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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 21, 2022
Law Enforcement News

Driver Dies After Being Shot, Striking Pole In Vermont Square Neighborhood
A man driving in the Vermont Square neighborhood of South Los Angeles has died after being struck by gunfire from another vehicle Thursday night, police said. Emergency crews called to the intersection of West Vernon Avenue and Figueroa Street around 11 p.m. located a vehicle that had crashed into a nearby light pole, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson said. A witness said she heard four shots and went to help the victim after his vehicle crashed. “When he crashed into this pole, that's when I ran over and started yanking it open to make sure he started talking to me,” witness Madonna Smarr said. The victim, described only as a male Hispanic, was still in the driver's seat of the vehicle when emergency crews arrived. He was transported from the scene in critical condition, but later died at the hospital, police said. The suspect apparently struck the back of another vehicle while driving away from the area, video showed. KTLA 5

Man Stabbed In Playa del Rey, Police Seek Suspect
Police are seeking a man who stabbed another man in Playa del Rey. The stabbing look place at 7733 St Bernard St. around 1:15 p.m. Saturday. The victim was taken to a hospital, no further details are available about his condition. The suspect is described as a Black male and is still outstanding. No further details are available at this time.  WestSide Current

Man Detained After Allegedly Firing Shots During Dispute In Venice
A man was detained after a dispute led to gunfire in Venice Thursday. The shooting was reported about 6:30 p.m. in the area of Washington Boulevard and Ocean Front Walk, near Venice Pier, said Officer Drake Madison of the Los Angeles Police Department. No one was reported injured in the shooting, and the suspect fled the scene following the altercation. However, a man was detained by police near the location of the shooting and the department was investigating to confirm whether he was the reported shooter.  WestSide Current

2 Arrested After Hit-and-Run Sends Car Into Ocean Near Pacific Palisades
Two people were arrested and two others injured after a hit-and-run collision sent a car careening off Pacific Coast Highway and into the ocean Thursday night, Los Angeles Police officials said. The crash was reported just before 10 p.m. on PCH near Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades, authorities said. A witness told OnSceneTV that a vehicle had pulled onto the roadway from the oceanside of the highway when it was struck by another vehicle reportedly traveling about 80 miles per hour. The collision sent one vehicle onto the rocks below the roadway. Footage from OnScene showed waves lapping at the SUV, its airbags deployed. The witness said that he and another person headed down to the rocks to help rescue the couple inside. Footage showed a male and female, their clothes wet, embracing each other on the side of the road as fire crews worked to clean up the scene. Two people in the other vehicle, a sedan with front-end damage, fled the scene after the crash, but they were eventually detained, police officials said. Los Angeles Times

Man Riding Motorized Scooter Fatally Struck By Vehicle Near Watts
A 40-year-old man riding a motorized scooter near Watts was fatally struck by a vehicle driven by a 19-year-old man, who stayed at the scene and cooperated with police, authorities said Sunday. It was not immediately known if the 19-year-old man was cited or arrested, said Officer Norma Eisenman of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Division. The 19-year-old was driving a vehicle eastbound on Imperial Highway when he made a left turn onto Grandee Avenue, where his vehicle struck the scooter at about 10:50 p.m. Saturday, Eisenman said. Paramedics rushed the victim to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries, she said. MyNewsLA.com

Reward Offered For Information On Driver Who Jumped Tesla In Echo Park
A failed stunt in Echo Park has the LAPD offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of a driver of a rented Tesla that went airborne before colliding with two parked cars. Video of the Sunday morning crash was shared by the Los Angeles Police Department Central Division on YouTube. The LAPD said a driver of a rented 2018 Tesla Model S, which was originally identified as a Tesla S-BLM, performed a dangerous stunt near the intersection of Baxter and Alvarado streets around 12:10 a.m. The video shows the Tesla headed toward an intersection at a high rate of speed when it suddenly catches air and then comes down hard on its front wheels. The vehicle then crashed into several trash cans and two parked cars, the LAPD said. The driver of the Tesla abandoned the car and fled the scene. No description of the driver was released by police. Detectives will be contacting the person who rented the Tesla to determine if they were the driver in the viral video. As part of the Los Angeles Police Department's Hit and Run Reward Program Trust Fund, a $1,000 reward is available for anyone in the community who is able to provide information that leads to the identification of the driver. KTLA 5

Woman, 81, With Dementia Goes Missing In East Los Angeles
Authorities Sunday asked for the public's help in locating Connie Patino, an 81-year-old woman with dementia who went missing in East Los Angeles. Patino was last seen about 2 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of Nassau Avenue, according to a news release issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Patino is a Latina woman who is 5-foot tall and weighs about 90 pounds. She has short gray hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black or gray hoodie with blue jeans. Anyone with any information as to Patino's whereabouts was urged to call the sheriff's Missing Person Unit at 323-890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. CBS 2

