LA leaders approve $3 million to help LAPD continue to hire

The Los Angeles City Council voted on Wednesday to approve spending roughly $3 million so that the hiring and training of new police officers isn’t interrupted. Initial funding ran out last month and LA Mayor Karen Bass warned that a slowdown could cause the department to shrink to unsustainable levels. Wednesday’s vote authorizes more money for the year to allow the LAPD to hire dozens of new officers. In a statement, Bass said her objective as mayor is to keep residents safe, adding that the city “cannot have an effective police department when it is operating with the lowest staffing levels in years.” “When I released my budget, I prioritized police hiring and I have continued to push for more officers since,” Bass’ statement read. “The City Council’s action today will allow the department to hire a total of 410 new recruits this fiscal year and bring the police department to roughly 8,500 officers. While this is a critical investment, this number still does not hire to attrition – and it is not enough officers for a city of 3.8 million people. Although this is an important step, there is more work to do to invest in the safety of Angelenos.” The budget, which funds the bureaucracy of recruiting, screening and training new officers, aims to offset the hundreds of retirements forecast for each year. It’s predicted that about 500 officers may retire this year. The funding means the next police academy class will begin as scheduled in the next few weeks, with training continuing until the end of the fiscal year in June.

NBC 4

Attempted robbery at Boyle Heights taco truck turns deadly

An attempted robbery at a taco truck in Boyle Heights turned deadly overnight, police said. The incident unfolded just after 10 p.m. Wednesday near Soto Street and Wabash Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The suspected robber pulled a gun on a man who was eating at a taco truck. That man then pulled out his own gun and shot the robber multiple times. The robbery suspect, identified as a 26-year-old man, died at the hospital. Police say the other man drove off after the shooting, and they're now looking for him.

ABC 7

Pedestrian killed by hit-and-run driver while crossing South Los Angeles street, police say

A pedestrian was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver in South Los Angeles late Monday night, police said. It happened at around 10:15 p.m. on Olive Street, Los Angeles Police Department officers told CBS LA. They said that the vehicle involved was driving northbound when it struck a pedestrian who was crossing the street. Instead of stopping to help the victim, the driver continued in an unknown direction. The victim, only identified as a man, was declared dead at the scene. Police are working to locate evidence and surveillance footage in the area to see if they can identify the make and model of the vehicle involved. The street was closed for several hours as their investigation continued. 

CBS 2

Armed suspect arrested in North Hills after barricading in car overnight, SWAT called

Authorities arrested an armed suspect Thursday morning after he barricaded himself inside a vehicle overnight in North Hills, prompting a SWAT response, police confirmed. Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department were called to the area around 3:15 a.m. following reports of a man with a gun who refused to exit his vehicle, LAPD Media Relations Officer Cervantes said. The suspect was described as uncooperative, leading officers to request additional resources and call in SWAT as the standoff continued into the early morning hours. According to reports shared on the Citizen app, the incident unfolded near Hayvenhurst Place and Schoenborn Street in North Hills. The roadway in the area was shut down as officers worked to secure the scene. By 6:40 a.m., police confirmed the suspect had been taken into custody. It was not immediately clear how the standoff ended or whether the suspect was armed at the time of arrest. No injuries were reported, and authorities have not released details about the suspect’s identity or a possible motive.

KTLA 5

Woodland Hills couple in their 70s targeted in apparent home invasion robbery

A Woodland Hills couple in their 70s were targeted in an apparent home invasion robbery in late Tuesday night, authorities said. The Los Angeles Police Department received a call at 11:50 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20 about a possible robbery from a home located in the 22700 block of Erwin Street, located near the intersection of Fallbrook Avenue and Victory Boulevard. Investigators learned at least three armed suspects broke in through a French door in the back of the home. Upon entry, they took the homeowner into his office and forced him to open a safe at gunpoint. Detectives believe the couple may have been targeted because the homeowner is a well-known antiques dealer. He is retired but appears to be active in online sales. At this stage of the investigation, LAPD officials believe the suspects may have taken money and jewelry from the home. A detailed description of the suspects was not available and the names of the victims have not been released. 

FOX 11

‘I was devastated.' Laundromat owner's wife assaulted during robbery attempt in North Hollywood

A violent attempted robbery at a laundromat in North Hollywood Wednesday has left a business owner and his customers shaken up after an armed man stormed the business demanding money. Surveillance video captured the masked man barging into the Laundry King, wielding what the LAPD described as a metal pipe or rod. He demanded that employees open the store’s safe, but staff told him they did not have access. Moments later, the owner’s wife entered the business and became a direct target of the attacker. “He started shoving people, hitting them, and hitting my wife... throwing her to the ground,” said owner Varden Kostanian, who operates five Laundry King locations across the area. "When I saw the footage, I was devastated." A customer had already called the police as the chaos unfolded. LAPD arrived quickly and officers arrested the suspected attacker. Kostanian said business plummeted within minutes as word of the attack spread. “I’ve never seen my laundromat empty like this," said Kostanian. The business owner noted that safety concerns in the area have been ongoing for years — prompting him to employ a security guard nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

