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Los Angeles
Police Protective League
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the union that represents the
rank and file LAPD officers
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Daily Local & Regional NewsWatch
Daily News Digest
from LA Police Protective League
February 21, 2022 |
Law Enforcement News
One Killed, One Wounded In Shooting Near MacArthur Park
Two men were shot across the street from MacArthur Park Sunday, one fatally. Los Angeles Police Department officers were dispatched to the scene at at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Alvarado Street just before 1 p.m., where they found one man dead from a gunshot wound to the chest. He is said to have died at the scene. The second victim, suffering from a gunshot wound to the arm, was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. His condition was not known. Investigators were searching for a suspect and motive in the shooting. CBS 2 |
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Los Angeles County D.A. Gascón Backtracks On Policies On Juveniles, Life Sentences
Los Angeles County prosecutors can now seek to try juveniles as adults and pursue life sentences against defendants in certain cases, according to memos issued Friday by Dist. Atty. George Gascón, marking a major shift in his all-or-nothing stances on certain criminal justice reform issues. When he first took office in late 2020, Gascón made waves by immediately banning prosecutors from seeking the death penalty or life sentences without the possibility of parole, while also severely limiting the way prosecutors could use sentencing enhancements and ending the practice of trying juveniles as adults. Although the moves were in line with the broader platform of restorative justice Gascón ran on, critics have decried the so-called blanket policies and demanded he consider trying juveniles as adults or seeking life sentences when defendants are accused of especially heinous conduct. That moment came late Friday. Committees will be created to evaluate “extraordinary” cases where a defendant's conduct might require harsher penalties than those allowed under Gascón's policies, according to documents reviewed by The Times. In cases involving juvenile defendants, that could mean transferring their cases to adult court. In murder cases, that means prosecutors can now seek to file special circumstance allegations against a defendant in certain situations — such as killing a police officer who is on duty or killing a witness — making them eligible for a maximum sentence of life without parole. Los Angeles Times |
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Stolen Amazon Truck Suspect Arrested For Deadly Hit-and-Run That Killed Street Vendor In South LA
The suspect accused of stealing an Amazon truck that crashed and killed a street vendor Thursday afternoon in South Los Angeles is in custody on felony hit-and-run charges. Cristian Ramos Sanchez, 37, is in jail on $85,000 bail, and will be arraigned next Tuesday. Los Angeles Police Department Detective Juan Campos said he reviewed the dashcam video from the stolen truck. Sanchez was driving around 33 mph when the truck hit the parked car, and he was likely distracted and his eyes were not on the roadway, which is not enough to show gross negligence, Campos explained. Sanchez was booked for felony hit-and-run. The crash happened on the 4800 block of South Main Street around 2 p.m. Sanchez got inside the truck and took off while an Amazon driver was making a delivery, police said. He crashed into a couple of parked cars before hitting the three people, according to investigators. The victim killed, 67-year-old Jose Rangel from San Pedro, was set up along the street selling tools when the delivery truck hit him. Rangel was killed, and the two others hit were not seriously hurt. ABC 7 |
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Homicide Investigation Underway After A Man Is Killed In Van Nuys Stabbing
One man was killed in Van Nuys Saturday, when he was stabbed during an argument. Los Angeles Police Department Officers were dispatched to the scene just before 4:40 p.m. at Victory Boulevard and Sylmar Avenue. Incident report details revealed that the victim was involved in an argument with another individual, when a third person stabbed him. When paramedics arrived on scene, they found the victim suffering from stab wounds. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died. His name was withheld pending family notification. The suspect, whose identity is also withheld, has been arrested. CBS 2 |
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‘General Hospital' Actress Who Went Missing In East Hollywood Area Found Dead
An actress who went missing from the East Hollywood area was found dead Friday near Runyon Canyon Park. Lindsey Pearlman, 43, was last seen on Sunday about noon in the 1600 block of North Mariposa Avenue, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. "Pearlman failed to return home and has not been seen or heard from since,'' police said in a statement. "Friends and family fear for her safety.'' LAPD units were called about 8:30 a.m. Friday to the area of Franklin Avenue and North Sierra Bonita Avenue, just south of Runyon Canyon Park in the Hollywood Hills West neighborhood, for a death investigation and learned from the coroner's office that the victim at the scene was positively identified as Pearlman, according to the department. Her manner and time of death and were not immediately known by the coroner's office. According to showbizcast.com , Pearlman, from Chicago, was best known for her roles in "General Hospital" in 2020, "American Housewife" in 2019 and "Chicago Justice" in 2017. Anyone with information on her death was urged to call LAPD detectives at 213-996-1800; 877-LAPD-247; or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS. NBC 4 |
