Results tagged “bratton”

With crime significantly down and the consent decree lifted, the man who said he likes to fix things and not maintain them is stepping down, according to sources to the Los Angeles Times. Although no official announcement has been made and aides to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa say they are not savvy to the announcement, the Times says. The 61-year-old who recently put his Los Feliz home on the market will next head up a private security firm.

Last Friday, a federal judge lifted a federal consent decree that oversaw the Los Angeles Police Department for eight years in order to reform patterns and practice of excessive force, false arrests and unreasonable searches and seizures. It was placed over the agency after the infamous Rampart Scandal in which anti-gang officers working in the named division were implicated in a plethora of crimes over several years.

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton revealed this morning during a live radio interview that despite days of plans indicating otherwise, the coffin containing the body of the late King of Pop Michael Jackson will be taken from the earlier private funeral at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills to the Staples Center, where it will be on stage during the memorial event.*

The Los Angeles Police Department's Chief Bill Bratton has announced that crime is down compared to this time last year. According to abc7.com, "The most dramatic drop was seen in murders involving gang members. Bratton said those homicides have dropped 26.6 percent. Overall, homicide is down 8.7 percent. The number of rapes committed saw a 14 percent drop, and overall violent crime is down nearly 5 percent." Just last week a record number of Compton residents opted to trade in their guns for gift cards, signaling perhaps less of a trend in holiday conviviality and more that the economy is in the toilet; most of the almost 1,000 $100 gift cards selected were for Ralphs supermarket.

As firefighters sought to contain the smoldering remains of California, officials are keying in on how the fires started. One of the largest fires, the Santiago fire that burned 22,000 acres was, reportedly set by an arsonist. President Bush toured parts of California and declared, "We're not going to forget you in Washington D.C." I guess he didn't visit any poor children. There's at least one good story to come out of this tragedy....

Wilshire & Alvarado - May Day The presence of a police force lined up with riot gear presupposes trouble. And when someone supposedly threw a bottle near MacArthur Park Tuesday evening, it was a call to action. Or as Chief Bratton later rationalized: "Missiles were being thrown at the officers, and officers [were] responding." Last year's May Day march down Wilshire featured amiable members of LA's finest police and fire squads lined up on...

8% - Crime won't drop that much next year if Chief Bratton's overtime funding request doesn't go through. (LAT) 459 - Number of seats held in the California state senate and house. Redistricting is on the rise. (Daily News) 1.4 Million - Number of uninsured drivers in Los Angeles County. (LAT) 1911 - Year Crisco became to be. Los Angeles City Council is looking into banning the use of trans fat in restaurants. (Daily...