At Least 8 LAPD Officers Have The Coronavirus; 160 Law Enforcement Cases Nationwide

At least eight Los Angeles police officers have tested positive for the coronavirus, including two of the department’s most senior command staff, as concerns about first responders’ increased risk of getting sick grow nationwide. The number of LAPD officers testing positive has increased in the last few days as the department ramped up testing of those exhibiting symptoms. As of 5 p.m. Monday, eight police officers and one civilian employee had tested positive for the virus, the department said in a statement. “The Department has strict protocols for any employee who experiences symptoms of the virus. They are instructed to go home and their work spaces are sanitized,” the statement read. “The health and safety of our men and women continue to be our top priority and we will make every effort to test individuals experiencing symptoms.” At least 14 officers have been tested for the virus, and the number of confirmed cases within the country’s second largest law enforcement agency is expected to increase, according to law enforcement officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to discuss the matter candidly.

Coronavirus Has Transformed Policing In The US, As Officers Scramble To Get Tested, Stay Safe

After a reserve police officer in San Jose, California, tested positive for coronavirus last week, 20 of his colleagues were quarantined. Another 10 full-time employees from the police department’s family violence unit were also asked to stay home. “You can imagine. Just this one incident could create an issue with regards to investigations of those real high-profile domestic violence, child abuse cases,” said Sgt. Paul Kelly, president of the San Jose Police Officers Association. Then there's the worst-case scenario, Kelly said, where the coronavirus pandemic depletes the police force of one of the largest cities in California. Police officials in San Jose and elsewhere warn that detectives, administrative and special operations staff may have to put on uniforms and respond to 911 calls, taking time away from major investigations. Across the U.S., the coronavirus pandemic has confronted police departments big and small with difficult questions about how to keep a functioning police force if fewer personnel are able to report to work. Worried that officers will fall sick, departments are urging officers to limit their interactions with the public – a fundamental change in policing in the country.

129 Members Of NYPD Test Positive For COVID-19

The NYPD said 129 members of the department have now tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19), with 6.6% of its unified workforce on “sick report” — which is more than double the NYPD’s usual daily average. As of Monday morning, 100 officers and 29 civilian members of the NYPD had tested positive, an NYPD announcement said. The number of positive cases is a jump from Sunday, when Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said that 98 members of the NYPD had tested positive for coronavirus. “The belief at this time, with very limited information, obviously, is that it’s not necessarily contracted at work," Shea said. “In terms of the testing, the numbers are going up because the testing in the entire city is going up." Additionally, 2,407 NYPD employees were on “sick report,” according to the statement.

Man, 21, Charged With Murder After Fatal Stabbing In Inglewood

A 21-year-old man was charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of a 22-year-old man in Inglewood, police said. Nathan Jamal Snodgrass of Inglewood turned himself into the Hawthorne Police Department, according to Lt. Oscar Mejia of the Inglewood Police Department. It was not immediately clear when he turned himself in. Snodgrass was then taken into custody by Inglewood detectives. Snodgrass allegedly stabbed Andrew Pozos of Inglewood on Thursday, according to Mejia. Police found Pozos lying on the ground about noon Thursday in the 400 block of East Florence Avenue, near Hillcrest Boulevard, police said. A preliminary investigation determined he was stabbed by Snodgrass during an argument and the suspect fled the scene. Los Angeles County Fire Department paramedics took Pozos to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, Mejia said.

Southern California Crime Appears To Slow Amid Coronavirus Stay-at-Home Order

Most business doors were shuttered. Few cars were on the road and even fewer people were out on the streets. The way of life drastically changed last week, since California ordered many of its businesses to close and urged its residents to stay at home amid concerns of spreading the new coronavirus. The new landscape has altered how many law enforcement agencies police, including increased street patrols and how officers interact with the public. Another trend appears to be that crime is slowing down. “It’s been a serious decline, we haven’t had anybody in custody for the past few days,” Gardena police Sgt. Gonsalves said Monday. “Usually, we get at least a couple.” “Even the people committing the crimes are staying in,” he said. Although it’s too early to analyze hard figures for crime statistics since the coronavirus altered the nation’s usual way of life, anecdotally, many public agencies in Southern California agree: they seem to be getting fewer calls. Some officials said the rainy and cold weather may be a factor also.

