Law Enforcement News Karen Bass Wants More Hiring At The LAPD, Saying L.A. Residents ‘Don’t Feel Safe’ LA Mayoral Candidate Karen Bass said she plans on making public safety one of her priorities, and part of that plan, she said, is to increase the number of LAPD. “It’s a head-scratcher because the plan calls for more police officers patrolling the streets. However, she did support the defunding of the police department by $150 million, and that resulted in 600 fewer police officers trying to keep Angelenos safe,” said Sandoz. “Violent crime is rising, rising homicides. We are down 600 officers, so we can’t depend on a grand promise. We need a concrete plan for funding that addresses issues right now,” Sandoz said. KCAL Video Will More Cops on Super Bowl Sunday Mean a Safer LA? The Los Angeles Police Protective League's Jamie McBride joins the Dolon Report to discuss safety for the Super Bowl and the overall crime increases in Los Angeles citywide. Dolon Report Video Authorities Say They’ve Seen No Threats To Super Bowl Authorities said Tuesday they identified no credible threats to the Super Bowl. At a news conference, federal and local authorities said they have been monitoring for various threats to the NFL championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals, such as terrorist strikes and cyberattacks, and have plans in place to deal with any attempts to disrupt the event. They added that they are also watching out for criminal activity often associated with such massive events, including the sale of counterfeit goods. Asked about the beating of a San Francisco 49ers fan outside SoFi Stadium during the NFC championship game last month, Inglewood Police Chief Mark Fronterotta said his department plans to deploy extra officers on Sunday to areas outside the stadium, including the parking lots, which “will be extensively covered.” “What you will see is hundreds of officers deployed on game day and this week,” Fronterotta said. Inglewood police will be supported by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which has dedicated 400 deputies, K-9 units and other employees to the Super Bowl who specialize in crowd management, hazardous materials and tactical situations, said Jack Ewell, chief of the Sheriff Department’s Special Operations Division. Extra deputies will be assigned to the transit system, he added. Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said there have been no fights or unruly behavior at pre-Super Bowl events hosted at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Although the hundreds of officers deployed to police the events have been a “substantial draw” on LAPD resources, he said officers’ scheduled time off has been canceled to ensure patrols and other operations are fully staffed through the weekend. Los Angeles Times Authorities Identify Man Killed At Multi-Million Dollar Mansion In Encino The Los Angeles coroner's office on Saturday released the name of a man shot to death at an Encino home. Warren Sacks was 61 years old, the coroner said. His autopsy was pending. Sacks was a senior partner with a local accounting and litigation consulting firm. Police responded shortly after 7 p.m. Thursday to the 16800 block of Encino Hills Drive, near Hayvenhurst Avenue, where they found the victim, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Drake Madison. Sacks died at the scene. Another man in his 60s was arrested by LAPD in connection with the shooting. Details about the arrest or the circumstances leading to the shooting were not immediately known. Homicide detectives are still looking into a possible motive for the shooting. The investigation is ongoing. ABC 7 1 Arrested In Robbery Of Two Young Teen Girls In Fairfax District Detectives have arrested one juvenile allegedly responsible for the robbery of two teenage girls walking to school in the Fairfax District. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, a task force made up of the LAPD and U.S. Marshals working in conjunction with Los Angeles Shcool Police detectives executed multiple search warrants in South L.A. Police arrested a young girl accused of attacking and stealing the phones of two teenage girls on Melrose Avenue last Wednesday morning. In surveillance footage, two female suspects can be seen attacking the victims, pulling them to the ground by their hair while demanding they hand over their phones. In a statement from LAPD, the victims were held by “their hair until they unlocked the access codes to their phones.” Police are still investigating the incident and have other arrests pending. Law enforcement said last week that they were searching for two men and two women in connection to the robbery. The two men were described as lookouts, while the female suspects robbed the teenage girls. CBS 2 Union Pacific, DA’s Office, LAPD Discuss Train Thefts A Los Angeles City Council committee Tuesday questioned Union Pacific Railroad, the Los Angeles Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office about package thefts from trains, which railroad officials say have started to decline in 2022 after increasing in the last six months of last year. Councilman Joe Buscaino, who chairs the Trade, Travel and Tourism Committee, called the hearing as part of a motion he introduced requesting a report from the Chief Legislative Analyst on the thefts. The councilman, who represents the area around the Port of Los Angeles, said he worried that the bad publicity about the thefts, including photos of