Results tagged “LASD” from Crime Scene

A report in USA Today notes that the FBI claims criminal gangs are responsible for 80 percent of our nation's crime. Here's the story.

No Chargers in Industry this year, at least that's a what a report in the San Diego Business Journal claims.

Local soldier Sgt. Hy Thai, of Monterey Park is profiled on News Blaze, for his work in Iraq.

Detroit cops slow to respond to reports of frozen body in abandoned warehouse, according to the Detroit News and the Associated Press, which cites the indifference of cops there as part of the city's overall problem.

LASO unveils new technology in the pursuit of criminals.

Students at Kwis Elementary School, Newton Middle School, Los Altos High School and Shadybend Elementary School were kept in classrooms from the start of school until noon while authorities searched for two of the four suspects.
School officials were not fazed.
"This is a very normal situation. They always notify our school district," said Norman Hsu, school board member for the Hacienda-La Puente District. "These happen very often. This is not the first time. This is like the fourth time this month."

Recently, the Federal Signal ALPR network has assisted LASD in solving two key cases. A serial rapist in South Los Angeles approached female pedestrians and forced them into his vehicle at gunpoint. A victim obtained a license plate number and provided police with a vehicle description; however, the address for the registered owner of the vehicle was no longer correct. With the help of Federal Signal's ALPR Back Office System Software (BOSS) by PIPS, investigators pinpointed prior vehicle sightings, which led them to the suspect's workplace. The employer provided a cell phone number for the suspect, which enabled police to locate the suspect and make an arrest.

 

In another case, a shooting left one victim dead. Witnesses provided police with a partial license plate and vehicle description. A query of this data in the Federal Signal BOSS system provided investigators with a full license plate number which enabled them to identify the suspect. Surveillance was established on the suspect's address, and the suspect was in custody less than 24-hours after the shooting. The suspect was also wanted in connection with three other homicides.

 

Sheriff Lee Baca responded to a series of articles that have appeared in this paper over the past week. Here's the top of our story:

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is reexamining how it collects towing fees in response to allegations a former traffic sergeant took nearly $500,000 from the city of La Puente in impound revenues, officials said.

"We are doing that now," Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. "We are probably going to go to a cashless system. Using something like an ATM card to make it more difficult for theft to occur."

Whitmore also said the department is reviewing several other internal policies and will consult with the Board of Supervisors.

Former Sgt. Joe Dyer, who used to work out of the Industry sheriff's station until he retired in May, has been under investigation since the beginning of the year.

The quarterly report on the Sheriff's department filed by the County Office of Independent Review is a detailed list of investigations into a variety of miscounduct by employees of the Sheriff's Department. Much of it never gets reported in the MSM.

There are stories of domestic violence, theft, beatings and sex with inmates at the county jail.

Interestingly enough there appears to be no mention of Industry Sgt. Joe Dyer, accused of embezzling something like $500,000 worth of towing fees from the City of La Puente. The case is under investigation by the Sheriff's Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau, and reportedly has been refered to the OIR. *

* An anonymous caller points out that a similar incident is mentioned on page 8 of the report. It also says that it was turned over for prosecution but that the DA's office rejected the case.

Here's the text from that entry:

**Officials now say that was a separate case from another station. Apparently the problem is widespread in the sheriff's department. Anyone want to bet that the policies for handling tow money is about to change? How many other cities have been shortchaged?

Tania Chatila pieced this story together from a variety of sources who indicated something fishy was happening in La Puente after Industry Capt. Mike Smith was transferred on a Sunday afternoon.

Here's the top of the story, and a link:

LOS ANGELES - A sheriff's deputy is suspected of embezzling nearly half a million dollars in towing fees from the city of La Puente, officials said Thursday.

Sheriff Lee Baca said the department's Internal Criminal Investigations Bureau is investigating allegations that former traffic Sgt. Joe Dyer stole nearly $500,000.

"My belief is that no one is above the law and I think that the criminal justice system will act appropriately in this case," Baca said Thursday.

Dyer, who could not be reached for comment, retired in May after detectives "established a need for an investigation regarding funds at the Industry station that were missing," Baca said.

Dyer's supervisor, Capt. Michael Smith, was reassigned to the sheriff's headquarters in Monterey Park effective Sunday, officials said.

The District Attorney is aware of the case, Baca said. He expected it would be submitted for review by the end of the year.

"We've done as much as we can to build a good strong case," Baca said.

The investigation was launched in January.