LASD Investigating Shooting Death In Compton
A man was fatally shot in Compton Sunday afternoon. Authorities were dispatched to the scene on Temple Avenue at around 1:40 p.m. where they pronounced the man dead at the scene. There was no additional information immediately available as deputies continued to investigate the incident. Anyone with information on the shooting was encouraged to contact the Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. CBS 2

Man Involved In 16 Armed Robberies Arrested By Glendale Police
A 36-year-old homeless man was arrested on suspicion of committing two armed robberies in Glendale, authorities said Saturday, adding that the suspect is also linked to 14 additional robberies over a two-month period throughout Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. On Jan. 7, officers responded to a business in the 1100 block of East Broadway regarding a robbery, and reported that a man had simulated having a handgun while telling an employee to empty out the cash register, the Glendale Police Department reported. On March 3, officers responding to an armed robbery at a fast food restaurant in the 1300 block of East Colorado Street reported that a suspect had walked behind the counter, brandished a handgun and removed money from the cash register. He then fled the scene in a vehicle. "While reviewing surveillance video, the suspect was identified as the same suspect from the January 7th Glendale PD Robbery," police said. FOX 11

Driver Of Stolen Car Leads LASD On Slow-Speed Chase Through LA County Before Ending In Standoff
A driver of a stolen black Honda Civic led authorities in a slow-speed pursuit Saturday night that started in the city of Lomita before ending in a standoff in the Harbor City area. Despite a successful spike strip deployment by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, the driver continued driving slowly, going through Wilmington neighborhoods. Deputies were able to apply a PIT maneuver on the suspect car that caused the driver to come to a complete stop near Vermont Avenue and Anaheim Street in the Harbor City area of Los Angeles. The driver refused to comply with deputies' orders turning the situation into a standoff with authorities. Eventually, the driver surrendered and was taken into custody. The driver was also wanted for an assault on an officer with a vehicle, according to the sheriff's department. No further details were immediately known. ABC 7

CHP Seeing An Increase In Wrong-Way Collisions
The California Highway Patrol is seeing a sharp rise in wrong-way collisions. Four people died in two crashes this year alone and in one case, a CHP officer put his own life on the line to stop a wrong-way driver. FOX 11 Video

After 3 Ambushes In 4 Months, Phoenix Police Chief Gives Candid Interview
The Phoenix Police Department has faced three ambush attacks on officers in the past four months. It's also seeing the same issues that many departments across the country are facing: staffing and community trust. On Thursday, Chief Jeri Williams sat down for a candid interview about the strain her officers are under. On the topic of the recent ambushes, Williams says she's unsure why the attacks appear to be escalating: “The why is still a question for all of us." Williams said a commonality among the ambush suspects was that they all had a history of being armed and dangerous. The chief says she is proud of her officers who continue to work hard every day despite the dangers. "I am still baffled and amazed by the resiliency of the men and women, sworn and civilian members of the Phoenix Police Department," Williams said. The department is currently working with the ATF and U.S. Marshals to tamp down on violent crime, according to the report. PoliceOne

Texas Deputy Dies Trying To Save Others From Wildfires
Barbara Fenley joined the Eastland County Sheriff's Office in 2013, the county said in a post to its Microplex News blog. A deputy sergeant, Fenley went on Thursday to check on an elderly person after the Eastland Complex Fire began threatening the county. With smoke making it hard to see, Fenley went off the roadway and "was engulfed in fire," according to the post. Fenley, a 51-year-old who had been in law enforcement since she joined the Gorman police in 2003, had a husband and three children. She was chief of police there from 2007 until 2013, when she joined the Eastland County Sheriff's Office, about 100 miles west-southwest of Fort Worth. As multiple wildfires spread within 100 miles west of Fort Worth on Friday, the National Weather Service said low humidity and gusty winds have caused a continued elevated fire risk in the region west of I-35. The Eastland Complex Fire — which began on Thursday after multiple fires in Eastland County combined, including the Walling Fire — killed Fenley and has destroyed more than 50 homes and put livestock at risk. No other fatalities had been reported as of Saturday. Fort Worth Star-Telegram

1 Killed, 24 Wounded In Shooting At Arkansas Car Show
At least one person was killed and 24 others wounded, including children, in a shooting outside a car show in southeast Arkansas, police said. Arkansas State Police said in a news release Sunday that one person was in custody and authorities were searching for others who may have fired into the crowd Saturday evening. Additional information, including conditions of the wounded, wasn't immediately available. State troopers were dispatched at around 7:25 p.m. to Dumas, located about 90 miles (144 kilometers) south of Little Rock, following a report of gunfire outside a business where the car show was underway, Arkansas State Police spokesperson Bill Sadler said. The car show is part of a community event held each spring to raise funds for scholarships and school supplies, according the website of the Delta Neighborhood Empowerment Youth Organization. Wallace McGehee, the car show's organizer, expressed condolences to the victims' families and the community. “For something like this to happen, it's a tragedy,” McGehee told KATV at the scene. “We did this here for 16 years without a problem.” PoliceOne