the tracks littered with remnants of looted packages, could cause companies to divert their imports and exports from the port, the busiest in North America. He also reiterated his allegations that the thefts were caused by criminal justice reform policies by District Attorney George Gascón — including not seeking cash bail for misdemeanor, non-violent and non-serious felony offences — alleging that the message being sent to thieves is “there’s zero consequences.” Union Pacific General Director of Public Affairs Adrian Guerrero also sent a letter to the District Attorney claiming that his decision to dismiss certain misdemeanors such as trespassing has caused the spike in thefts. CBS 2 Law Enforcement, Non-Profits Aim To Deter Sex Trafficking During Super Bowl Week As the Super Bowl returns to the Los Angeles area for the first time in 29 years, law enforcement and non-profits are spreading awareness and combating what they call an increase in sex traffickers to the region. Officials say a key goal is to rescue victims, particularly juveniles. While the Super Bowl in particular is not the exact reason for the reported increases, large events in general tend to be a breeding ground for the crime. They include award ceremonies, political conventions and other large sporting events, said FBI special agent Ron Schloegel at a Jan. 20 FBI webinar. Sex trafficking, according to the FBI, is individuals being compelled by force, fraud or coercion to engage in commercial sex acts. “A lot of people take this opportunity to have a good time, spend some money and that is unfortunately at the expense of people in coerced sex work,” Schloegel said. At the 2021 Super Bowl in Tampa, Fla., 75 arrests were made in an anti-human trafficking operation, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said. Of the arrests, three people were charged with human trafficking-related charges. Los Angeles Daily News Dodgers Pitcher Trevor Bauer Will Not Face Criminal Charges In Sex Assault Allegation: Prosecutors Los Angeles prosecutors won't charge Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer for allegedly beating and sexually abusing a San Diego woman he met through social media. Prosecutors were unable to prove the San Diego woman's accusations beyond a reasonable doubt, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office on Tuesday. Bauer, 31, was placed on paid leave on July 2 under the players' union and Major League Baseball's joint domestic violence and sexual assault policy after the woman said he choked her into unconsciousness, punched her repeatedly and had anal sex with her without her consent during two sexual encounters. MLB and the union eventually agreed to extend his administrative leave through the end of the postseason. MLB and the Pasadena Police Department both launched investigations. Police turned over the results of their investigation to the Los Angeles County district attorney's office in August. Bauer has said through representatives that everything that happened between the two was "wholly consensual" in the nights they spent together in April and May at his Pasadena home. ABC 7 Sherman Oaks Woman Pleads Guilty In $20 Million Healthcare Fraud A Sherman Oaks woman pleaded guilty Tuesday, Feb. 8, to federal charges for her leadership role in a scheme in which more than $20 million in bogus claims authorities say were submitted to insurance companies. Roshanak “Roxanne” Khadem, 54, and four others — including a former fraud investigator at Anthem Blue Cross — were charged in a multiyear conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud against at least eight companies, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She pleaded guilty in Los Angeles federal court to one count each of healthcare fraud and tax evasion. U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled a June 27 sentencing hearing, when Khadem will face up to 13 years in federal prison. Khadem owned and operated R&R Med Spa in Valley Village, until early 2016, and its successor company, Nu-Me Aesthetic and Anti-Aging Center in Woodland Hills. She and others induced patients to visit the clinics to receive “free” cosmetic procedures, including facials, laser hair removal and Botox injections not covered by insurance. The conspirators obtained insurance information from patients, using it to bill for unnecessary medical services or for services that were never provided, authorities said. Los Angeles Daily News Super Bowl: Scams Aimed At Desperate Fans Hoping to Score ‘Affordable’ Super Bowl Tickets With Super Bowl ticket prices soaring well into the four and five figure range, the big game is a prime event for scammers trying to con eager football fans. The average price of a ticket to Sunday’s game between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium has hovered just around $9,000, which is why Bill Yarbrough said he’s watching the game from his couch. “I think the cheap seats are maybe $4,500, $5,000,” he said. There are, however, tickets advertised on sites like Craiglist at much more affordable prices ranging from $200-$500 and, in some cases, even less. “If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is,” said Yarbrough. Con artists and scammers, though, know there are fans desperate to get to the game who will fall for the affordably advertised and, likely, fraudulent tickets. “A big national event like the Super Bowl, of course they’re going to come out of the woodwork,” said Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. CBS 