LA County LEOs Memorialized 167 Years After Being Killed By Bandits

On Jan. 23, 1857, notorious horse thief Juan Flores and his gang of bandits engaged in a fierce gun battle with Los Angeles County law enforcement officers who were in pursuit of them, killing four. The officers, LA County Sheriff James Barton, Deputy Charles Daly and Constables William Little and Charles Baker, were on horseback en route south to San Juan Capistrano after receiving word that a band of robbers was threatening the safety of residents of the mission town. But they did not know that the group had been alerted that Barton and his men were coming for them and had devised a plan to ambush them. Barton, Daly, Little and Baker lost their lives in the line of duty on a mound of land near the 405 and State Highway 133 interchange and the Spectrum Center, dubbed Barton Mound. In the 167 years since their murders, highways, cars and housing have taken over the wide plains in what is now Irvine, where those four men on horseback were shot to death. The site was designated a California historical landmark on June 20, 1935. And on Monday, April 1, nearly a century after that designation, a metal plaque commemorating their bravery was unveiled in front of the rolling hills where the shootout took place.

OC Register

‘An Honor': Meet LAPD's First Female Deputy Chief, Ruby Flores

As the Los Angeles Police Department celebrates its first female deputy chief, the woman stepping up to the responsibility is taking the historic role seriously in showing young girls and women they can achieve what they set their intentions on. Ruby Flores, a Mexican American woman raised in East Los Angeles and Norwalk, beamed with pride as she spoke with NBC4 about her new position. While ecstatic she successfully catapulted her career into a major leadership position, she said that the weight of the responsibility associated with this role in both the department and the public isn’t lost on her. “I want to make sure if I can impact young girls and women in a positive way by being in this leadership position, then I want to do that and will continue to do that,” Flores said.
NBC 4

$30 Million Easter Heist Could Go Unsolved: Here's Why

An expert believes the $30 million cash heist from a Los Angeles warehouse on Easter Sunday could go unsolved. Scott Selby, a lawyer and co-author of 'Flawless,' which chronicles the Antwerp Diamond Heist, the largest diamond heist in history, told the New York Post that the March 31 San Fernando Valley incident was committed by "a group that would have to have a lot of prior experience."

Fox Radio

$140K in counterfeit Lakers apparel seized from vendors in downtown L.A.

L.A. police seized more than $100,000 worth of counterfeit Lakers apparel outside Crypto Arena in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, authorities announced. “We love sports, but don’t like counterfeiting,” the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division said in a post to X, formerly Twitter. It’s unclear if any arrests were made, but officers with Central Division’s Vice Bureau collected an estimated $140,000 worth of illegal purple and gold merchandise.

Yahoo News

4 Armed Robbers Steal Jewelry And Purses From Brentwood Home, LAPD Says

Los Angeles police are searching for four armed men who allegedly broke into a Brentwood home and took off with jewelry and other items Friday evening, authorities said. The robbery was reported just before 9:20 p.m. in the 400 block of South Gretna Green Way, according to the LAPD. The suspects were armed with handguns during the theft and escaped by busting through a sliding door. Footage from the scene showed the glass door had a big hole that was left behind. Jewelry and purses were stolen, according to police. It's unclear if anyone was injured in the incident. The robbery is under investigation.

ABC 7

Violent, Destructive Burglaries Leave Westchester Residents On Edge

A series of violent, destructive burglaries in a Los Angeles County neighborhood have left residents on edge, worried about being targeted next. Several burglaries were caught on home surveillance cameras as thieves wearing ski masks, dark hoodies, gloves and backpacks were seen breaking into homes in the Westchester neighborhood. The suspects were seen lurking and peering into the windows of homes before shattering the glass to enter. In another instance, a suspect is seen pulling down a security camera to avoid detection. “The burglaries have turned really scary,” said Debra Huston, a Westchester resident. Huston said she’s been speaking out for months now about the troubling spike in break-ins and the increasingly violent confrontations with intruders. “In the last two weeks, they’ve pepper sprayed the owners of the home,” Huston said. “In another case, a mother was home with her two young daughters and the burglars smashed their way into the house. In the third incident, a man and maybe his family were home. The burglars entered and he fired shots with his weapon and scared the burglars away.”

KTLA 5

Burglary Suspect Arrested In Venice After Entering House

A man was arrested Friday in Venice after he entered through the front door of a house, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed. At 5:30 p.m. Friday, police were sent to the 1700 block of Penmar Ave after a 911 caller reported a burglary in progress, the LAPD said. Officers arrived and located at least one suspect near the residence, according to the department. It was reported that the suspect attempted to steal a bike from the house. Police say one man was arrested without injury. 

