LACP.org
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Daily Local & Regional NewsWatch
LA Police Protective League

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Los Angeles
Police Protective League
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the union that represents the
rank and file LAPD officers

  Daily Local & Regional NewsWatch

Daily News Digest
from LA Police Protective League

March 15, 2019
Law Enforcement News

Police Unions Urge Stepped-Up Local Efforts To Enforce Weapons Prohibitions
Police unions across California called for support of a statewide plan they believe will make California safer by getting more guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. They also urged support of Senate Bill 230, stating it would enhance training for peace officers who are often first responders in a mental health crisis. In Los Angeles, leaders from the Association of Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Employees' Benefit Association urged local and state officials to immediately allocate resources to assist the state Attorney General's Office's effort to remove weapons from the thousands of individuals identified in the State Armed and Prohibited Persons System. Currently, only 50 agents in the entire state are assigned to contact more than 23,200 criminals and severely mentally ill identified in the APPS system to confiscate weapons they are prohibited from possessing.
KCAL 9 Video
, KPCC Radio

Colorado Trooper Struck, Killed By Vehicle During Blizzard
A Colorado State Patrol trooper was killed Wednesday after he was struck on the side of Interstate 76 by a driver who apparently lost control of his vehicle during the blizzard. Cpl. Daniel Groves, 52, was struck by a 2001 Volvo driven by John Carpenter, 58, of Centennial, according to the state patrol. Groves was at the scene of a vehicle that slid off the highway near mile marker 47 just west of Roggen when he was killed. Carpenter was injured and taken to Platte Valley Medical Center with moderate injuries. High speed in poor driving conditions — during the blizzard — are being investigated as a possible cause of the fatal crash. Groves, who had been with CSP since 2007, is survived by his partner of two years. Charges have not been filed in the case.
The Denver Post

Michigan Trooper Hit By Car While Helping Motorist
A Michigan State Police trooper and the stranded motorist he was helping were hit by a car over the weekend. The incident occurred when a trooper from the Cadillac Post was assisting the female driver on southbound M-37 near Hilltop Road in Grand Traverse County's Blair Township at 10:05 p.m. on March 9. Weather conditions were less than ideal at the time of the incident with heavy rain, ice, sleet, snow and high winds all present in the area, which caused poor visibility. While the trooper was talking to the motorist outside of her vehicle, his patrol car was struck from behind by a passing car traveling southbound on M-37, forcing the patrol car into the trooper and the motorist. Fortunately, both escaped without injury.
MLive.com, Walker, Mich.

LAPD Beefs Up Patrols Around Mosques After Deadly New Zealand Terrorist Attacks
Los Angeles police were beefing up patrols around mosques late Thursday after deadly mass shootings in at least two mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. “While this attack appears to be an isolated incident with no nexus to LA, out of an abundance of caution we're providing extra patrols around mosques,” the Police Department said on Twitter. “Our thoughts & prayers are with all affected.” New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush would only say the death toll was “significant,” but news media there are reporting that at least nine people have been killed, and potentially up to 27. Three men and one woman are in custody, Bush said at a news conference. But, he added, “we are not assuming this is contained.” A man who claimed responsibility for the shootings left a 74-page anti-migrant manifesto in which he explained who he was and his reasoning for the terrorist attack.
Los Angeles Times

Grand Theft Suspect Arrested
A 52-year-old credit union manager from Studio City has been arrested for allegedly forging checks and depositing millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains into his own accounts. Edward Rostohar was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of grand theft, with bail set at $120,000, according to Detective Oscar Garza of the Los Angeles Police Department's Commercial Crimes Division. “While employed as a manager for a financial institution in Los Angeles, Rostohar forged numerous company checks made payable to himself,” according to an LAPD statement. “Rostohar then deposited the checks into several of his bank accounts and later withdrew the money in cash. The total amount of the checks is estimated to be in the millions.” The credit union is conducting a forensic audit “and estimates the loss to be substantially higher,” police said.
MyNewsLA.com

South L.A. Man Sentenced For Armed Robbery Of Secret Service Agent
A South Los Angeles man known by the nickname “reckless” received more than a decade in federal prison Thursday for the armed robbery of a U.S. Secret Service agent during an undercover sting operation, authorities said. Tyre Jordan Simmons, 23, received 10 years and one month in prison in connection with the March 26, 2018, incident, U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Ciaran McEvoy said in a written statement. He pleaded guilty in September to federal charges of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon on a federal officer and using a firearm in furtherance of a crime. The ill-fated robbery took place amid a sting in which an undercover Secret Service agent had arranged to meet Simmons to buy a duffel bag full of counterfeit cash, officials said. But Simmons decided to rob the agent instead.
KTLA 5

