LA City Council approves LAPD contract designed to improve hiring and retention

The Los Angeles City Council voted 12-3 on Wednesday, Aug. 23, to ratify a contract with the city’s police officers that would bump up their starting salaries by nearly 13% and provide annual base raises of 3%. Taken together with additional bonuses, officers covered by the contract will get a 4% to 6% wage increase each year for four years. “Our police department, just like other major city police departments, is enduring a hiring and retention crisis,” Bass said in a statement. “Around the same time that we struck a tentative agreement, the LAPD sworn force dipped below 9,000 for the first time since 2002. I want to thank the leaders of the City Council for supporting this action and I look forward to working together to ensure that Angelenos are safe.” Union spokesperson Tom Saggau said in a statement that the council took a “bold and necessary step” to restoring the number of officers and expressed a commitment to working on efforts for more unarmed responses.

Los Angeles Daily News

Man’s Bid for Re-Sentencing Denied in Shooting That Wounded LAPD Officer

A state appeals court panel Thursday rejected a bid for re-sentencing by a gang member who was convicted of shooting at Los Angeles police officers outside a Hollenbeck apartment complex in July 2005, wounding one officer in the hand. The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal found that Rodrigo Perez — who is serving a 40-year-to-life state prison sentence — is ineligible for relief under a since-enacted state law that affects defendants in some murder and attempted murder cases. Detectives identified Perez as the gunman following an investigation into the July 3, 2005, attack on a group of seven police officers and one civilian who were standing in a dimly lit parking lot, according to the appellate court panel’s 12-page ruling. One officer was struck in the hand. Perez was convicted of seven counts each of attempted murder of a peace officer and assault with a semiautomatic firearm on a peace officer and one count each of attempted murder involving the civilian, assault with a semiautomatic firearm and felony vandalism. Jurors found true allegations that Perez personally used a firearm and inflicted injury and that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang. He was arrested by Los Angeles police in February 2006 and has remained behind bars since then.

MyNewsLA

2, including 14-year-old boy, arrested in killing of LA teen

Police announced Thursday that a man and a 14-year-old boy were arrested in the shooting death of a 16-year-old boy at a Boyle Heights recreation center. Alfonso Ramos, 16, was fatally shot shortly after 5 p.m. August 12 at the Evergreen Park Recreation Center, in the 2800 block of East Second Street, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. "I'm happy they got them. I'm happy they did. I'm just not happy it's a child doing this to another child," said Alphonso Ramos's mother. "It hurts. I really does. No mother, no parent, should bury their own child." LAPD stated that Ramos was inside the Evergreen Recreational Center when he was approached by two individuals who ultimately chased him down, confronted him, assaulted him and shot him several times. After shooting Ramos, the pair fled in a gray vehicle, authorities said. "The subsequent investigation led to the identification of two suspects," an LAPD statement said. LAPD identified one of the suspects as 26-year-old Michael Monarrez. Detectives were making investigative efforts to locate the pair when a second incident occurred. Anyone with information on the shootings was urged to call detectives at 213-486-8700.

FOX 11

Flash mob targets Sherman Oaks Macy's in smash-and-grab robbery caught on video

A flash mob struck a Macy's department store in Sherman Oaks on Thursday afternoon in a dramatic robbery that was captured on video. The incident at Westfield Fashion Square was only the latest in a series of organized robberies, many of them recorded by bystanders, that have plagued Southern California retailers. Thursday's theft occurred just after 12:30 p.m. and involved nine masked males who filled bags with stolen merchandise before running out of the store at 14000 Riverside Drive. All of the suspects, described as being in their early 20s, wore hooded sweatshirts and dark-colored clothing. The fled the scene in two cars -- a silver or gold Honda and a black Ford Fusion. The robbery comes a week after a task force was formed to address retail crime in the region. The task force is comprised of multiple Southern California law enforcement agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, as well as the U.S. Marshals Apprehension Task Force and Federal Bureau of Investigation Apprehension Task Force.

