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Daily Local & Regional NewsWatch
LA Police Protective League

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Los Angeles
Police Protective League

the union that represents the
rank and file LAPD officers

 

Daily Local & Regional NewsWatch

Daily News Digest

from LA Police Protective League

April 22, 2011

Law Enforcement

Crime alerts for Hollywood Hills West, Broadway-Manchester and eight other L.A. neighborhoods
Crime reports are up significantly for the latest week in 10 L.A. neighborhoods, according to an analysis of LAPD data by the Los Angeles Times' Crime L.A. database. Five neighborhoods reported a significant increase in violent crime. Hollywood Hills West was the most unusual, recording three reports compared with a weekly average of 0.8 over the last three months. Broadway-Manchester topped the list of five neighborhoods with property-crime alerts. It recorded 21 property crimes compared with its weekly average of 13.7 over the last three months.
Los Angeles Times


Obama's visit expected to cause traffic delays in Los Angeles
President Obama's swing through Los Angeles is expected to bring significant traffic problems to the Westside on Thursday afternoon - though it remains unclear whether his visit will cause the same kind of lengthy gridlock conditions that occurred last year. Officials, citing security reasons, have not released any detailed information about Obama's motorcade route or which streets will be blocked off. So L.A. commuters may be in for some surprises.
Los Angeles Times


Street artist 'Space Invader' believed detained in L.A. vandalism case
The Los Angeles Police Department believes one of two French nationals detained on suspicion of vandalism near MOCA's Little Tokyo gallery was the famed street artist known as "Space Invader." The pair were detained Friday after authorities reportedly caught them with buckets of grout and pieces of tile near the historic Perez building in Little Tokyo. Jack Richter, an LAPD senior lead officer, said authorities believe that one of those detained was Space Invader, who has left mosaic tiles of the vintage video game of the same name in cities around the world.
Los Angeles Times

Alleged West L.A. burglar suspected in Hollywood temple fire
Los Angeles police have arrested a man in a West Los Angeles burglary who they believe is responsible for a fire and burglary at a prominent Hollywood synagogue. Dmitriy Sheyko, 21, a transient known to frequent the Hollywood area, is suspected of breaking into Temple Israel in the 7300 block of Hollywood Boulevard on April 14 and a nearby grocery store. Sheyko, who police said has a criminal record, was arrested Monday in connection with a burglary in West Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Times

Woman walking on Melrose violently stabbed
A woman who was walking home from work on Hollywood's Melrose Avenue was violently stabbed on Tuesday night. Police need the public's help to find the suspect. Authorities believe the incident began as an attempted robbery, but turned into a severe attack across the street from Paramount Studios at about 9:30 p.m. A security guard at Paramount Studios reportedly made one of the first calls to police. The attacker stabbed the woman five times in the abdomen. The victim, whose name has not been released, was rushed to a local hospital and is expected to survive.
ABC7


'A senseless tragedy': Chief discusses Kalamazoo officer's shooting death
As he struggled several times to gain his composure Tuesday, Kalamazoo Public Safety Chief Jeff Hadley spoke the words no police official in this county has had to utter for more than 140 years - one of his officers was killed in the line of duty. The death of Eric Zapata, a 10-year department veteran who was gunned down late Monday by a Kalamazoo man armed with a high-powered rifle, came less than three weeks after Hadley spoke at a press briefing about his hope and expectation that his officers go home safe at the end of their shifts.
Kalamazoo Gazette


DOJ to Supreme Court: Approve warrantless GPS surveillance
In a court of law, the word "reasonable" is all important, what a reasonable person would do, or feel, or expect, or how a reasonable person would react to a situation. If it's not reasonable, then expect to lose. Is it reasonable to expect law enforcement, with no warrant, to shoot a GPS tracking dart at your vehicle to better monitor your movements? The Obama administration has asked the Supreme Court to resolve a conflict among federal appellate courts over the need for a warrant before attaching a GPS device to a suspect's vehicle to covertly track a person.
Computer World


City Budget Crisis

L.A. budget plan erases deficit while adding services
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa unveiled a $6.9-billion budget Wednesday that, despite lethargic tax revenues amid a struggling economy, expands an array of city services. The proposal for the 2011-12 fiscal year calls for eliminating a $457-million shortfall while increasing pothole repairs by 20%, restoring one day of library service cut last year and putting an end to rotating staff reductions at the Fire Department. Those changes would occur as the city continues hiring enough officers to maintain existing staffing levels at the Los Angeles Police Department, according to the plan.
Los Angeles Times


Homeland Security

Red alert: Color-coded threat scale is tossed
The much-lampooned color-coded Department of Homeland Security threat alerts are being replaced with a simpler, two-level system that warns of specific dangers for a defined period of time. New alerts will advise the public that there is an "elevated threat" or a more serious and specific "imminent threat." The warnings will include a concise statement about the danger and steps that can be taken to mitigate the risk to the public. The primary-color alerts have "faded in utility except for late-night comics," said Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano on Wednesday.
Los Angeles Times


Pensions

CalPERS Adopts federal legislative priorities underscoring commitment to defined benefit plans
The California Public Employees' Retirement System Board of Administration recently adopted a 12-point set of federal legislative policy priorities that at the core underscores the Fund's commitment to preserving defined benefit retirement plans. The priorities - that will serve as a road map for advancing CalPERS federal governmental goals on retirement - outline CalPERS positions on retirement benefits, funding and accountability of pension plans, and Social Security.
CalPERS Press Release

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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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