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Man Killed In Crash On 405 Freeway In North Hills
A man was killed Saturday in a multi-vehicle crash on the San Diego (405) Freeway in North Hills, authorities said. The crash occurred a little after 10:10 a.m. on the northbound freeway at the Nordhoff Street off-ramp and involved a semi-truck as well as possibly three other vehicles, the California Highway Patrol reported. Paramedics dispatched to the location at 10:58 a.m. reported that the victim was pronounced dead at the scene and another person at the location declined transport to a hospital, said Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. “Traffic will be impacted for the investigation,” Stewart said. The victim was described as a man, approximately 50 years old, the CHP said. MyNewsLA.com |
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2 Wounded In Wilmington Drive-By Shooting
Two men were wounded in a drive-by shooting in Wilmington Thursday night, police said. The shooting happened around 9:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of Flint Avenue, according to Los Angeles Police Department Detective Meghan Aguilar. The victims, a man in his 30s and another his 60s, were standing in a driveway when multiple rounds were fired from a car that was driving down the street, Aguilar said. Both men were wounded and in stable condition Friday morning, according to police. Wilmington resident Mary Vigil, who is sister to the older victim and aunt to the younger, said she thought the gunshots were fireworks at first. The younger victim, Vigil's nephew Jonathan, was opening the driveway gate when the shooting started, and he was struck in the torso, Vigil said. Vigil's brother Michael was then struck in the knee as he attempted to get out of the car. It's unclear who fired at the victims. LAPD did not have a description available of the shooter or vehicle involved. The victims were both in stable condition Friday morning, according to police. No further details were immediately available. KTLA 5 |
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Two Arrested In ‘Vehicle Takeover' Of Beverly Hills Intersection
Beverly Hills police arrested two people late Friday near an intersection where more than 100 motorists had converged to conduct a “vehicle takeover” in order to perform “reckless driving maneuvers” for a crowd of at least 150 gathered spectators, authorities said. Police received reports of the meet-up, referred to as a “takeover” or “sideshow,” about 11:30 p.m. Friday, according to a police statement on the department's Twitter account Saturday afternoon. Officers responded to the intersection of Canon Drive and Lomitas Avenue, where vehicles were blocking “all six points of the intersection” when officers arrived. “After forming a safe tactical plan, BHPD officers convoyed into the center of the incident causing all vehicles and spectators to flee immediately,” the department said. “Officers stopped several vehicles, which led to [the] arrest” of two suspects. The department's statement initially said that police made “several arrests,” but Sgt. Joshua Cudworth said there were only two arrests. He declined to provide any additional information, including what charges the two people face. Cudworth said, “a vehicle sideshow or vehicle takeover is a gathering of a large number of people taking over a street and then they facilitate high speed driving and reckless maneuvers.” Los Angeles Times |
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Pasadena Authorities Using Both Technology And Human Approach To Curb Rising Gun Violence
After a recent spike in shootings and gun crime, Pasadena is trying some new strategies, using former gang members and clerics to try and stop the violence. Crime scene tape has become a more common sight in the city, with shootings up 20% over the last year. “We don't want communities to have to go through these vicious cycles of shootings that are occurring,” said Pasadena Police Lt. Bill Grisafe. With that in mind, the police department just rolled out some new tech to pinpoint where the problems are popping up. These audio sensors called “shot spotters” detect almost exactly where the shootings are happening, within an 82 foot radius. Since going live with the new technology a week and a half ago, police have already registered five separate shootings in Pasadena. “Of those five shootings, we actually only received 911 calls for one of the shootings,” Lt. Grisafe said. One of the incidents that shot spotter picked up was a series of 18 gunshots. “It was actually a shootout between two individuals, we believe,' the Lt. said. Grisafe said by the time officers arrived, a minute later, the suspects were gone, but they knew exactly where to look for victims, video and witnesses. CBS 2 |
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56 Arrested In Orange County Human Trafficking Operation
More than 50 people have been arrested and 16 victims have been recovered as part of a recent human trafficking operation in Orange County. "Operation Red Zone" was conducted from Feb. 9 through Feb. 12, in partnership with the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center, local law enforcement and federal agencies. In total 56 people have been arrested. Two of the victims recovered through the operation were under the age of 16. "Human traffickers know that if they come to Orange County, we are going to find them, we are going to arrest them, and we are going to prosecute them," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a press release. "Proactive investigations like this allow law enforcement agencies to contact vulnerable victims of sex trafficking who might have otherwise never been able to escape their traffickers and receive valuable victim services that can help them heal, and every arrest we make and every case we file serves as a message to human traffickers everywhere: don't come to Orange County." Among the dozens arrested are men aged 25 to 55 from Orange and Los Angeles counties. Charges include human trafficking, pimping and pandering, solicitation for sex, and narcotics, according to law enforcement. FOX 11 |