ABC 7

Rapper Blueface claims he was stabbed inside boxing gym by random man

Rapper Blueface, whose real name is Johnathan Jamall Porter, announced on Instagram that he was stabbed by a random man inside a Los Angeles boxing gym. "I won't be able to fight October 14th," the rapper wrote on an Instagram story. "I was stabbed today by some random won't heal up in time." In addition to the note, the rapper, known for his song "Thotiana," released security camera footage depicting the events leading up to the stabbing. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the stabbing happened in the 7000 block of Reseda Boulevard. The suspect was last seen driving southbound on Reseda. The suspect's car was a black Tesla with no license plates. In the video, the suspect was dressed in a white tank top, blue jeans and white shoes. There was no weapon recovered at the scene and deputies requested an ambulance which took Blueface to the hospital.

CBS 2

11 arrested in LA flash mob retail heists, including Nordstrom robbery

A task force formed to combat a wave of flash mob-style retail thefts in the Los Angeles area has made 11 arrests since it was formed earlier this week, according to authorities. Those arrests include at least one in a heist involving upwards of 30 people at a Nordstrom inside Westfield Topanga Mall in Canoga Park. The thieves used bear spray on security guards who tried to intervene and escaped with high-end handbags, clothes and other items. It was not immediately clear how many people were arrested in the Nordstrom robbery, which was captured on video. "Upon the inception of the Organized Retail Crimes Task Force (ORCT0, detectives assumed investigative responsibility of nine cases involving organized retail crimes throughout the city of Los Angeles," the LAPD said in a statement. "Many of these retail theft cases have adopted linkage to other retail crimes which occurred in neighboring cities." The 11 robbery arrests were related to four of the nine cases ORCT was investigating. They included crimes at the following locations: Versace store at Beverly Center, 8500 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; Warehouse Shoe Store, 6251 York Blvd., Highland Park; Nordstrom at Topanga Mall, 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Canoga Park; and Macy's at Glendale Galleria. The investigations are continuing. Anyone with information about the crimes was urged to call the Organized Retail Crime TaskForce, Detective Arnold, at 818-374-9420. Tipsters may also call 877-LAPD-247, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

NBC 4

Rapper brothers Polo G and Trench Baby arrested after Chatsworth raid prompted by robbery

Polo G and Trench Baby, popular rappers who are also brothers, were arrested Wednesday after a raid on the former’s Chatsworth mansion, according to the LAPD. Officers raided the house of multi-platinum recording artist Polo G, whose legal name is Taurus Bartlett, 24, in search of his younger brother, Trench Baby, whose legal name is Taurean Bartlett, 18, the LAPD said Thursday in a statement. The younger Bartlett, who was wanted in a robbery, was taken into police custody. Also, while searching Taurus Bartlett’s $4.9-million mansion and car, police said they found an illegal short-barrel rifle, which resulted in the rapper’s arrest. Photos and video of the raid — obtained by TMZ — showed officers leading the brothers away from the home in handcuffs. Taurean Bartlett was released late Wednesday after posting $100,000 bail, while Taurus Bartlett was released on his own recognizance, according to Los Angeles County jail records. The younger Bartlett is due in court Sept. 13, while the older Bartlett is scheduled to appear on Sept. 12. When news of the arrests broke, Taurus Bartlett’s attorney, Bradford Cohen, told XXL and other outlets that police had “refused to allow us access to our client which is also an illegal and unethical practice and someone will have to answer for these new wrongful actions.”

Los Angeles Times

Homeless Man Arrested for Series of Hate Crimes in Santa Monica/West LA

At 1:00 p.m. on August 20, 2023, an unidentified male attacked a worker outside a business on Main Street, striking him in the back of his head with a large wooden dowel. The victim suffered a concussion and required stitches. The suspect was not located. The Santa Monica Police Department issued a bulletin for this person’s arrest that was shared with local law enforcement. On August 22, 2023, the same suspect assaulted two City of Santa Monica employees, throwing a glass bottle in their direction. He fled prior to police arrival. Officers determined both incidents were hate-related. The same day, LAPD issued a bulletin for Kevin Aamir Mumin, DOB: June 17, 1987, who was responsible for a series of hate crimes targeting Hispanic/Latinos in Los Angeles that closely matched the Santa Monica cases. Subsequent follow-up led SMPD detectives to identify Mumin as responsible for the Santa Monica incidents. On August 23, 2023, officers from LAPD’s 77th Division took Mumin, who is currently experiencing homelessness, into custody for crimes committed in Los Angeles.

