L.A. police union calls for resignation of Cudahy vice-mayor after ‘shameful’ post

The Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL), which represents nearly 9,000 members of the LAPD, is calling for the resignation and possible prosecution of Cudahy Vice-Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez following what they described as a “shameful social media video post.” The video advocates for local street gangs to confront peace officers, urging leaders of The 18th Street and Florencia street gangs to “get your f***ing members in order,” the LAPPL said in a statement Wednesday. “The 18th Street and Florencia street gangs are notoriously dangerous Los Angeles-based criminal enterprises,” a portion of the LAPPL’s statement reads. “They rule their ‘turfs’ through intimidation, violence, and murder, and finance their operations through the sale of narcotics and illegal firearms, prostitution, and protection rackets.” Although the video doesn’t call for any specific violent actions, Gonzalez identifies the two well-known criminal gangs by name for not making a “peep” as their “hood is being invaded.” “I wanna know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles. 18th Street, Florencia. Where’s the leadership at?… Now that your hood is being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain’t a peep out of you,” she is heard saying in the video, which has since been removed. The LAPPL says both gangs have a known history of murdering police officers, citing the killing of LAPD Officer Filberto Cuesta by an 18th Street gang member in 1998 and several Florencia gang members who were convicted of the 2022 murder of LAPD Officer Fernando Arroyos. “What Ms. Gonzalez urged and taunted these specific gangs to do in her social media post puts police officers and other law enforcement professionals at greater risk,” the LAPPL said. “Her actions are deplorable and potentially illegal. She should resign and she should be prosecuted if what she called for broke the law.”

KTLA 5

L.A. Police Commission approves PD’s drone program for DFR uses

Citing successes other police departments across the country have seen using drones, the Los Angeles Police Commission said it would allow the LAPD to deploy unmanned aircraft on routine emergency calls. The civilian oversight body approved an updated policy Tuesday allowing drones to be used in more situations, including “calls for service.” The new guidelines listed other scenarios for future drone use — “high-risk incident, investigative purpose, large-scale event, natural disaster” — and transferred their command from the Air Support Division to the Office of Special Operations. Previously, the department’s nine drones were restricted to a narrow set of dangerous situations, most involving barricaded suspects or explosives. LAPD Cmdr. Bryan Lium told commissioners the technology offers responding officers and their supervisors crucial, real-time information about what type of threats they might encounter while responding to an emergency. Officials said there is strong community support for the expanding use of drones to combat crime — and offered reassurances that the new policy will not be used unconstitutionally. Tuesday’s vote clears the way for a pilot program set to launch next month at four police divisions — Topanga, West L.A., Harbor and Central — spread across the department’s four geographical bureaus. The Commission asked the department to report back within six months on the program’s progress.

Los Angeles Times

Man Killed in Hit-and-Run in DTLA Parking Garage

Police Wednesday are investigating the death of a 31-year-old man who was struck by a vehicle in a downtown Los Angeles parking garage, whose driver fled after colliding with another vehicle. The Los Angeles Police Department responded to a parking garage near Hill and Third streets at 2:14 a.m. Wednesday regarding an assault with a deadly weapon call. When officers arrived, witnesses said two men were engaged in a physical confrontation when the suspect got into his vehicle and ran over the victim, then drove away from the scene, an LAPD spokeswoman told City News Service. Los Angeles Fire Department personnel were called to the scene and took the victim to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. According to reports from the scene, the suspect fled in a white Chevrolet Camaro after hitting the victim and another vehicle. Homicide detectives were called to the parking garage to conduct an investigation of the death.

MyNewsLA

Hit-and-Run Driver Responsible for Biker’s Death Still Unknown

Saying “detectives have exhausted all investigative leads” into a hit-and-run crash that killed a 34-year-old bicyclist in the Broadway-Manchester area of South L.A., police Wednesday will again ask the public for clues, while highlighting a $50,000 reward for information leading to the driver. Jose Villalobos of Los Angeles was riding west on Century Boulevard near San Pedro Street around 11:10 p.m. June 1 when he was hit by a speeding silver Chevrolet Camaro traveling in the same direction, police said at the time. The crash was captured on graphic surveillance video that showed Villalobos being struck and thrown onto the roadway. Investigators first reached out to the public for clues on June 18 — but have so far come up empty. Wednesday’s second reach-out will highlight “a $50,000 reward to anyone with information that may help identify individuals connected to the Vehicular Homicide and eventually lead to an arrest and conviction,” according to a Los Angeles Police Department statement.

