Debate Over Zero Bail System Intensifies In Los Angeles County Amid Safety Concerns

Law enforcement officials and some residents continued to express safety concerns Tuesday about the imminent implementation of zero bail in Los Angeles County, but backers of the plan told the Board of Supervisors that misinformation about the system is leading to unfounded perceptions that crime will increase and criminals won't be held accountable. "Our communities have not been shy about telling us how nervous they are about this change," Sheriff Robert Luna told the board, saying crime victims who see offenders immediately released from custody are left with little confidence in the criminal justice system. He said he respects the need to respect constitutional rights of arrestees, but zero-bail can demoralize deputies and police officers who work hard to make arrests, only to "watch the offender walk away with a citation as the victim looks on in disbelief." But Supervisor Holly Mitchell said the zero-bail system taking effect Sunday does not mean criminals are escaping punishment for their offenses. "It's really dangerous for us to conflate bail with accountability," Mitchell said, adding later: "Bail means I have the resources to pay my way out of jail." The zero-bail system, officially dubbed by the Los Angeles Superior Court as Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols, or PARP, will take effect Sunday. The system will largely eliminate the existing cash bail system for all but the most serious of crimes. Most people arrested on suspicion on non-violent or non- serious offenses will be either cited and released in the field or booked and released at a police or sheriff's station with orders to appear in court on a specific date for arraignment once they are actually charged with a crime. 

Westside Current

LAPD Now Flying Palm-Size Drones Inside Buildings

Since the Los Angeles Police Department’s drone program got off the ground about four years ago, the officers who pilot the small, flying machines with cameras attached have been finding different ways of using them. Most of the time, that has meant sending up a drone to get a better view of a property where someone might be barricaded with a weapon. Or it could mean hovering a drone over an area for a wider view as police try to track down a fleeing suspect. Now, commanders told the Police Commission on Tuesday, Sept. 26, officers have gotten access to drones small and maneuverable enough to fly inside a building almost as well as they do outside. And that’s opening up far more options for the department’s small fleet of drones. “Now that we’re seeing their capabilities — how fast they are, how agile — we’re finding that they are remaining mobile inside,” said Deputy Chief David Kowalski. It was not clear Tuesday how often LAPD has flown a drone inside a building since the department first got official approval for their use in 2019. In the first year they were used, the department deployed its drones sparingly: Just five times starting in August 2020 over the next 12 months. In one of those early incidents, a pilot briefly flew a drone through a broken window to peer inside a room where officers believed a domestic-violence suspect was holed up. But the drone did not spend much time inside the building before the officers were given the go ahead to enter themselves.

Los Angeles Daily News

Family Desperate For Answers In Search For Missing 71-Year-Old LA Man With Dementia

A local family is desperate to find a 71-year-old man who went missing after attending a concert at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend. Harrison "Happy" Ferguson hasn't been seen since he attended a John Legend show at the bowl Saturday night with some friends. He has dementia and is diabetic. His family says he became separated from his group of friends at the concert after stopping by the bathroom. He then ended up on the wrong shuttle bus, which brought him to East Los Angeles instead of home. He stopped into the sheriff's station at East LA College shortly after midnight and asked them for a ride home, according to family members. They said they couldn't drive him but offered him directions. They haven't seen Ferguson since then. 

ABC 7

Panorama City Man Who Helped Plan ‘Violent Revolution’ Gets 4 Years For Jan. 6 Role

A Panorama City man who urged others to join him in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6 and then joined in the breach of the U.S. Capitol was sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in federal prison. Edward Badalian — a former North Hills resident — was previously convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding and entering and remaining in a restricted building. During a hearing Tuesday morning in Washington D.C., U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced Badalian to 51 months behind bars and 36 months of supervised release. In a chat message repeatedly cited by prosecutors, Badalian prior to the riot on Jan. 6 told his followers “We need to violently remove traitors and if they are in key positions rapidly replace them with able-bodied patriots.” During the breach of the Capitol, Badalian joined thousands of other Trump supporters in attempting to halt the certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral victory. 

Los Angeles Daily News

Four Arrested For Burglarizing Nearly A Dozen Businesses In Glendale Overnight

Two men and two juveniles were arrested on Tuesday after they committed nearly a dozen burglaries in Glendale, making off with thousands of dollars before they were caught. Police were called to the 400 block of S. Glendale Avenue at around 3 a.m. after one of the business' alarm went off. Upon arrival, they found that several nearby locations had also been burglarized, according to a statement from Glendale Police Department. Just minutes after they arrived to the first business, they learned heard another alarm going off in the 1100 block of S. Glendale Ave., where they say that even more businesses were hit. As they searched the nearby area, officers "heard glass breaking at a business and saw a black vehicle attempting to flee," from store in the 1200 block of W. Glenoaks Boulevard. Officers were able to box the vehicle in, leading to the arrest of all four suspects. 