Westside Current

Arrest made after 'suspicious toilet' triggered evacuation at Glendale mall

A 22-year-old Burbank man was arrested after a "suspicious toilet" found at the movie theater at the Americana in Glendale left a stench and triggered a brief evacuation. SkyFOX was over the popular shopping center Thursday evening where a potential bomb threat was under investigation. According to the Glendale Police Department, someone left the toilet in front of the AMC, claiming it was going to explode. One person, identified as Timothy Taratchila, was arrested for making a false bomb threat in the Glendale toiletgate. It is unknown where the toilet actually came from. The evacuation was eventually lifted and as of 10 p.m. and no injuries were reported.

FOX 11

'Like a coward': Kan. man flees from police, running over officer's leg

Two people were injured, including an officer who had his leg run over, after a welfare check led to a police pursuit and crash Thursday morning, Wichita police said. The chase ended near 15th and Meridian after the suspect, driving a truck, collided with a van, leaving the woman in that vehicle with possible serious injuries. The 51-year-old was taken to the hospital. The suspect then took off on foot before he was arrested, police Chief Joseph Sullivan said. "Witness accounts indicate that he was traveling at a high rate of speed and (ran) the stop sign behind me to make a turn and that's how the civilian injury occurred," Sullivan said. "Struck that vehicle at a relatively high rate of speed, drove it off the street, and, of course, like a coward, fled the scene, tried to run away, didn't check to see if the motorist he injured was OK or whether there were children in the car." Nicholas Shugart, 41, of Wichita has been arrested on suspicion of three counts of aggravated battery, two counts of failing to stop at an accident, one count of fleeing and eluding police and one count of driving with a suspended license. He was also arrested on different warrants, police said. Odessa Silcott, 27, of Wichita, a passenger in the truck, was arrested on four drug-related charges and a probation violation, police said.

Wichita Eagle

2 Texas officers seriously wounded during pursuit

A suspect shot and wounded two Texas officers during a car pursuit before barricading himself in an apartment complex Thursday evening, police said. He was later arrested after police set up a perimeter around the area, San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said during a press conference. The injured officers were transported to local hospitals in serious condition, said McManus, who did not identify the officers. Police received a tip around 5 p.m. about the location of a wanted person and police responded to the area. The suspect left the apartment complex carrying a long gun and joined a driver in a vehicle that started to leave. The suspect saw a carload of police behind them and began shooting, hitting one of the officers, McManus said. The pair carjacked a different vehicle and fled to another San Antonio apartment complex before shooting and wounding another officer multiple times, McManus said. The alleged shooter, who was not immediately identified, barricaded himself in the apartment complex. A social media post by McManus later said the shooting suspect had been taken into custody. Information about the driver of the vehicle was not immediately available.

Associated Press

Fire Crews Extinguish Structure Fire in Palms

Fire crews quickly knocked down a fire in a vacant and boarded one-story house Thursday in Palms. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, crews responded to the fire at about 5:15 p.m. in the area of Exposition Boulevard and South Canfield Avenue. Crews reported that flames were shooting through the roof of the structure. It took 37 firefighters 31 minutes to extinguish the flames, with no reported injuries. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

MyNewsLA

Crews battle large structure fire in South Los Angeles

Crews battled a large fire engulfing a commercial building in South Los Angeles on Thursday night. The fire ignited in a structure near the 7100 block of Avalon Boulevard around 5:40 p.m. Flames can be seen burning through the roof with nearby structures threatened, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Sky5 video shows heavy smoke covering the area as crews worked to extinguish the blaze. The building’s roof also appeared to have been completely damaged or collapsed. The structure contained materials of some kind, but it’s unclear what the contents consisted of. It’s unclear what caused the flames to ignite.

KTLA 5

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 9,200 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.