Law Enforcement

Woman Seen ‘Covered in Blood' After LAPD Responds to Violent Robbery in Palms
A woman, described by a witness as heavily bloodied, was hospitalized after being robbed and stabbed inside her home in the Palms neighborhood Tuesday, Los Angeles police said. Officers were first called to a report of a robbery in the 3700 block of Delmas Terrace just before 11:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
KTLA 5

At The Epicenter Of L.A. Gang Wars, Rival Properties Are Busted
A gang war along the 110 corridor in South Los Angeles has taken dozens of lives this year. Properties at the geographic center of the violence are now being targeted by the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office. Prosecutors are using nuisance abatement lawsuits to target housing at the "epicenter for decade-long gang feud," the office said in a statement. While the locations by no means represented the entirety of the corridor's death toll — we're told the main beef over summer involved Hoover Crips — they did contribute to the violence, authorities alleged. More than 90 homicides have been reported been recorded in the Los Angeles Police Department's South Bureau this year.
LA Weekly

Authorities Take Down Pursuit Driver in Atwater Village Area
A man was arrested after leading police on a pursuit in the Atwater Village area Tuesday night. The pursuit began around 10:30 p.m. after police received reports of shots fired on Figueroa Street and Avenue 34, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Police said there were no confirmed reports of anyone shot and that the shooter was firing shots into the air.
NBC4

L.A.'s 'soft targets' draw more scrutiny in the wake of Paris attacks
Counterterrorism efforts in Southern California have long focused on the region's distinct landmarks. Los Angeles International Airport, the intended target of a terrorist driving a vehicle filled with explosives in 2000. The U.S. Bank tower in downtown L.A., mentioned in Al Qaeda documents as a possible 9/11 mark. And, of course, Disneyland. But the coordinated attacks in Paris — where 130 people were killed at cafés, outdoor terraces and a concert hall in several parts of the city — has officials reassessing the threat. In addition to protecting famous attractions, authorities say they need to focus more on lesser-known gathering places where a few terrorists could carry out a devastating attack. "Iconic and symbolic targets are not as high on terrorists' priority list as killing high numbers of people," said Michael Downing, the Los Angeles Police Department's anti-terrorism deputy chief.
Los Angeles Times

Funeral Services Set for Slain California Officer
Funeral services have been planned for Monday for Downey Police Officer Ricardo "Ricky" Galvez, who was shot and killed Wednesday in what investigators say was a botched robbery attempt. A rosary and viewing will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Downey Civic Theatre, 8435 Firestone Blvd. Doors will open at 5 p.m. The funeral will be held at 9 a.m. Monday at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles, 555 W. Temple Ave., Los Angeles. A graveside salute will be held immediately following the funeral at Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
Officer.com

Chicago officer charged with murder in teen's death; video released
A white Chicago police officer who shot a black teenager 16 times last year was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday, hours before the city released a video of the killing that many people fear could spark unrest. City officials and community leaders have been bracing for the release of the dash-cam video, fearing the kind of turmoil that occurred in cities such as Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri, after young black men were slain by police or died in police custody.
Los Angeles Daily News

Videos of police shootings don't always tell the full story, experts warn
The videos are often visceral in nature, showing what many activists consider to be clear-cut misuse of force by police officers. Cook County State's Atty. Anita Alvarez said she "moved up" her decision to charge Van Dyke after a judge ruled last week that the video should be released to the public. But, even as demonstrators took to Chicago's streets Tuesday night to protest the shooting of McDonald by a white police officer, law enforcement experts around the nation warned that recordings like the one that captured the teen's death can paint an incomplete picture.
Los Angeles Times

Pensions

Here's what could end up on California's 2016 ballot
The 2016 ballot is going to be an important one. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from Rancho Mirage, is stepping down, meaning the state will choose a new U.S. Senator for the first time in two decades. The White House is up for grabs, of course, and candidates will vie locally for two state Assembly and one congressional seat. But the ballot is also poised to be a long one thanks to direct-to-voter initiatives that are as wide-ranging and diverse as the vox populi.
The Desert Sun