West L.A. Pharmacy Co-Owners Sentenced To 10 Years Each In Drug Scheme
Two Brentwood brothers who pocketed over $3 million by creating a bogus pharmacy to obtain and distribute large quantities of OxyContin and other prescription narcotics to black-market customers were sentenced to 10 years each in federal prison, prosecutors announced Thursday. Dalibor “Dabo” Kabov and older brother Berry — operators of Global Compounding Pharmacy — were also ordered by U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee to pay $350,834 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, with each brother being ordered to pay just over $175,000, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Now-defunct Global Compounding was found guilty of 17 counts including drug trafficking, drug importation, and tax fraud.
MyNewsLA.com

Police Agencies To Step Up Anti-DUI Patrols Of St. Patrick's Day
The California Highway Patrol and municipal law enforcement agencies throughout Riverside County on Sunday will be cracking down on motorists who attempt to try their luck driving under the influence while celebrating St. Patrick's Day. "When you are celebrating, remember other people on the road and in your vehicle," CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. "Do not let alcohol or drugs cause you to become a risk to yourself and others." According to Farrow, last year on St. Patrick's Day, one person was killed and nearly 50 injured in DUI collisions within CHP jurisdictions. The agency also arrested 285 people on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, he said.
NBC 4

Support The Death Penalty In California? Oppose It? You Soon Could Get To Vote On It
While Gov. Gavin Newsom has suspended the death penalty, California lawmakers — and then voters — could get the chance to weigh in on ending it permanently. Assemblyman Marc Levine, D-Greenbrae, has introduced a constitutional amendment that would overturn past voter-approved initiatives allowing capital punishment. His amendment reads, “The death penalty shall not be imposed as a punishment for any violations of law.” The proposed amendment would have to be approved by two-thirds of both houses of the California Legislature, and then again by a majority of California voters in order to become law. California would then become the 21st state to abolish the death penalty; the last state to do so was Washington in 2018. Californians last had a chance to abolish the death penalty with Proposition 62 in 2016. Almost 54 percent of voters rejected the initiative that would prohibited capital punishment in the state.
Sacramento Bee

Round 2 Begins Over Cannabis Banking
Closely watched by California's cannabis industry, a new effort is underway to allow the creation of basic banking services for marijuana growers, distributors, sellers and others. Last year, similar legislation died. But supporters hope the revised bill will draw more support – including backing from newly elected Gov Gavin Newsom. The industry, in turmoil from licensing problems and other issues, hopes the second time will be the charm. The new bill, SB 51, is authored by Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, who also authored last year's measure, SB 930. “The bill itself this year is probably going to be extremely similar to last year, but a few outside aspects have changed” said Katie Hanzlik, Hertzberg spokeswoman. 
Capitol Weekly

Public Safety News

Crews Battling Residential Fire In Pico-Union Area
Crews are battling a fire at a residential building in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles. The fire was reported at a multi-story building in the 1800 block of West 20th Street near Mariposa Avenue, authorities said. The location is just north of the 10 Freeway, and the Normandie Avenue exit was blocked.
FOX 11

Local Government News

Metro To Host Two Community Meetings To Discuss Orange Line Improvements
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will host two open houses this month to discuss its findings on the Orange Line bus rapid transit improvements project, which is expected to speed up buses and beef up safety along the popular 18-mile route. Currently, it takes about an hour to travel along the Orange Line from North Hollywood to Chatsworth, Metro officials said. The project aims to make the trip faster and safer by installing up to 35 railroad-style crossing gates, which would require vehicles to stop when a bus approaches, at intersections along the dedicated bus route, Metro officials said. The agency is also looking into building bridges for the busway and Orange Line bike route over Van Nuys and Sepulveda boulevards. 
Los Angeles Daily News

Ridesharing For People With Accesibility Challenges Launches In Downtown LA
The assisted-rider community of Los Angeles now has access to an on-demand ridesharing service that launched today in the downtown area. Through a grant from the Los Angeles Department of Transportation to ButterFLi, an LA-based transportation provider for Angelinos with accessibility challenges, the FlexLA program now offers a service available downtown in the evenings when public transit service is less frequent, officials with the program said. "Creating transportation options for people with all levels of mobility capabilities is another way LADOT secures measures to best serve and represent our community," LADOT Assistant General Manager Monique Earl said. "This grant helps connect more people to more opportunities. This pilot program also helps us best support the transit network by making safe choices a priority."
NBC 4
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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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