CBS 2

$15.6 Million Approved To Combat Smash-and-Grab Thefts In Los Angeles County

City officials approved a $15.6 million grant to combat the rising number of smash-and-grab thefts targeting Los Angeles County retailers. The funds were approved unanimously by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. Funding will be given to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s recently created Organized Retail Theft Task Force. The task force will be comprised of one lieutenant, three sergeants and thirty detectives focused on preventing and tackling organized retail theft including smash-and-grabs, catalytic converter thefts, and cargo thefts. The task force will also collaborate with other law enforcement agencies, the District Attorney’s Office and local businesses, officials said. A recent study from the National Retail Federation found that organized retail crime has increased in the U.S. by 26% since 2000. “Unfortunately, this trend holds true in Los Angeles County,” city officials said. “At the same time, [retailers] have been faced with an increase in organized retail theft, including smash-and-grab robberies that have recently become more brazen and violent.”

KTLA 5

Authorities Seek Help Finding Missing Woman With Mental Health Disorder

Authorities sought the public’s help Tuesday finding a woman who went missing Tuesday in El Monte and suffers from an unspecified mental health disorder. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Crystal Diane Spencer, 43, was last seen at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the 1700 block of Santa Anita Avenue. Deputies described Spencer as a 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 125 pounds with a blonde ponytail and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black leather jacket and black pants. According to the sheriff’s department, Spencer suffers from an unspecified mental health disorder, and there are concerns for her well-being. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Spencer was urged to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau Missing Persons Detail at 323-890-5500. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

MyNewsLA

Virginia Officers Thwart Potential Mass Shooting At Church

Officers from two police departments worked together to thwart a potential mass shooting at a church, a release from the Fairfax County Police Department states. Rui Jiang, 35, was armed with a loaded gun and extra ammunition when he was arrested just minutes after churchgoers entered the building on Sunday, according to police. “This was a thwarted diabolical plot to kill churchgoers in Haymarket, Virginia — and local law enforcement stopped it,” Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department told NBC Washington. Authorities stated the potential massacre was averted due to an individual who alerted the police after spotting disturbing posts on Instagram. Multiple posts depicted Jiang aiming a firearm at church images, according to police. Following the report regarding Jiang's social media posts, officers received a request to conduct a welfare check at 9:22 a.m. Officers determined Jiang was not home and based on the Instagram posts, it was believed he was at the Park Valley Church in Haymarket.

PoliceOne

FBI Announces Results Of Summer Campaign Against Violent Crime

The FBI has announced the results of a nationwide effort to combat violent crime during the summer of 2023. Law enforcement efforts were conducted between May 29 to September 4, 2023, and involved numerous FBI field offices and state and local partners. The FBI, alongside its state and local law enforcement partners, executed over 4,000 arrests, over 2,500 drug seizures, over 1,600 weapons seized and the dismantlement of over 50 violent organizations. Specifically, the data released reflects collective actions against violent criminals, transnational criminal organizations, gang members and child predators. “There’s no greater responsibility in law enforcement than making sure the neighborhoods and communities we serve are safe,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “This summer, the FBI worked shoulder to shoulder with our state and local partners to combat violent crime across the nation. But our work is far from done. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect Americans from the scourge of violent crime.” 

PoliceOne

4 Injured After Multi-Car Crash In Valley Village

Four people were injured during a two-car crash in the Valley Village area on Tuesday. According to Los Angeles Fire Department, the collision happened at around 4:20 p.m. near 11482 Magnolia Boulevard. Two people, a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, were hospitalized in fair condition while the other two declined being taken to the hospital. Circumstances leading up to the crash remain unclear, firefighters said. No further information was provided by authorities. 

CBS 2

LA City Council Moves Forward With EV Chargers At Downtown Yard

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday moved forward with a contract with BP Pulse Fleet North America to install electrical vehicle chargers at a downtown vehicle yard as part of the city’s goal to achieve a 100% zero-emission bus fleet by 2030 or earlier. Without discussion, the council voted 12-0 in favor of the contract with council members Eunisses Hernandez, Tim McOsker and Paul Krekorian absent during the vote. Once the contract is finalized, BP Pulse Fleet North America will install 22 electric 150kW bus chargers and provide five years of software and charger maintenance at the Downtown yard, located at 454 E. Commercial Street. A report from the city administrative officer called for approval of the more than $12 million contract for a term of seven years. In 2017, the council directed the Department of Transportation to take actions to ensure a transition to a 100% zero-emission transit bus fleet, and in 2020 then-Mayor Eric Garcetti called for the department to meet that goal in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

MyNewsLA

LA City Council OKs Funding For Youth Programming and Park Security In CD 14

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday approved a motion calling for additional funds for youth programming and security measures at parks in the 14th District. The council voted 13-0 to approve the motion with council members Eunisses Hernandez and Heather Hutt absent during the vote. The council instructed to appropriate $750,000 for the purpose of enhancing public safety and engaging youth at several parks, including but not limited to the Evergreen Recreation Center, Wabash Recreation Center and Pecan Recreation Center. “The recent uptick in violence represents a clear signal that we have to double our efforts to invest more in our neighborhoods and our youth,” de Leon said in a statement. “That’s precisely what I intend to do with this funding — expand opportunities and programs at more parks for more young people.” According to de Leon, these parks will be designated as CLASS Parks within the city. The CLASS Parks programs operates 37 teen club sites within the city’s 184 recreation centers, offering supervised after-school and weekend programs for youth ages 11-17.

MyNewsLA

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 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.