possession of military-grade weapons.
LA School Report

City Government

State Reps Speak Out On Shootings of Unarmed Black Males
Non-guilty verdicts and decisions not to indict police officers in the deaths of unarmed, black males have prompted widespread protests and calls for justice and accountability. But state representatives and the California Legislative Black Caucus agree that more needs to be done to address the thin ice that exists between law enforcement officers and communities of color.
KCET

Immigration

Beware of Scammers, L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer Warns Immigrants
City Attorney Mike Feuer on Thursday announced a program designed to protect immigrants from scam artists seeking money for filling out forms required under President Obama's new executive order on immigration. “There was an article where a deputy in my office said these scammers are not just taking money, they are stealing their dreams,” Feuer said at a City Hall news conference of those impacted by false promises. “No one should have their dreams stolen."
Los Angeles Daily News