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California Officer Dies When Police Helicopter Crash-Lands Off Beach
A Huntington Beach police helicopter “crash-landed” in the water in Newport Beach on Saturday evening and a rescue operation was launched, officials said. One pilot died and another was injured. Orange County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Ryan Anderson said that agency assisted, deploying resources to assist with a rescue. The Newport Beach Fire Department and the Orange County Fire Authority also were on scene. There were two pilots aboard the helicopter, said Jennifer Carey, a spokesperson for the Huntington Beach Police Department. One was initially reported as having moderate injuries and the other serious injuries, Carey said. Later, it was announced a 14-year veteran officer had died. He was identified as Nicholas Vella, 44. His co-pilot, a 16-year veteran, was in critical condition, Huntington Beach Police said. Police Chief Eric Parra said the department's helicopters would be grounded for inspections. “We need to have the current aircraft inspected to make sure there's nothing wrong…we're going to pull those in — they won't fly until we do the inspection,” Parra said. The crash happened near the shore in an area between the Lido and Balboa peninsulas. The crash occurred at 6:34 p.m., a Newport Beach Fire Department dispatcher told City News Service. Los Angeles Daily News |
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'Move Over': Video Shows Colorado Trooper Nearly Killed By Driver
Dash-camera footage of a dangerous crash on Interstate 25 was released Wednesday by the Colorado State Patrol in hope of raising awareness about safe driving and Colorado's "Move Over" law. The crash happened at about 11:25 on Tuesday near 58th Avenue in Adams County when CSP Master Trooper Travis Hood, on a motorcycle, stopped a driver for speeding, according to a news release. The driver of 2010 Kia sedan pulled onto the left shoulder of the highway and Hood made contact, telling the driver why he had been stopped. Hood headed back to his motorcycle and the driver of a 2008 Dodge minivan slammed into the rear side of the KIA. The KIA driver, a 34-year-old Denver man, suffered "moderate" injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The Dodge driver, a 20-year-old Avondale woman, suffered "minor" injuries and was medically checked at the scene, the state patrol said. Two passengers in the Dodge suffered "moderate" injuries. Hood narrowly escaped being hit. "Every day law enforcement officers and other roadway workers put themselves at risk in an effort to improve safety on our roadways," said Colonel Matthew Packard, Chief of the CSP, in the release. "Sadly incidents like these happen with incredible frequency and we are fortunate that a bigger tragedy didn't play out yesterday on I-25. We are sharing this footage because it underscores the responsibility of drivers to move over and pay attention behind the wheel. There is no excuse for driving past any stopped vehicle at this rate of speed." Denver Post |
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Louisiana Sheriff's Office Launches Real-Time Surveillance Center To Improve Crime Response
The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office has created a one-stop access point for surveillance technology with its Real Time Crime Center, which uses video surveillance to increase how law enforcement responds to crimes and solves cases. The center, which opened about six months ago, is housed in former records department space at the agency's West Main Street office. It includes four agent work stations with multi-monitor setups and a main command wall with monitors showing split-screen feeds of real-time footage from surveillance cameras around the parish. Captain Jack Lightfoot, the executive officer of the support services division, said the center was conceptualized four years ago and has been in active development for 18 months. He served as the project manager. Lightfoot and others researched the needed technology, reviewed floor plans for similar centers from Tennessee to Texas and toured the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office and Baton Rouge Police Department's facilities to inform the center's design. "This sheriff ... wants to be a trailblazer. He said from day one — 'Technology, training, equipment — those are my priorities,' and he's following up on it," Lightfoot said. The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La. |
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Public Safety News
LAFD Puts Out Multi-Story Fire In Downtown Commercial Building
The Los Angeles Fire Department has successfully put out a fire at a building in Downtown Los Angeles Friday morning. LAFD responded to the 600 block of S. San Pedro Street shortly before 7 a.m. Friday. According to the department, the fire started as a trash fire outside of the ABC Toys building, before moving into the building. More than 100 firefighters were assigned to fight the blaze. The department says that firefighters made good progress on the first floor of the building, but access to the upper levels was more difficult. Shortly after 7:30 a.m., the department announced the fire was a knockdown. With teams on the second floor and on the roof, "their coordinated efforts alleviated the need to go to a defensive mode and prevented the total loss of the structure," the department said. No injuries were reported. While LAFD believes they know the cause of the fire, arson officials are investigating as per department protocol. FOX 11 |
