Law Enforcement

LAPD Pledges More Community Involvement Following Rash of Violence in South LA
With 23 shootings in a single week in South Los Angeles earlier this month, the Los Angeles Police Department saw its worst spike in violence this year. The casualties were counted and the cause is now under analysis. "A week ago, Saturday, we saw five shootings in a matter of two hours in one division," LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said Tuesday.
ABC 7

LAPD Beefs Up Patrols in South LA Following Social Media Threats
As rumored threats of gang violence spread on social media, the Los Angeles Police Department said bolstering staffing in South Los Angeles resulted in a sharp decrease in gang-related crime. On Tuesday, the 77th Street Division held a "Take Back the Night" event that brought police and community members together to celebrate a success in the face of deep concern.
NBC Los Angeles

Man killed, woman critically injured in gang-related Pacoima shooting
A man was shot dead and a woman critically wounded in a gang-related shooting in Pacoima Tuesday night. The shooting occurred at 9:30 p.m. near the intersection of Terra Bella Street and Bromont Avenue, Los Angeles Police Officer Mike Lopez said.
Los Angeles Daily News

Uber Driver Wounded When Gunman Opens Fire on Passengers in Venice
Police were searching Tuesday for a gunman who pulled alongside an Uber car and opened fire on the occupants, wounding the driver. It happened around 3:50 p.m. in the vicinity of Louella and Lucile avenues.The passengers in the Uber car were also armed and were detained by police, according to Officer Mike Lopez with the Los Angeles Police Department.
KTLA 5

Police Ask for Help Finding Shooter
Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's West Los Angeles Division today said they are looking for four black males in their 20s who fled in a silver Nissan, possibly an Altima with tinted windows, after a shooting that occurred in Westwood. A 26-year-old man was shot in the chest early Sunday morning when he and two friends left a bar in Westwood and got into an argument with four men in the parking lot, police said.
Beverly Hills Patch

‘I'm not racist!' Ex-LAPD detective sues to get his job backs
A veteran Los Angeles Police detective who lost his job after making racially charged remarks during a training session was reported Tuesday to have filed a federal lawsuit against the city, alleging he was discriminated against because he is a “white police officer who was wrongfully perceived to be racist.” In the lawsuit, Frank Lyga alleged his civil rights were violated when LAPD officials wrongfully decided to fire him because of his race, the Los Angeles Times reported. He alleged the action was “motivated by political pressure” from the African American community.
mynewsLA.com

Newborn boy, umbilical cord still attached, is abandoned north of USC
A newborn boy was found alone in a stroller Tuesday afternoon, about half a mile north of the USC campus, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The baby was so young, the umbilical cord was still attached. About 1 p.m., police received a call from someone who had discovered the stroller on the sidewalk at South Vermont Avenue and Dana Street. That intersection is home to a strip mall, an elementary school and a church.
Los Angeles Times

Possible Arson Suspect Sought For 118 Freeway Brush Fire In Porter Ranch
A brush fire erupted along the 118 Freeway in Porter Ranch on Tuesday afternoon, and police say the cause may be arson. Firefighters responded to the small blaze on the westbound side of the 118 Freeway at Reseda Boulevard. Two lanes of the 118 were closed due to the fire fight. The fire was contained to 1.5 acres of wood chip mulch in an hour. LAPD says they are looking for a possible arson suspect in a black SUV who may have thrown something out of the vehicle to spark the fire.
ABC 7

National Night Out: Police reach out to communities throughout LA-area
The night is "a chance to bring neighborhoods together with the men and women who protect them," Joe Biden said in a quote on the National Night Out website. "The safety of our communities depend on both law enforcement and the citizens they serve, and [these] events will enhance that cooperation." Dozens of Southern California communities are signed up to participate. Here are details on some of the events happening around the greater Los Angeles area (all events are on Tuesday, Aug. 4 unless otherwise noted).
KPCC

City Government

L.A. City Council backs new rules for gun storage in the home
Frustrated with Congress' lack of action on stricter gun control laws, Los Angeles leaders have joined other cities in trying to sidestep Washington by imposing tighter regulations at the local level. Last week, Los Angeles joined San Francisco and Sunnyvale in banning possession of ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, a move that is meant to reduce the carnage of mass shootings, but that has prompted threats of legal action by gun rights groups.But Los Angeles Police Protective League Director Peter Repovich said he thought that having a gun readily available in that manner would be permitted. City lawyers were not immediately able to clarify.
Los Angeles Times , Los Angeles Daily News

City Council To Vote On Motion To Allow Uber, Lyft Pickups At LAX
City Council members could vote on Wednesday to halt a motion that would allow ride-hailing companies to legally pickup passengers at Los Angeles International Airport. In June, the Airport Commission approved a non-exclusive agreement, which was backed by Mayor Eric Garcetti, to allow ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft to apply for permits to make pickups alongside taxis, shuttle vans and other vehicles at the airport.
CBS Los Angeles

L.A. county supervisors vote to study a ban on raves after latest death
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday to study a ban on raves at county facilities after two women collapsed from suspected drug overdoses over the weekend at the L.A. County Fairgrounds and later died. The proposed plan will be presented in two weeks to supervisors for further approval and will also propose new steps to improve health and safety protections.
Los Angeles Times