Keep Bailing

The LAPD Habitual DUI Offenders Unit (H2O) is on the lookout for DUI offenders who are driving around on a suspended license. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, nearly 50 to 75 percent of all convicted drunk drivers will still drive even if their license is suspended.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission, it is believed that nearly 8 percent of fatal alcohol-related accidents are caused by repeat DUI offenders. Last year in California, 791 people were killed in alcohol-related accidents. This number has been declining due to increased public awareness and law enforcement.

The H2O Unit arrested 104 of the nearly 500 offenders that they had been monitoring last year. Just in the Valley this year, there have been 962 DUI accidents with four people killed. In 2010, there were 985 crashes with four people killed.

It is estimated that over 300,000 Californians have been convicted of three or more DUI offenses and Read more »

The Los Angeles Times as reported that there has been a “recent upswing” in attempts to hack LAPD websites and computers.   None of the attempts, said police officials, have been successful.

The LAPD has been on heightened alert since the home address, telephone number, cell phone number and email address of the UC Davis police officer who pepper-sprayed student protesters was posted on-line by the hacking group “Anonymous”.

“Anonymous” initiates active civil obedience through “hacktivism” and has made a name for itself through releasing personal, classified and private information of its targets.  CNN has posited the group as being one of the three major successors to WikiLeaks.

The group has recently been linked to attacks launched on the websites of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system and the Fullerton Police Department.  Last summer, “Anonymous” said it would take down the Fullerton PD website entirely if it didn’t submit to demands regarding the August beating death of a homeless man.  Those demands included the resignation of the police chief as well as the prosecution of the five officers involved in the beating.  The attack, which claimed would “remove entirely” the website from the world wide web as well as black-fax and email-bomb every inbox at the Department was not successful. BART, however, was forced to shut down MyBART.org temporarily until the website could be re-secured.

Reportedly, most of the attempted hacks to the Los Angeles Police Department have been an attempt to gain access to Read more »

With the official kick off of the holiday shopping season just a day away, members of the Los Angeles Police Department are urging shoppers to exercise care so as to avoid becoming victims of theft.

Simple things, they say, such as remembering to lock vehicle doors and storing packages in the trunk can go a long way.  Persons who leave packages and gifts in plain sight have a higher likelihood of having their cars broken into and their items stolen.

The message being relayed is relatively simple:
• Lock It: Lock your vehicle every time you leave it unattended and always lock your valuables in the trunk.
• Hide It: If you don’t have a trunk, hide valuables under the seats, in the glove box, or other compartments within the   vehicle.
• Keep It: Personal responsibility is the best prevention to safeguard personal property and to prevent becoming a victim

CBS Los Angeles has reported that owners of American-made sport utility vehicles should Read more »

If you’ve ever picked up an entertainment magazine you’ve likely seen a story or two about an actor diving head first into research for an upcoming role.

Lucy Liu, who first became famous for her role in Ally McBeal; is no exception to that rule. Her newest acting gig  has landed her a recurring part on the TNT drama Southland, where she plays a hardworking member of the Los Angeles Police Department.

In order to better acquaint herself with the part,  Read more »

Many holidays, Halloween included, are oftentimes linked to a spike in DUI arrests. Reporting that sobriety checkpoints will be set up throughout California this weekend to ensure drivers, passengers and pedestrians remain safe while celebrating Halloween.

The Los Angeles Police Department is advising that those who are attending parties to plan a safe way hope prior to arriving and/or to designate a sober driver to get them home at the end of the night. It’s also recommended those who have had a few too many drinks call a taxi, friend, roommate, or family member or to take public transportation to get home.  It’s further suggested that if you see someone who is visibly impaired who is about to get behind the wheel, to take their keys and assist in getting them home safely.

In our experience, most people who are arrested for first time DUI are Read more »

California Gov. Jerry Brown has recently signed a number of bills into law, including one that prohibits Californians from carrying unloaded handguns without a permit.  The new law will go into effect on Jan. 1 2012, reports Southern California Public Radio station KPCC.

The second measure seeks funding for newly mandated prison realignment, which went into effect earlier this month. The mandate requires inmates convicted of “low-level” felonies be transferred from state to local prisons.  It also provides for the release of 30,000 inmates.

Clearly, this impacts the LAPD and Los Angeles jails. Many Los Angelenos, for obvious reasons, are wondering how this will effect their day-t0-day lives. In a recent interview with KPCC, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Beck broke it all down.

• On The New Open-Carry Restriction:  “Carrying guns openly in public is most certainly a recipe for disaster,” Beck told KPCC. “Los Angeles police officers would certainly detain more people with guns which is always dangerous, and I’m glad that doesn’t have to happen.”

• On Prison Realignment:   “This is very much doing something that I don’t like to do, which is building the plane while you fly it. I don’t like Read more »

Operations Valley Bureau Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese has been tapped to head the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Detective Bureau, said Police Chief Charlie Beck.

According to an Oct. 10 report by the LA Times, Albanese will replace soon-to-be-retiring Deputy Chief David Doan.    Albanese, a 31-year veteran, will be replaced by Commander Jorge Villegas. Albanese will report to  Special Operations Assistant Chief Michel R. Moore.

Although may be considered unusual to put a commander at the head of the reigns for an area bureau, Beck cited city “financial issues” as being a driving force behind that decision.

The LAPD Detective Bureau Read more »

What does it take to get a DUI? Well, take your precautions this weekend and each time you drive. Additionally, the Daily News has published Sobriety (“DUI”) checkpoints for the Los Angeles Police Department for Labor Day Weekend:

Friday, September 2, 2011 Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

- Venice Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in Wilshire Area
- Topanga Boulevard and Califa Street in Topanga Area

Saturday, September 3, 2011 – Sobriety Checkpoint from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

• Venice Read more »

Actor Nick Nolte is well-known for his many starring roles, and is clearly comfortable portraying a police officer. This star has started on another rise it seems, with his performance in the UFC drama Warrior which opens in theaters September 9th.

That Oscar-worthy performance has people looking at Nolte with a fresh pair of eyes. And now, his upcoming supporting role in Ruben Fleischer’s Gangster Squad is adding to the shine on this actor.

Nolte will be playing Bill Parker, LAPD’s new chief of police. In a time where so many officers have been tainted by corruption. Sean Penn will be playing Mickey Cohen, leader of a local criminal organization. Nolte’s character Read more »

LAPD‘s Off Road Enforcement Unit has a 50-year history in the department, patrolling the areas police cruisers cannot reach. Officers keep watch over the rural areas of the San Fernando Valley with more than 165 miles of trails and fire roads.

Currently, the unit has two sergeants and seven officers that patrol on dirt bikes a few times during the month and serving as motorcycle traffic officers the rest of the time. Sargent Gomez of the Valley Traffic Division says that the dirt bikes are “very useful, more so than horses. They can get up where horses can’t.”

The unit complements a civilian group of volunteers on horseback who Read more »