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Firefighter Injured During Cliff Rescue After Woman's Body Found Off San Pedro Cliffside
A Los Angeles firefighter was transported to the hospital Saturday after he was injured during a cliff rescue operation in San Pedro. At 10:55 a.m., firefighters responded to Point Fermin Park in San Pedro for a report of a woman who was about 100 feet below a steep cliff. Crews used a helicopter to reach the woman who was found to have been deceased. During the recovery operation, one of the responding firefighters suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries. The firefighter was airlifted from the scene and taken to the hospital in fair condition, fire officials said. The Los Angeles Fire Department said a second operation was needed to recover the woman's body. She's been identified only as a woman in her 20s. Her cause of death is unclear at this time. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Los Angeles Port Police assisted with the recovery operation. KTLA 5 |
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L.A. County's Daily Count Of New Coronavirus Cases Continues To Decline
Los Angeles County public health officials on Saturday reported 3,221 new cases of the coronavirus and 85 related deaths, as infections continued to decline following a surge fueled by the Omicron variant. The county is now averaging 3,811 new cases a day over the last week, according to The Times' coronavirus tracker, a drop of nearly 74% from two weeks before. There were 1,502 COVID-19 patients in county hospitals as of Friday, a decline of about 50% from two weeks before, when there were 3,012 patients. The share of tests returning a positive result also has fallen, to a seven-day average of 2.1%, officials said. Hospitalizations have declined to the point that officials this week relaxed the county's outdoor mask rules, allowing people to go without face coverings outdoors at K-12 schools and childcare facilities, as well as in exterior areas of outdoor “mega events” at venues such as the Hollywood Bowl, Dodger Stadium, SoFi Stadium and Memorial Coliseum. L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said the county's indoor mask mandate will probably be lifted by the end of next month, though that timetable could be shorter should the federal guidance on face coverings change. Los Angeles Times |
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LAFD Debuts First Electric Fire Truck, Coming In May 2022
The Los Angeles Fire Department is showing off a new cutting-edge and environmentally-friendly fire engine. Outgoing Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas tweeted out a photo of the nation's first-ever electric fire engine. When the truck comes to a standstill, the engine is automatically deactivated. It will be assigned to Hollywood's Fire Station 82 and is expected to be put into use by early May 2022. ABC 7 |
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COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Trending Downward In US
Average daily COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are continuing to fall in the U.S., an indicator that the omicron variant's hold is weakening across the country. Total confirmed cases reported Saturday barely exceeded 100,000, a sharp downturn from around 800,850 five weeks ago on Jan. 16, according to Johns Hopkins University data. In New York, the number of cases went down by more than 50% over the last two weeks. "I think what's influencing the decline, of course, is that omicron is starting to run out of people to infect," said Dr. Thomas Russo, professor and infectious disease chief at the University of Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. COVID-19 hospitalizations are down from a national seven-day average of 146,534 on Jan. 20 to 80,185 the week ending in Feb 13, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID data tracker. Public health experts say they are feeling hopeful that more declines are ahead and that the country is shifting from being in a pandemic to an ‘endemic' that is more consistent and predictable. However, many expressed concern that vaccine uptick in the U.S. has still been below expectations, concerns that are exacerbated by the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. FOX 11 |
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Local Government News
City Council To Consider Appointing Herb Wesson To Represent District 10
On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council will consider appointing former Councilman Herb Wesson to represent the city's 10th district as a replacement for Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was suspended in October after being indicted in a federal corruption case. “With over 30 years in public service representing the residents of Council District 10, there is no better choice at this time than former council member Herb Wesson,” Council President Nury Martinez said after announcing her motion to appoint Wesson on Wednesday. “Mr. Wesson cares deeply about the communities he represents and knows the district better than anyone. The constituents of Council District 10 need a voting member who understands their community to represent them within Council Chambers.” The appointment must be approved by a majority of the City Council, according to Martinez's office. Wesson represented the 10th District from 2005 to December 2020. He also served as the president of the council before Martinez, from 2012 to 2020. MyNewsLA.com |
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About the LAPPL - Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at:
www.LAPD.com |
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