Public Safety News

LA County Sheriff's Helicopter Crashes Near Road In San Gabriel Mountains; 6 Hospitalized
A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department rescue helicopter crashed Saturday afternoon in the San Gabriel Mountains while traveling to a vehicle collision scene, leaving five deputies and a civilian with injuries that were not life-threatening, officials said. The Air Rescue 5 helicopter went down around 4:30 p.m. near Highway 39 (San Gabriel Canyon Road) and East Fork Road, said Dispatch Supervisor Miguel Ornelas of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Highway 39, including in the Angeles National Forest, was closed to vehicle traffic after the crash. There were six occupants in the helicopter who were transported to a hospital or hospitals. One patient was initially listed in critical condition, the others had injuries described as moderate or minor. Los Angeles Daily News

LAFD Crews Rescue Man Who Fell Down 200-Foot Cliff In Sunland
Los Angeles Fire Department crews used airlift equipment to rescue a 40-year-old man who fell down a 200-foot cliff in Sunland Saturday evening. Authorities were first made aware of the fall at around 8:45 p.m. on Big Tujunga Canyon Road. When they arrived he was reportedly alert and conscious, but had suffered a serious lower-body injury. Crews were able to reach the man and placed him inside of a litter basket where he was raised to the road. He was then transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Authorities were still working to determine why the man was in the area, and what caused the fall. CBS 2

Firefighters Rescue Two People Who Fell In A Trench In Studio City
Two people were taken to a hospital in an unknown condition Friday after being rescued from a trench. Los Angeles Fire Department units responded to the rescue. The people were trapped under some debris. It happened in the area of 10865 W. Bluffside Drive in Studio City. NBC 4

Fire At Vacant Two-Story Building In DTLA Quickly Contained By LAFD A two-story abandoned building caught blaze in Downtown Los Angeles Saturday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews reported to the scene on South Main Street at around 9:50 p.m., where flames and smoke could be seen escaping through the roof of the building. Over 50 firefighters were on hand to knock down the fire in just over 35 minutes of work. LAFD disclosed via Twitter that the two-story building was the site of a previous burn. No injuries were reported. Crews remained on hand to handle hot spots and determine a cause in the fire. CBS 2

Rubbish Fire Impacts Bus Line In Valley Glen: LAFD
With vegetation and debris burning in Valley Glen, the Los Angeles Fire Department has closed part of the G (Orange) Line of Metro buses. The fire, reported a few minutes before 7 p.m. in the 5600 block of North Fulton Avenue, is burning in “multiple areas” and is “being fanned by 20 mph winds from the north,” though no structures are threatened, the LAFD said in an alert. The bus line will be closed in the area “until LAFD operations are complete, unknown duration,” the Fire Department added. Firefighters did not disclose the fire's size. KTLA 5

LA County COVID Hospitalizations Drop To Lowest Total Since July 2021
Los Angeles County's coronavirus metrics continue to trend in the right direction as the number of COVID-positive patients in county hospital dropped by another 10 people to 422, according to health officials. Of those patients, 71 were in intensive care, up three from Saturday's number. The overall hospitalization total hasn't been this low since July 2021. The latest numbers come one day after local health officials reported 727 new positive COVID tests and 25 additional deaths linked to the virus, bringing the county's cumulative totals to 2,823,354 cases and 31,462 fatalities since the pandemic began. The rolling average daily rate of people testing positive for the virus, which had remained largely unchanged at 0.7% for the past week, dropped to 0.6% as of Saturday, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The department also noted Saturday that 2,517 additional cases have been added to the cumulative total of positive cases due to a backlog from the winter surge. ABC 7

California Moves To Lift Vaccine, Test Verification At Sizable Indoor Events
California will lift a rule next month requiring attendees to show proof they've been vaccinated for COVID-19 or recently tested negative for the coronavirus as a condition of entry for significantly sized indoor events, such as concerts, conventions and sporting contests, health officials said. That requirement, which will instead transition to a strong recommendation on April 1, had applied to all indoor happenings with more than 1,000 people — which the state refers to as “indoor mega events.” Operators will still be urged to screen guests as “indoor mega events continue to involve several factors that increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19,” according to updated guidance announced Friday by the California Department of Public Health. But the shift acknowledges the progress California has made in turning the tide of the Omicron wave. “These recommendations will continue to be updated as CDPH continues to assess conditions on an ongoing basis,” officials wrote. “California must be vigilant to maintain situational awareness through surveillance and be ready to pause or reinstate a higher level of protective mitigation recommendations or requirements.” Los Angeles Times
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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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