NBC 4

Officials seize 350 lbs of meth, 7 guns in Southern California

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office is touting “the seizure of hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and illegal firearms” from a “Mexico-based drug trafficking organization” after a two-month investigation. Officials said in a news release that the organization, which they didn’t identify, depended upon Sergio Sanchez of Moreno Valley to operate a safehouse, helping transport drugs from the Southwest border and allow them to be distributed in Southern California, including Ventura County. Sanchez, who was working with co-conspirators, including Ventura County residents, was arrested in the 11900 block of Indian Street in Moreno Valley on Dec. 17, the VCSO said. That was the location where Sanchez “stored, packaged and delivered bulk shipments of methamphetamine, the VCSO added. Searching Sanchez’s home, detectives say they found “approximately 350 pounds of methamphetamine, five rifles, ammunition, two handguns, U.S. Currency, and additional evidence to support drug sales.” Though the VCSO said they seized five rifles and two handguns, an image supplied by the agency seems to show that four rifles and three handguns were seized.

KTLA 5

BWC: Suspect fires at San Diego officer during foot pursuit

Body-worn camera footage released Tuesday shows a San Diego police officer exchange gunfire with a man — wounding the suspect — during a foot pursuit in Balboa Park last month. Allen Baker, 55, allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired just before Officer Kellan Taeatafa-De La Rosa returned fire multiple times, striking Baker, on Dec. 16 near Balboa and Quince drives, investigators said. Baker was arrested on charges of attempted murder of a peace officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting under a countywide agreement that law enforcement agencies do not investigate shootings involving their own officers. Taeatafa-De La Rosa has been with the San Diego Police Department for about five years and is currently assigned to patrol at the Central Division. The edited video begins by showing Taeatafa-De La Rosa and another officer attempting to make contact with a man riding an e-bike in Balboa Park, text in the video reads. The video shows Taeatafa-De La Rosa driving in his patrol vehicle, seemingly waving toward the cyclist and telling him to stop or pull over. As the officer stopped his vehicle and exited, the man ditched his bicycle and ran away. Taeatafa-De La Rosa chased him through the park for about 30 seconds. When Baker reached a clearing, he appeared to turn toward Taeatafa-De La Rosa.

San Diego Union-Tribune

K-9 aids Arizona sheriff’s office in traffic stop drug bust that netted 70,000 suspected fentanyl pills

A traffic stop on Interstate 17 south of Flagstaff resulted in the seizure of approximately 70,000 suspected fentanyl pills, according to a press release from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). The stop occurred on Friday, Jan. 9, shortly before 10 a.m., near the Kelly Canyon Road Exit. The CCSO K-9 Unit received consent to search the vehicle and reportedly found 17.58 pounds of suspected fentanyl. The driver of the vehicle, 36-year-old Angel Salgado-Chavez, was arrested and booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility for transportation of narcotic drugs for sale. That offense is a Class 2 felony in Arizona. State law also specifies that transporting more than 200 grams of fentanyl (about half a pound) in a motor vehicle carries a mandatory prison sentence of five to 15 years. No additional information was immediately available.

The Arizona Daily Sun

LA Council Moves to Disclose Private Communications in Charter Reform Process

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday approved a motion calling for a proposed ordinance that would require disclosure of all private communications between Charter Reform Commissioners and elected officials. In a 12-0 vote, the City Council approved the motion and requested the city attorney’s office to draft an ordinance to ensure compliance with similar ex parte communications outlined in Los Angeles Charter Code Section 2.22. The section describes a similar policy for the city’s redistricting commission. The proposed ordinance would enforce transparency regarding private discussions between elected officials or their staff and members of the commission outside of public meetings. Council members advanced the motion with an amendment clarifying that any violation of the proposed ordinance would be pursued civilly. The proposed ordinance is expected to be drafted and return to council for a vote by Jan. 27. “The transparency of the city’s charter reform process is essential to maintaining public trust in the structure and functions of the city of Los Angeles government. To help maintain this trust and ensure the integrity of the Charter Reform Commission’s deliberations, the city should adopt guardrails that ensure the commissioners are protected from undue influence,” according to the motion.

MyNewsLA

Los Angeles County leaders announce new Homeless Services and Housing Department

As the three-day Los Angeles regional homeless count launches on Tuesday, county leaders announced the new Homeless Services and Housing Department. The new department was formed after the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to strip the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority of more than $300 million in funding last year. The LAHSA agency had come under fire when a federal court review faulted it for losing track of billions in taxpayer funds while failing to address the region's homelessness crisis. An audit revealed that LAHSA could not account for tens of millions of dollars. The board of supervisors voted in April 2025 to essentially defund the joint city-county LAHSA and instead form its own department. County leaders delivered remarks Tuesday from the Emergency and Centralized Response Center, core to the new department and its mission of coordination and centralization. "As the region measures the crisis (with the homeless count), Los Angeles County is fixing what hasn't worked," Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said.

CBS 2

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,700 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.