Law Enforcement

Man, 30, killed in Palms, LAPD seeks public's help
Authorities today sought public help to solve the killing of a man gunned down in the Palms area. James Jackson, 30, was shot about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 3100 block of Canfield Avenue, and he died at a hospital, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. “The victim was standing outside ... when an unknown suspect or suspects fired shots, injuring him,” a police statement said. A motive for the crime was unknown, police said.
Los Angeles Daily News

LAPD: Two attempted kidnappings may be linked
Police in Los Angeles say two recent attempted kidnappings may be connected, reports CBS Los Angeles. The first incident was reported Aug. 10, when they say a man scaled a fence and attempted to kidnap two toddlers. The Los Angeles Times reported the children were playing outside a home with five other children when the suspect grabbed them and attempted to carry them away. He dropped the toddlers and fled when the other frightened children began to scream, the paper reports.
CBS News

Will Police Body Cams Make the LAPD User Friendly?
When police departments around the country have mandated body cameras, both uses of force by officers and public complaints have often dropped dramatically. Starting Monday, the LAPD will issue 860 body cams — the first of a planned 7000. But, even though the Police Commission, the police department and the police union agree they're a good idea, many questions remain.
KCRW , TIME

LAPD Asks For Public's Help In Identifying Suspect In Koreatown Road Rage Beating
The LAPD is asking for the public's help in identifying a suspect involved in a road rage fight that left one man with serious head injuries. On May 26, at around 7:30 pm., police said the suspect and the victim came to blows over a traffic dispute at 4th Street and Ardmore Avenue in Koreatown.
CBS Los Angeles

Authorities Seize $500,000 Worth Of Marijuana From Sun Valley Warehouse
LAPD officers and federal agents on Thursday seized hundreds of marijuana plants and marijuana edibles worth an estimated $500,000 from a Sun Valley warehouse. Authorities seized the plants while conducting a search warrant at Herbal Relief Care Givers on the 7600 block of Clybourn Avenue.
CBS Los Angeles

Police Fatally Shoot Man During Altercation in Van Nuys
Police fatally shot a man who allegedly assaulted one of the officers Thursday night in Van Nuys, according to the LAPD. The incident was reported around 11:30 p.m. which began as a dispute between neighbors in the 14600 block of Valerio Street, police said.
NBC Los Angeles

Police Investigate Drone Interference With LAPD Helicopter in Hollywood
A man was detained on Friday for flying his drone too close to a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter in Hollywood. Just before midnight on Thursday, officers were sent to a parking lot located on Sunset Boulevard near Gower Street for report of a man flying a drone dangerously close to an airship within police perimeter, according to LAPD officers.
CBS Los Angeles

More madness: Second cop killer gets parole hearing
On November 4, 1978, Jesus Cecena executed San Diego Police Officer Archie Buggs. On August 28, 2015, the onetime gang member has a parole hearing. Cecena had been drinking beer and smoking PCP-laced marijuana when Buggs, a Vietnam veteran, pulled him and a fellow gang member over during a routine nighttime traffic stop in San Diego. After firing five shots at Buggs, Cecena pumped another round into the officer's head as he lay dying in a gutter, the Los Angeles Times reported.
LAADDA.com

Public backs greater access to police records, ACLU poll finds
California voters widely support lifting the veil of secrecy that prevents the public from learning about police disciplinary matters or viewing footage from body cameras, according to a poll released Wednesday. The results of the July survey come as lawmakers and police officials grapple with ways to restore public trust in law enforcement, which has come under scrutiny after a series of high-profile killings by officers across the country. Critics have called for more transparency of police conduct to help hold officers accountable for their actions.
Los Angeles Times

Prop. 47

Prop. 47 looking like well-intentioned blunder: Thomas Elias
The more time goes by since last fall's passage of the high-minded Proposition 47, the more it begins to look like a well-intentioned mistake. This was the ballot measure that turned some “minor” felonies into misdemeanor crimes, thus easing the crowding in state prisons and many county jails. It has unquestionably helped some ex-felons rebuild their lives.
Los Angeles Daily News