Law Enforcement

Officers' Union Says "Proactive Policing" May Decline as Result of Ford Decision
Some LAPD officers have told a union official they are less likely to pursue proactive policing as a result of the police commission ruling the Ezell Ford shooting was "out of policy," according to the president of the officers' union. "This is a tough decision for the officers on the street now," said Craig Lally, longtime LAPD lieutenant who now serves as president of the LA Police Protective League. "I've gotten a lot of calls since this decision," said Lally. "And they're really scared about doing their job right now, doing proactive police work," Lally said during an interview.
NBC4

LAPD union president blasts commission ruling on Ezell Ford shooting
Lt. Craig Lally said he had received messages and calls from officers complaining about the commission's determination that the shooting was unjustified even though Ford was wrestling for control of the officer's gun. "They feel that the Police Commission abandoned them for a suspect who basically tried to take an officer's gun," he said. "They're as flabbergasted as I am." Lally said the commission's ruling would probably make officers hesitant to patrol proactively. He said the decision, along with the impending department-wide rollout of body cameras, has prompted concerns that officers will be unfairly scrutinized for doing even routine police work. "It's going to be a different way of life," he said. "They're scared. They're worried. What is an officer supposed to do?"
Los Angeles Times

Why LAPD's Charlie Beck and civilian police panel differ on Ezell Ford shooting
Both sides agreed on the facts. A 25-year-old African American man walking down a gang-plagued, drug-infested block with his hands in his pockets was stopped by police. To LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, Ezell Ford was a possible criminal, fair game for questioning by his officers. In the analysis of the Police Commission, Ford was doing nothing wrong and had a right to be left alone. The disagreement between the chief and his civilian bosses about whether police should have detained Ford at all is at the heart of their conflicting conclusions about his death in August at the hands of two members of a gang unit.
Los Angeles Times

Lake Balboa man, 77, missing since Tuesday
A 77-year-old man who suffers from memory loss and speaks limited English went missing Tuesday. Anatoli Teper was last seen at midday in the 17000 block of Cohasset Street in Lake Balboa. He was due in Glendale in the afternoon but did not arrive at his destination and has not been heard from, police said. Anyone with information on Teper's whereabouts was asked to call the Los Angeles Police Department's West Valley Division at (818) 374-7611.
Los Angeles Daily News

Fatal Hit-and-Run Crash in Irvine Leaves Woman Dead, 2 Young Kids in Cardiac Arrest
Police in Irvine were searching for the driver of a black Ford Mustang who fled the scene on foot following a fatal three-car crash in Irvine on Wednesday night. The collision, which also involved a Chevy Cruze and Honda Civic, occurred around 9 p.m. at the intersection of Muirlands Boulevard and Alton Parkway, according to a news release from the Irvine Police Department.
KTLA5

$20K Reward Offered, Composite Sketch Released In Fatal Shooting Of Quiznos Owner
Authorities Tuesday released a composite sketch of the man believed to have fatally shot a sandwich shop owner and offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Shortly before 3:30 p.m. on June 2, officers were sent to a Quiznos restaurant located in the 1000 block of West Arrow Highway for report of a shooting.
CBS Los Angeles

Parents Worried About Pregnant Daughter Who Is Missing Days Before Due Date
The parents of a pregnant Long Beach woman last seen Tuesday afternoon are worried about her welfare. The parents of 27-year-old Adrienne Elise Moreno say their daughter was days away from giving birth. She is also in need of medication, her family says. “This is a woman who is 8-and-one-half months pregnant, who went missing, her family is desperate to locate her and they contacted us yesterday afternoon about 2:30 and reported her missing. So far, we have been unable to locate her,” says Cindy Knapp with the La Habra Police Department. If you've seen Moreno or know of her whereabouts, you're asked to call La Habra Police Detective Paul Lucifora at (562) 383-4300.
CBS Los Angeles

Brazen robber steals woman's purse at gunpoint in Sherman Oaks
Los Angeles police Wednesday released photos of a suspect wanted in connection with an armed robbery of a woman in her Sherman Oaks driveway. The robbery occurred on May 5 about 8 a.m. in the 4800 block of Katherine Avenue, police said. The woman was in the driveway of her house when a man with a handgun walked up to her, pointed it at her and took property. The robber then fled on foot, north on Katherine Avenue to eastbound Huston Street. There he got into a four-door white Toyota Camry and drove north on Stansbury Avenue toward Riverside Drive.
MyNewsLA.com

Experiencing The 'Realities Of Being A Police Officer'
Since the death of an unarmed black man in Ferguson, Mo. last year, police have been trying to justify how they use deadly force. The Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, which raises money to defend police accused of misconduct, has responded to that challenge by inviting reporters and members of the public to undergo a simulation to learn how tough it is to be a cop. "When I saw some of the coverage about Ferguson, I was astonished by the lack of understanding by people in the media about the realities of being a police officer," said Ron Hosko, president of the LELDF.
NPR