2 Second Ex-DWP Executive Pleads Guilty In Corruption Case A second former Los Angeles Department of Water and Power executive pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal criminal charge in the probe of the city’s handling of the botched launch of a DWP billing system. David Alexander, 54, of Arcadia, entered his plea in downtown Los Angeles to a felony charge of making false statements. Alexander was the utility’s chief information security officer from May 2017 until February 2019, then served as the department’s chief cyber risk officer for the next six months. He is expected to be sentenced on June 7. Last month, a former LADWP general manager, David Wright, 62, of Riverside, pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge in the case. Paul Paradis, 58, a New York attorney hired by the city, also pleaded guilty in January to a bribery count in the secret scheme to settle a major lawsuit brought against the utility on terms favorable to the city. MyNewsLA.com County Offers $20,000 Rewards In Charles Drew Medical School Threats The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved a pair of $20,000 reward offers Tuesday for information leading to the conviction of the person or people who made two bomb threats in January targeting Charles R. Drew University in the Watts-Willowbrook area. The medical school was targeted first on Jan. 11, following similar threats that were received nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country. The threat to Charles Drew was sent via email by a self-professed neo-Nazi who said multiple explosives were planted on the campus. The second threat was made via phone call on Jan. 31, with the caller saying a bomb would be detonated on the campus. Both threats prompted law enforcement searches that found no evidence of any explosive devices. The initial threat forced a closure of the campus. The campus remained open following the second threat, although the number of people on campus was limited due to hybrid learning protocols due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MyNewsLA.com Man Driving Past Ex-Girlfriend’s Home Killed In Altercation With Man Parked On Her Driveway Sheriff's homicide detectives are searching for a murder suspect in Palmdale. Detectives say Rudy Rodriguez Jr. shot and killed Frank Fuentes back on Jan. 21. This all happened on the 4100 block of East Avenue Q-14 in Palmdale. Shortly before 11 a.m. that morning, officials say the victim was driving past his ex-girlfriend's house and saw Rodriguez in the driveway. Fuentes then approached Rodriguez leading to an argument which then turned into a fight. That's when police say Rodriguez pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots before speeding away in a 2009 Honda Accord. When police arrived, they found Fuentes on the ground. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Honda Rodriguez was driving was found abandoned a few miles away from the scene. Detectives say Rodriguez should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. FOX 11 Atlanta Officer Shot Multiple Times, Seriously Injured Trying To Arrest Suspect An Atlanta police officer was seriously injured Monday afternoon when he tried to serve an arrest warrant to a man suspected of armed robbery and was shot multiple times, officials said. The unnamed officer, who has been with the department for 11 years, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and was stable, according to Atlanta police Deputy Chief Darin Schierbaum. The suspected shooter, 22-year-old Christian Eppinger, was taken into custody. “This department will not be deterred. What happened today is the challenge that we are against here in Atlanta and in cities across the country,” Schierbaum said. “Police officers are being assaulted at record levels across the country.” The shooting happened about 1:15 p.m. as the officer was trying to arrest Eppinger at the Colonial Square Apartment Homes along Old Hapeville Road, Schierbaum said. During a fight, Eppinger was able to retrieve a gun and shoot the officer multiple times, Schierbaum said. After the shooting, authorities began searching for Eppinger, who Schierbaum described as a known gang member and threat to residents in the area. It did not take long for the man to be found and taken into custody, Schierbaum said. No other officers were injured. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Public Safety News 2.7-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes In Silver Lake A 2.7-magnitude earthquake struck at 7:38 a.m. Tuesday in the Silver Lake area, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. It was centered about 2 miles east southeast of Echo Park and 2.5 miles west northwest of Hollywood, according to the USGS. Los Angeles Daily News L.A. County Still Weeks Away From Lifting Indoor Mask Mandate, Ferrer Estimates Los Angeles County is likely weeks away from lifting its indoor mask mandate, and at the latest could ease the order by the end of April — unless a new coronavirus variant poses a threat. There are two triggers that could result in L.A. County easing its indoor mask mandate, Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer announced Tuesday. The first is the county entering a “moderate” rate of transmission, in which cases fall below 730 a day for two consecutive weeks, Ferrer said. “We anticipate being able to get to ‘moderate’ transmission — if we can continue to drive down the