Law Enforcement

LAPD union blasts police commissioners over Ezell Ford decision
Tensions over last week's decision in the fatal police shooting of Ezell Ford continued to simmer Tuesday as Los Angeles police union officials blasted police commissioners, saying their ruling threatened the safety of officers and the public. Craig Lally, the president of the union that represents rank-and-file LAPD officers, and other union officials were blunt as they addressed the L.A. Police Commission during the panel's first public meeting since it decided last week that one officer was not justified in fatally shooting Ford, even though the officer was in a struggle with Ford over control of his gun. "This decision and the faulty reasoning behind it was irresponsible and [has] the potential of putting our officers at risk," Lally said.
Los Angeles Times , CBS Los Angeles , KTLA 5

Harbor City man ordered to stand trial in killing of LAPD Officer Roberto Sanchez
A Harbor City man was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on a murder charge for allegedly ramming a Los Angeles police car on purpose, killing the officer driving it and seriously injuring his partner. Mynor Varela, 21, allegedly was driving up to 63 mph when he slammed his Chevrolet Tahoe into the side of Officer Roberto Sanchez's patrol car, hitting it so hard it crushed the driver's seat and bent a wheel so severely it gouged out a chunk of pavement, testimony revealed.
Los Angeles Daily News ,

Armed Robber Fires on Clerk at South L.A. Big Lots Store Multiple Times, Grabs Cash: LAPD
A 42-year-old female clerk at a South Los Angeles Big Lots store was shot during an armed robbery that occurred during a brief struggle with the gunman Tuesday afternoon, police said. A black man between 40 and 50 years old pulled out a firearm after milling about the store for a few minutes, then approached a cashier from behind, proceeding to rob the store, said Los Angeles Police Department Detective Jerry Gibson of 77th Street Division.
KTLA 5

Cyclist Fatally Shot in Head in Mid-City
A cyclist was fatally shot in the head in Mid-City early Wednesday. He was gunned down on the 1700 block of South Longwood Avenue at around 3:35 a.m, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said. Residents reported hearing two gunshots, and the victim died at the scene. A homicide investigation has been launched and detectives are currently combing the area for evidence. There is no suspect description, and it is unknown if it is a gang related shooting.
NBC Los Angeles

Man Wanted for Murder Who Surrendered After Pursuit Identified
A driver wanted in a gang-related killing who drove himself to an LAPD station in a red Ford Mustang convertible where he surrendered after a short pursuit has been identified. Fernando Duarte, 36, was booked into the Los Angeles County Jail on Sunday after driving a red Ford Mustang to the Los Angeles Police Department's Harbor Division in San Pedro. His bail was set at $1 million.
NBC Los Angeles

Jail abuse trial of L.A. County sheriff's deputies opens with contrasting stories
The criminal trial of three Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies accused of beating a man and lying to cover up their actions began Tuesday in federal court with prosecutors and defense attorneys offering starkly different accounts of what occurred. After a morning of last-minute procedural wrangling and jury selection, Assistant U.S. Atty. Lizabeth Rhodes made her opening statement, telling jurors the case “is about a beat-down in a closed room and defendants who thought if they all tell the same lie, they could get away with it."
Los Angeles Times

"She Was a Dreamer": Friends Pay Tribute to Missing Mom After Body is Found in Her Car
Heartbroken friends paid tribute to a woman who was "a dreamer" and "full of life" after authorities discovered a body inside her car less than a mile away from her Monrovia home. Police found the remains inside the vehicle of Lajoya McCoy, 31, during a search Tuesday morning, which came after they discovered evidence of foul play at her home. A murder investigation has also been opened.
NBC Los Angeles , CBS Los Angeles

Homelessness

L.A. vote makes it easier to break up homeless camps
The Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to two ordinances designed to make it easier to break up homeless encampments, which have mushroomed across Southern California and raised an outcry from some businesses and residents. Councilman Gil Cedillo cast the lone opposition vote, saying that the measures would perpetuate a failed strategy of criminalizing a homeless population that, despite past enforcement, grew 12% in the last two years. “We spend $100 million on homelessness, and 85% of our response is law enforcement,” he said. “That tells us our strategy is not working.”
Los Angeles Times