California Puts Jury Trials On Hold Over Coronavirus Fears

In an unprecedented order, California’s chief justice on Monday suspended all superior court jury trials for 60 days because of the coronavirus outbreak. “The world, country, and state face a life-threatening pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus,” Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye said in her order, which impacts all 58 superior courts. Local courts can, however, choose to conduct some business — just not jury trials. The courts are considered essential services that are exempt from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s stay-at-home order that shut many government offices as well as most commercial businesses. But the social distancing procedures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus — such as limiting gatherings — are difficult under usual court conditions, Cantil-Sakauye said. “Court proceedings require gatherings of court staff, litigants, attorneys, witnesses, and juries, well in excess of the numbers allowed for gathering under current executive and health orders,” she said in her order.

FBI Warn Of New Fraud Schemes Exploiting COVID-19 Pandemic

Oregon’s U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams and the FBI on Friday warned of several new fraud schemes emerging that are exploiting the coronavirus pandemic. Scammers are targeting vulnerable people by setting up websites, contacting people by phone and email, and posting false information on social media. Federal prosecutors and the FBI are urging the public to be on the alert for these frauds linked to COVID-19: Testing scams, treatment scams, supply scams, provider scams, charity scams, phishing scams, app scams, and investment scams. Earlier this week, two Oregon federal prosecutors were tapped to lead investigations into financial fraud or civil rights violations stemming from the coronavirus outbreak. To report such schemes, contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). If there’s an immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

Public Safety News

250,000 N95 Masks To Be Distributed To L.A. County Hospitals, More Going To 1st Responders And Police

Hospitals across Los Angeles County can soon expect to receive about a quarter million N95 masks as the Sheriff’s Department worked on delivering a shipment to a medical supply hub in Long Beach Monday, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said. From there, the masks will be distributed to medical centers, the sheriff said. Additionally, about 125,000 masks have been transferred to the Los Angeles Police Department, and more are being delivered to other local police departments and first responders, according to the sheriff. Villanueva shared news of the shipment as medical supply demands are rising with the number of COVID-19 cases reported accross Southern California. Earlier in March, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced federal approval of a request to access N95 masks from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s emergency reserves of 21 million masks.

Los Angeles To Start Testing High-Risk Residents For Coronavirus

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced the city is making novel coronavirus testing available beginning Monday to high-risk residents who are showing symptoms, and they can report their conditions through a new online portal. The online portal, available at lacovidprod.service-now.com/rrs, asks people if they are feeling any symptoms, and if they select "yes,'' a tab drops down for the user to input his contact information. Those considered to be high-risk and eligible for testing include: Those with symptoms who are 65 and older, those with symptoms who have underlying chronic health conditions, and those who are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period due to a confirmed COVID-19 exposure (with more than 7 days of quarantine remaining). "Please help spread the word so we can deliver much-needed tests to as many vulnerable Angelenos as possible,'' Garcetti said in a Twitter post Monday.

Coronavirus Cases In California Pass 2,000. Here Is What You Need To Know

California hit another milestone with coronavirus: more than 2,000 cases confirmed. Officials expect that number to rise significantly amid aggressive new pushes to get more people tested. The death toll now stands at 43, with two new deaths reported in Los Angeles County. Both state and local numbers show it’s not just the old getting sick. Of those who have tested positive in Los Angeles County, for example, 80% are people ages 18 to 65, and 42% are in the 18-40 age group. “This virus can infect people from across the board,” said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Public Health Department.

Kevin de León Declares Victory In Race For Eastside L.A. City Council Seat

Former state Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León on Monday claimed victory in the March 3 election to replace outgoing Los Angeles City Councilman Jose Huizar. De León was one of five candidates who sought the seat, which covers downtown Los Angeles, including skid row, Boyle Heights, El Sereno and Eagle Rock. The Los Angeles County Registrar/Recorder’s latest round of results on Friday showed that De León had 24,823 votes, or about 53% of the vote. Candidate Cyndi Otteson was in second place, with 9,221 votes. Jonathan Underland, a spokesman for De León, said that as of Monday, about 400 votes were left to count in the council district race, making it statistically impossible for another candidate to win. Elections officials are expected to certify the results on 3/27.

City Council Eyes Street Vendor Moratorium In Response To Coronavirus Pandemic

It’s no question that Angelenos love their tacos and the street vendors who sell them, but City Hall is looking to shut them down in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Driving through the streets of the Westlake District, street vendors are a common sight — many of them handling food without gloves and exchanging cash without a place to wash their hands. This is why the Los Angeles City Council has taken steps toward implementing a moratorium on street vending. “With an abundance of caution, we thought it was more important to protect life over livelihood,” Councilman Gil Cedillo said. Cedillo said a motion was unanimously approved earlier this week with the understanding that while there are a little more than a dozen licensed vendors, tens of thousands of vendors will suffer. “Right now it’s all about public safety,” Cedillo said. “This is a real challenging health crisis, and we have to put that first.”