MyNewsLA

LAPD searching for woman who stole police car in handcuffs

The Los Angeles Police Department is searching for a woman who they say stole a patrol car while in handcuffs. Officers were investigating reports of car vandalism around 11:50 p.m. Monday at Orchard and Franklin, according to the department. They took a woman into custody and placed her into a police car in handcuffs. Somehow, the woman drove away in the patrol car. Investigators later found the abandoned squad car at Camrose and Paramount in the Hollywood area. However, the woman is still on the run, and police say she is likely still handcuffed. 

ABC 7

Police searching for thieves who stole hard drives containing unedited movie footage in West Hills

Police are seeking help from the public as they search for multiple suspects who allegedly stole three hard drives full of unedited movie footage from a production site in West Hills in May. The theft happened on May 26, between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. in the 22000 block of Wyandotte Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. They say that the location was being used as for a film's production. Investigators did not have information on the suspects' identities. Police did not say what movie the footage was stolen from. Anyone who knows more is asked to contact LAPD detectives at (818) 756-5844.

CBS 2

Handcuffed woman in cruiser pulls gun, shoots at Florida deputy’s head

A woman handcuffed and seated in the back of a patrol car pulled a hidden gun and fired multiple shots at the deputy driving her to jail, according to investigators in Florida. The barrage of shots sent the car crashing into a utility pole along U.S. 441, and the deputy survived with only a bullet graze, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a June 23 news release. It happened around 1 a.m. on Monday, June 23, in Ocala, after the deputy arrested Rheanna Harden for driving with a suspended license and drug possession, officials said. “Harden was handcuffed, searched, and secured in the back seat of (the deputy’s) patrol vehicle for transport to the Marion County Jail,” the sheriff’s office said. “While traveling northbound on S. Highway 441 near the 2900 block, Harden — still handcuffed in the backseat — retrieved a firearm concealed in her pants and opened fire towards (the deputy’s) head. The patrol vehicle crashed into a utility pole, at which point he exited the vehicle, returned fire, and took cover.” Details of Harden’s surrender were not released and investigators did not say if she was struck by the returned gunfire.

Charlotte Observer

Massachusetts man arrested after crashing into state police lieutenant, fleeing scene

A Revere teenager has been arrested after allegedly crashing a stolen motorcycle into a Mass State Police lieutenant and fleeing the scene, officials said. Lt. Donald Bossi, station commander of the Revere Barracks, was seriously injured in the hit-and-run crash on Revere Beach Boulevard Monday afternoon. Bossi was outside of his cruiser in front of the Revere Barracks when 18-year-old Akram El Moukhtari allegedly slammed into the trooper while he was driving a stolen motorcycle. The teen was arrested and charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (motorcycle), leaving the scene after causing injury, and receiving a stolen motor vehicle. After the crash, EMS transported Bossi to a Boston hospital with serious injuries. MSP on Tuesday reported that Bossi was in stable condition at Massachusetts General Hospital. “The Massachusetts State Police would like to express our appreciation for the public support of Lieutenant Donald Bossi , his family, and our Department in the aftermath of this terrible incident,” Col. Geoffrey Noble said in a statement.

Boston Herald

Magnitude-2.7 Sherman Oaks earthquake jolts San Fernando Valley

Shaking from a magnitude-2.7 earthquake was felt across Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley and other parts of Southern California. The earthquake was reported at 12:22 p.m. in the Sherman Oaks area. The jolt was reported in Beverly Hills, Redondo Beach, Long Beach, Glendale, Encino, Northridge, Pacoima, Van Nuys and other parts of LA. 

NBC 4

LA City Council OKs resolution declaring fiscal emergency amid $1B deficit

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday approved a resolution declaring a state of fiscal emergency in response to decreased revenue and rising liabilities. In a 14-0 vote, council members signed off on the resolution, which is subject to the approval of Mayor Karen Bass. The declaration authorizes the city to move forward with actions for fiscal year 2025-26 to address a roughly $1 billion deficit. That includes plans to lay off about 614 city employees and reduce an allocation of about $4.2 million to the Public Matching Campaign Trust Fund, among other things. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez was absent during the vote. Council members did not comment on the matter prior to their vote. Amid economic challenges, the City Council and Bass approved an approximately $14 billion budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1. The spending plan reduced expenditures in some areas and included cost-saving measures to address a $1 billion deficit, but is larger than the $12.9 billion budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

NBC 4

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,800 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.