rates, as we are right now on our cases — within a few weeks. But we’re not there yet,” Ferrer said at a Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday. L.A. County is averaging about 9,500 cases a day, according to a Times analysis of state data. Case rates in the county are dropping in half every week, Ferrer said. If this pace continues, the county would fall under the goal of 730 cases a day in early March and could exit the indoor mask order two weeks later, according to a Times analysis. Los Angeles Times LA County Continues To Explore New Ways To Enforce Vaccine Mandate The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to direct staff to explore ways disciplinary action can be transferred from heads of departments to the Director of Personnel. “To protect county lives we have to enforce this mandate,” said County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl during the meeting. Despite an executive order mandating all county employees to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 1, 2021, or face disciplinary action including termination, Kuehl said that countywide compliance with the policy remains a challenge, with only 81.5% of employees, approximately 82,000, being fully vaccinated. The motion will be considered on Tuesday during the next Board of Supervisors meeting to learn if officials can assign disciplinary responsibilities to another official rather than the heads of each department. “This motion says to our department heads, we are not going to permit county lives to be jeopardized by an individual’s decision not to comply with county policy,” said Kuehl. CBS 2 California Confirms It Will Lift Mask Mandate As Omicron Cases Fall California will end its indoor masking requirement for vaccinated people next week but masks still are the rule for schoolchildren, state health officials announced Monday amid rapidly falling coronavirus cases. After Feb. 15, unvaccinated people still will be required to be masked indoors, and everyone — vaccinated or not — will have to wear masks in higher-risk areas like public transit and nursing homes and other congregate living facilities, officials said. Local governments can continue their own indoor masking requirements and last week Los Angeles County’s health officials said they intend to keep theirs in place beyond the state deadline. State officials also announced that Indoor “mega events” with more than 1,000 people will have to require vaccinations or negative tests for those attending and those who are unvaccinated will be required to wear masks. For outdoor events with more than 10,000 people, there is no vaccination requirement but masks or negative tests are recommended. Those thresholds increase from the current 500 attendees for indoor and 5,000 attendees for outdoor events. The increased threshold comes after Sunday’s Super Bowl that will draw as many as 100,000 football fans to SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles. Associated Press Local Government News LA City Council Begins Steps To Implement State SB 9, Allowing Denser Housing On the heels of a state bill allowing up to four units on single-family zoned lots, the Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday, Feb. 8, to begin steps to implement the law locally. Senate Bill 9, introduced by Sen. Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, and Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, allows lots zoned for single-family housing to have up to four units. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on Sept. 16. The Los Angeles City Council, with some members saying that it didn’t include affordable housing requirements, opposed the bill in a resolution on Aug. 18. Proponents of the law say allowing denser housing on single-family lots will help alleviate the housing crisis, while many opponents claim it could change the character of single-family neighborhoods and increase gentrification at the benefit of real estate interests. The council passed a motion Tuesday introduced by Councilmen Paul Koretz and Bob Blumenfield — and seconded by Councilwoman Nithya Raman — that instructed city planners and the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety to prepare a memorandum to guide all city departments and agencies until the city officially adopts an ordinance to implement the law. Los Angeles Daily News LA City Council Votes To Seek Law Banning Bicycle Assembly On Sidewalks The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to instruct the City Attorney’s Office to draft an ordinance that would prohibit people from assembling or disassembling their bicycles in the public right-of-way. The motion, introduced by Councilman Joe Buscaino, passed 10-4, with council members Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Nithya Raman, Curren Price and Mike Bonin opposed. Harris-Dawson said the potential law could have gotten him arrested as a child. The motion calls on the city attorney to prepare an ordinance similar to one already in effect in Long Beach to prohibit the assembly, disassembly, sale, offer of sale, distribution of bicycles and bicycle parts on public property or within the public right-of-way. Buscaino said it would prevent “bicycle chop shops,” in which people allegedly disassemble stolen bikes and sell the parts on sidewalks. MyNewsLA.com ‌ ‌ ‌ Visit our website LA Police Protective League | 1308 West Eighth Street, Los Angeles, CA 90017 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!