Law Enforcement

LAPD misclassified more than 25,000 serious crimes as minor, audit finds
Poor training, an error-prone records system and widespread confusion among Los Angeles police led to thousands of serious crimes being omitted from the city's tally of violence over the past seven years, an audit by the department's independent watchdog found. In the report, which was released Friday, Inspector General Alex Bustamante estimated the LAPD misclassified more than 25,000 aggravated assaults as minor incidents from 2008 to 2014.
Los Angeles Times

Pedestrian Killed In Hollywood Hit And Run
A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle in the heart of Hollywood early Sunday morning, and police are on the hunt for the driver. At around 4:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to an "auto versus pedestrian call" that said a man was down in the street near the intersection of Hollywood Blvd. and Ivar City News Service reports. LAPD officials said the man, who was later identified as being in his mid-20s, was found dead at the scene, according to KTLA.
LAist

Body found in suspicious circumstances near downtown LA
A female body was found early Saturday near downtown Los Angeles and police were investigating to determine how she died. The death was reported at about 4:30 p.m. at James M. Wood Boulevard and Georgia Street, said Sgt. David Wong of the Los Angeles Police Department Newton Station. Police could not determine the female's cause of death so traffic in the area was blocked for an investigation, Wong said.
mynewsLA.com

Man killed is possible gang-related shooting in South LA
Gang homicide detectives were investigating a possible, gang-related, fatal shooting of a man in his 20s on a street in South Los Angeles, a police lieutenant said this morning. It occurred near the intersection of 92nd and Hoover streets at 9:15 p.m. Friday, said Los Angeles police Lt. Laura Curtin, watch commander at Southeast Division. “The victim, a man in his mid-20s was standing on the street when a car pulled up, a man exited and fired at the victim,” Curtin said. “The victim suffered several gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by city fire paramedics.”
Los Angeles Daily News

Man and woman shot in Silver Lake
A man and woman were injured this morning after they were fired upon from a passing vehicle near the 2400 block of Silver Lake Boulevard, police said. The victims, who were both in their 20s, were shot in the legs, said Sgt. Frank Gonzalez with the LAPD Northeast Division. The injuries are not life threatening, he said.
The Eastsider LA

Manhunt Underway After Mall Smash-and-Grab Robbery at Riverside Mall Prompts Panic
The manhunt continues for three masked robbers who smashed display cases at Tyler Mall in Riverside, California, on Sunday, prompting panic among holiday shoppers who thought they heard gunfire, according to police. Three masked men went into a Ben Bridge jewelry store inside the mall at 6:30 p.m. and "used hammers and axes to smash jewelry cases and steal jewelry," police said.
NBC Los Angeles

San Bernardino shooting: In praise of the police response
It's impossible to find a silver lining in a tragedy such as the one in San Bernardino on Wednesday, in which two gunmen killed 14 people at an office holiday party before the suspects were pursued and eventually killed by police. But some readers have found something to like: the police response. Since Wednesday, nearly all the letter submissions on the shooting have debated gun control or terrorism or have lamented what the writers believe is a society sickened by gun violence. Instead of expressing outrage or sadness, a small handful of readers chose to thank law enforcement for acting decisively to prevent further death.
Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles

Downtown Los Angeles goes from bleak to chic
Not even noon, on a weekday no less, and the line for entrance to The Broad is long and lemming-like. It takes up a good two blocks, formidable city blocks, in a town not known for pedestrian traffic. Black-clad, whippet-thin museum workers try mightily to corral this docile yet teeming mass of art-loving humanity, directing the herd northward. It wraps around Grand Avenue, snakes clear down Second Street, then doglegs left onto Hope Street. Finally, mercifully, the queue peters out at the last entrance to an underground parking garage.
The Sacramento Bee

Unions

San Jose reaches Measure B cope with eight unions
City officials Friday announced tentative settlements on Measure B pension reforms with eight unions, bringing San Jose closer to replacing the controversial measure voters approved in 2012 that slowed the growth in retirement costs but launched a lengthy legal battle and employee exodus. All but one of the city's 11 employee unions have signed a proposed settlement to drop Measure B lawsuits and accept a negotiated compromise on their retirement benefits.
Star Daily Standard Times