Law Enforcement

Cartoonist Ousted By Los Angeles Times Speaks Out
After the LAPD accused political cartoonist Ted Rall of lying in a blog post he wrote in the Los Angeles Times in May, the Times decided this week it will no longer publish work from the award-winning cartoonist. Now, Rall is calling out the Times for taking the Police Department's word over his own.
CBS Los Angeles

LAPD chief visits with community after flare of violence
Terrencé Smith smiled nervously as he plugged in his iPhone on Wednesday afternoon and hit play. A few seconds later, the 15-year-old's voice rang clearly through the entryway of a Leimert Park performing arts center. He hoped his audience — Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Police Chief Charlie Beck — understood the message behind his words.
PoliceOne.com

Garcetti appoints entertainment lawyer to Police Commission
An entertainment lawyer who served on Mayor Eric Garcetti's transition team is expected to join the Los Angeles Police Commission in the coming weeks, replacing another commissioner whose term has expired. Garcetti informed the City Council in a July 24 letter that he had appointed Matthew M. Johnson to the Police Commission, taking the seat of retired media executive Paula Madison, who served as the commission's vice president since her appointment in 2013.
Los Angeles Times

Police seek ‘porch pirate' woman who steals packages from Valley homes
Police Thursday sought the public's help to find a woman dubbed a “porch pirate” for stealing packages from residential porches in the San Fernando Valley. Authorities released a security photo of the 20-something woman as she took a package from a porch in the 7800 block of Lasaine Avenue about 4:30 p.m. July 12.
Los Angeled Daily News

2 Suspects Arrested In Shooting Death of 4-Year-Old In Highland
Two men have been arrested in connection to a shooting in Highland that left a 4-year-old boy dead. Deputies arrested 20-year-old Darron Daniels and 25-year-old Maurice Kelley in connection to the shooting death of Daniel Munoz. The shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 7400 block of McKinley Avenue. Daniel was playing with a stuffed animal in the front yard of his aunt's home when he was shot to death.
ABC 7

LAPD: Family Recognizes Teen From Attempted Kidnapping News Reports, Convinces Him To Surrender
Police say a 16-year-old boy has surrendered in connection to an attempted kidnapping at knifepoint. The Los Angeles Police Department say the suspect tried to force a man to withdraw money from an ATM shortly after midnight on July 22.
CBS Los Angeles

Slain Hayward police sergeant honored as “warrior”
Scott Lunger was a die-hard Oakland A's fan and ice-cream lover who doted on his two college-age daughters. He slept in his car after his grueling shift as a Hayward police sergeant ended at 2 a.m. so he could play baseball in an over-45 league that started only hours later. He was like a kid in the candy store when a new call came over the police radio.
SF Gate

Sacramento police deploy microphones to listen for gunshots
The Sacramento Police Department is deploying new technology in an effort to reduce gun violence – a network of microphones that listens for gunshots in high-crime areas and sends the information to law enforcement. Called ShotSpotter, the system is being used by 90 cities around the world, including New York, Boston and Oakland. Sacramento police deployed it last month in North Sacramento. Fresno also installed the technology last month.
The Sacramento Bee

Body Cameras: Experts Weigh In on How They Affect Police Officers
Body camera footage made headlines again this week after Officer Ray Tensing was indicited for murder after he allegedly shot a man in the head during a traffic stop. At a news conference, prosecutor Joseph Deters said the footage was "shocking" and cited it as a key component in the evidence that lead a grand jury to indict tensing. While Tensing's case shows how body cameras can shed light on an incident, experts say how the cameras will affect officers and police departments on a large scale remains largely unknown.
ABC News

Homelessness

Garcetti says 'battle plan' is on the way to fight rising homelessness
In the wake of criticism that his administration is falling behind in the fight against Los Angeles' surging homelessness, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Thursday that his office and other agencies will soon unveil a "battle plan" to take people off the streets. In a speech at the opening of a housing complex near skid row, Garcetti said he is working with partners on the City Council, the county Board of Supervisors and at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and the United Way, among other groups, to "develop a three-part plan that we're going to be sharing in about a month ... that is the battle plan for this war on homelessness here in Los Angeles."
Los Angeles Times