Law Enforcement

LAPD urges officers to be community guardians, not warriors on crime
For years, Los Angeles police officers have worked under the shadow of the department's dark past. The LAPD of the 1970s and '80s acted as a hard-charging, occupying force that raided poor neighborhoods and rounded up anyone in sight. Police stormed suspected crack houses, tearing down walls with a tank-like battering ram. Officers of that era were trained to think of themselves as soldiers in a never-ending war on crime. But now the department is using that notorious history as a crucial lesson for its officers. "We were warriors," Deputy Chief Bill Scott recently told a room filled with LAPD rank-and-file officers, a group of fresh-faced rookies watching from the front.
Los Angeles Times

Detectives Investigate Suspicious Murder At Chatsworth Apartment Building
Homicide detectives said the co-manager of a transitional living facility in Chatsworth was murdered. CBS2's Jennifer Kastner said residents told her the man was named Curtis and that the former Marine had a solid family and managed the building with his brother. “Some of the people are transitioning from alcohol,” said LAPD Lt. Jesse Kane, “some [of the residents] have disabilities, mental, some physical that are also in this residence.”
CBS Los Angeles , Los Angeles Daily News

Man charged in killing ex-cop, TV reality star girlfriend will have to wait for arraignment
Arraignment was postponed again Thursday for a Redondo Beach man charged with murder in the stabbing death of his live-in girlfriend, a onetime Los Angeles police officer-turned-attorney and reality TV personality. Robert Reagan, 51, faces up to 26 years to life in prison if convicted of killing 47-year-old Loredana Nesci, according to the District Attorney's Office. He is jailed in lieu of $1 million bail. His arraignment was rescheduled for Sept. 21.
mynewsLA.com

Retired Firefighter Reported Missing in Simi Valley
Police are asking for the public's help in finding a retired firefighter, often referred to by friends as "The Dude," who went missing last week in Simi Valley. Steve G. Voegtli, 63, went missing from his home near Madera Road in the Wood Ranch area of Simi Valley at about 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12th, according to the Simi Valley Police Department. Officials say the circumstances of his disappearance are suspicious, but have not yet given details on the reason. Voegtli is an avid walker who hikes in the Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Agoura and Malibu areas, police said. He has no car, phone or identification with him.
NBC Los Angeles

Killer of San Diego officer in 1978 up for parole again under juvenile-offender law
For the second time in 16 months, a onetime gang member convicted in the 1978 killing of San Diego Police Officer Archie Buggs is set for a parole hearing. The hearing will again be held under a new state law that makes it easier for inmates sentenced for crimes committed as juveniles to be freed. In April 2014, a parole panel recommended that Jesus Cecena be granted parole under SB 260, which allows such panels to give "great weight to the diminished culpability of juveniles."
Los Angeles Times

City Government

Public officials celebrate affordable housing milestone in Hollywood
A 66-unit affordable housing development next to Selma Elementary reached a major milestone recently and is headed for a 2016 completion, developers announced Thursday. Mayor Eric Garcetti joined Los Angeles Unified School District officials to celebrate the “topping off” of construction for Selma Communities Housing. Representatives of Abode Communities, the project developer, said “podium-level” construction that includes the underground parking facility has been completed.
mynewsLA.com

Pensions

Attorney General: Reed initiative eliminates constitutional protections for vested pension benefits
The California Attorney General has acknowledged that the scope of Chuck Reed's initiative is to eliminate constitutional protection for the vested pension benefits for all current public employees, and subject their future salaries and benefits to a public vote. In the official “Title and Summary” for the initiative, the Attorney General states that the initiative, “Eliminates constitutional protections for vested pension and retiree healthcare benefits for current public employees, including those working in K-12 schools, higher education, hospitals, and police protection, for future work performed.” The summary also found the initiative would subject all public employee compensation to public vote.
LAADDA.com