Westside Current

After Years On The Run, GirlsDoPorn Boss Faces ‘Beginning Of The End’ In San Diego

It was a moment hundreds of women had been waiting for — and one many feared would never come. Five years after he fled the country and minutes before his former right-hand man was sentenced in federal court, authorities announced that the alleged mastermind behind the GirlsDoPorn sex-trafficking ring had touched down in San Diego in federal custody. Michael James Pratt disappeared in the summer of 2019, just before he was indicted on federal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges stemming from what prosecutors said was a decade-long scheme to con hundreds of teens and young women into appearing in adult videos for the website he owned. Pratt was on the lam for three years and had been listed among the FBI’s most-wanted fugitives by the time he was arrested in Spain in December of 2022. Five of those indicted alongside him have pleaded guilty to their crimes, each fingering Pratt as the ringleader. The majority of his co-conspirators have started their sentences in prison.

Los Angeles Times

16 Arrested In Southern California Prostitution Sting Operation

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department conducted a “John” prostitution sting operation in the city of Perris and arrested 16 individuals. A “John” sting operation focuses on catching individuals who are soliciting prostitutes to reduce the demand for sex trafficking, arrest human traffickers, and provide services for victims. Authorities say the operation occurred on April 4, resulting in numerous arrests. Deputies arrested 14 males suspected of soliciting prostitution. One female was taken in for child neglect and a juvenile male is accused of pimping, evading, and child endangerment, authorities say. Another female was identified as a potential victim of sex trafficking and was provided victim services. If you or anyone you know has been a victim of human trafficking, you can contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 888-373–7888.

KTLA 5

Video: Las Vegas Officers Rescue K-9 Stabbed By Suspect

The Metropolitan Police Department on Friday released video that shows the dramatic rescue after one of the agency’s K-9 officers was stabbed multiple times. K9 Enzo, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, was stabbed eight to nine times as he worked to take a suspect into custody during a standoff in downtown Las Vegas last Friday. Enzo was rushed to a local animal hospital where it was determined he would need to be airlifted to another facility for additional care. “One of our K9 officers was severely injured and everybody needed to act in order to save our K9 dog’s life,” Metro SWAT Commander Bryan Peterson said in a video shared by the department. “They all rallied behind each other and they understood what they needed to do. Multiple officers from multiple area commands, SWAT, K9, patrol, flex teams, officers, without hesitation, knew what to do, knew how to respond, knew how to shut down traffic, and they did that.” “Ultimately, that’s what saved Enzo’s life.” Earlier this week, Las Vegas police shared that K-9 Enzo was released from the hospital and would finish his recovery at home. The suspect, 64-year-old Thurman Lowe Jr ., was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on two counts of assault on a protected person and one count each of attempting to kill a police animal, arson and resisting police while armed, records show.

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Two weeks after raid on Diddy’s homes, it’s quiet on the news front
Two weeks ago, federal agents raided Sean “Diddy” Combs’s mansions in Miami and Los Angeles, searching for evidence tied to a sex-trafficking investigation. The shocking headlines prompted a wave of speculation that Combs, one of the most powerful producers in the music industry, might soon be arrested in connection to any of five recent lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault. He has denied all of the accusations. But since then, there has been no arrest and few, if any, revelations for tabloids. “Diddy Rides His Bike Around Miami Amid Federal Investigation” was the best TMZ could do for a headline Thursday

Washington Post

Barbeque Fundraiser Raises $51,000 For Firefighters Hurt In Wilmington Explosion

Community members rallied together to help the firefighters who were hurt in a devastating truck explosion in Wilmington two months ago. A day of donations and dedication was held Saturday as the community honored and offered support to the firefighters of LAFD stations 38 and 49, who were the first on the scene of February's explosion. Nine firefighters were injured, two of them critically, when the natural gas-powered truck caught fire and exploded. All of them have since returned to work. "Events like this are really a time to heal for both the community... obviously they're worried about things like this happening in their backyards.. And then for the firefighters to know that they're still here to support the community," said LAFD Deputy Chief Stephen Gutierrez. California Assemblymember Mike Gipson was at Saturday's event. He said the donations will be used to "re-do" the fire stations so that "those who put their lives on the line each and every day have a comfortable place they can spend time until the next call. L.A. City Councilman Tim McOsker organized Saturday's fundraising barbeque at Wilmington Town Square Park. It was a chance to celebrate together and for the community to be able to thank their hometown heroes for their service.

ABC 7

83-Year-Old Injured Hiker Airlifted From Granada Hills To Hospital

A man has been airlifted to a hospital after suffering a head injury from a fall during a hike in Granada Hills. The Los Angeles Fire Department said the 83-year-old hiker was located in a remote area. Because ground crews were not able to bring an apparatus to his location, the man was airlifted to a hospital. His current condition was not known. No further details were provided. 

CBS 2

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.