Law Enforcement

LAPD warns public to remain vigilant after string of shootings kills 3
Los Angeles police urged residents to remain vigilant Monday morning as detectives fanned across the San Fernando Valley looking for clues behind a series of shootings that left three people dead and four others wounded. Detectives with the LAPD's elite Robbery-Homicide Division "have been working literally around the clock" on the case since the three shootings occurred Sunday morning, LAPD Cmdr. Andrew Smith said.
Los Angeles Times

Valley killings may be tied to other shootings, LAPD says
Los Angeles police detectives are trying to determine whether three separate killings Sunday in the San Fernando Valley are connected to other shootings in recent days. Law enforcement sources told The Times today that among the cases detectives are reviewing are a shooting Wednesday on the 5 Freeway in Atwater Village that wounded a woman and a shooting Thursday in Pacoima that left a man dead.
Los Angeles Times

Report questions LAPD program to flag misconduct
A highly touted computer system designed by the Los Angeles Police Department to identify inappropriate behavior routinely flags officers who appear to pose no problem while failing to catch many of those who do, a new report has found. The report by the Police Commission's inspector general, Alex Bustamante, scrutinized an early warning computer program that the LAPD has used since 2007 to track patterns of excessive force and other misconduct by its roughly 10,000 officers.
Los Angeles Times

Gunman robs Uber driver, shoots pedestrian in South Los Angeles
A gunman robbed two people early Monday, first taking credit cards and a driver's license from a taxi driver, then shooting a pedestrian in the back, police said. Both crimes occurred at 65th Place and Normandie Avenue around midnight, said Sgt. Rick Rodgers of the Los Angeles Police Department's 77th Street Station. First the suspect stole credit cards and a driver's license from a driver from Uber, a taxi service in which drivers use their own cars, Rodgers said. After the first victim drove away another man was robbed as he walked by the gunman. "He was shot in the back," the sergeant said.
City News Service

Officers swarm to end 101 Freeway chase in Reseda
A high-speed pursuit involving Los Angeles Police Department officers and California Highway Patrol deputies on Monday morning ended at Reseda Boulevard near the 101 Freeway overpass at about 9:20 a.m. The suspect, driving a dark SUV or minivan, was shown on KTLA Channel 5 being apprehended by a swarm of officers. Police asked the public to avoid Reseda Boulevard between Burbank and Ventura Boulevard.
Los Angeles Daily News

North Hollywood hit-and-run leaves pedestrian dead
A male pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run incident early Monday morning in North Hollywood, police said. The incident took place at about 3:53 a.m. Monday in the 11700 block of Blythe Street, said Los Angeles Police Department Sgt. Larry Jones. The pedestrian, who is believed to be in his mid-30s but has yet to be identified, was outside a crosswalk when he was struck, he said. He died at the scene.
Los Angeles Daily News

Two Long Beach parks honor two fallen LBPD officers
Parks inspire a sense of community and Long Beach is home to more than 100 of them, two of which are named after fallen police officers — men who dedicated their lives to serve and protect. Officer Daryle Black and Cpl. Edward Davenport left behind a legacy, not only with the Long Beach Police Department, but within the communities they served.
Long Beach Press-Telegram

8 'advanced' safety settings for cops on Facebook
As with all types of technology, social media websites have multiple layers and levels of complexity beyond the most simple safety settings. Here we examine some of the more advanced things you can do to help ensure your safety on social media sites like Facebook.
PoliceOne

New Law

Jerry Brown signs 'kill switch' smartphone bill
Gov. Jerry Brown has signed legislation requiring disabling "kill switches" on new smartphones, his office announced Monday. The switch, which could render a stolen phone inoperable, was promoted by law enforcement groups as a deterrent to theft, while manufacturers argued disabling software is already widely available. Senate Bill 962, by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, applies to smartphones manufactured after July 1, 2015.
Sacramento Bee

Courts

Judge strikes down California's 10-day wait period for gun owners
In another setback for California's tough gun-control laws, a federal judge ruled Monday that the state can't require gun buyers to wait 10 days to pick up their newly purchased weapon if they already own a gun or have a license to possess a handgun. U.S. District Judge Anthony Ishii of Fresno said the 10-day wait for current gun owners is a restriction on constitutional rights that isn't justified by safety concerns.
San Francisco Chronicle

City Government

New enforcement tool for L.A. 'quality of life' issues proposed
Los Angeles could soon create a new system of police-issued citations for minor "quality of life" annoyances that typically would be resolved with a warning. The pilot program, called Administrative Citation Enforcement, gives the LAPD and the Department of Animal Services a new enforcement tool that would bypass the court system. It would allow city officials to impose financial penalties for such offenses as urinating in public, having dogs off leashes at the beach or dumping garbage in public streets.
Los Angeles Times

L.A. building officials issue stop-work order for Hollywood Target
Los Angeles building inspectors posted a stop-work order on Monday at a partly built Target shopping center in Hollywood, the latest turn in a long-running court battle over the project. Luke Zamperini, chief inspector for the Department of Building and Safety, said Target must halt construction "for the foreseeable future." The order, which went into effect at 1 p.m., came a month after Superior Court Judge Richard L. Fruin Jr. ruled that the city violated the law when it allowed Target to build a 74-foot-tall shopping center on a stretch of Sunset Boulevard where such projects are limited to 35 feet.
Los Angeles Times