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Rick Chavez Zbur raises $254,000 for 2022 LA City Attorney race

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                   Rick Chavez Zbur (Photo by Claudia Unger, courtesy Zbur)

The November 3 election can’t come fast enough for many Americans devastated by the Trump administration’s disastrous handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the upending of civil liberties. But with stabilizing the economy and rebuilding the nation’s healthcare system expected to take at least a year after regime change, many in Los Angeles are looking beyond the immediate future to March 2022, when Primary elections will begin to shape a new city government.

Hopeful Angelinos envision a city government shaken free of institutionalized modus operandi and willing to tackle progressive reform by rooting out the systemic injustice that Black Lives Matter and others have been protesting for years.

On the 2022 ballot are races for Mayor, City Controller, and the odd numbered half of the 15 City Council seats, including Districts 11 and 13 now held by out Councilmembers Mike Bonin and Mitch O’Farrell, respectively. But it is the City Attorney who will be called upon to deliver advice and counsel and help develop new policies to address injustice.

Rick Chavez Zbur, Executive Director of Equality California, wants that job. While continuing to lead the organization he’s shaped and expanded since 2015, Zbur is also out sharing this vision for what he would do as the city’s top legal counsel.

And Angelinos are listening. The former senior and first openly gay partner at the famed law firm of Latham & Watkins — where he was known for his advocacy on environmental issues as president and chair of the board of the California League of Conservation Voters — Zbur has already raised $254,000 for a race that’s just under two years away.

“I am proud of my work leading the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, now more than ever. As executive director, raising the funds to continue Equality California’s important work to create a world that is healthy, just and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people and the diverse communities to which we belong remains my highest priority,” Zbur, who officially launched his campaign in April, tells the Los Angeles Blade. “I will continue to campaign for LA City Attorney — as I have been for the last few months — on my own time outside of work.”

Rick Chavez Zbur with his mom, Erlinda Chavez Zbur (Photo courtesy Zbur)

Political service is personal for the graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School who ran for Congress in 1996. Zbur grew up in a small farm town in the Rio Grande Valley south of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where his mother, Erlinda Chavez Zbur and her family have lived for generations.

“Growing up, my mom taught me the values of responsibility, hard work, and what devotion and love for family really means,” says the father of three who recently took his mother’s maiden name, Chavez, to honor her legacy and her 96th birthday.

Zbur is the proud co-parent of a 15-year-old daughter Shireen Valerie and twin 11-year-old sons Rafael Nikhil and Rayan Francisco(Photo courtesy Zbur)

But “family” means more than the tight circle of biology to include brothers and sisters marginalized and left behind by society. With the Equality California board, Zbur has expanded the organization’s mission to advocate for LGBTQ civil rights through an intersectional lens, spotlighting poverty, discrimination and health disparities experienced by people of color, transgender people and LGBTQ undocumented communities locally, statewide and on the federal level.

“Family” also means serving as a role model. If elected, Zbur would be the first out gay and first Latino city attorney in LA history.

“Government serves the people when government is representative of the public that it serves,” says Zbur. “LGBTQ people are not represented in proportion to our numbers in the public. It’s important because we bring a perspective that is important to government. And it’s important that LGBTQ people have role models in government, showing that you can do anything if you work hard and follow your dreams.”

Attorney Bob Burke, San Diego City Councilmember and Assembly candidate Chris Kehoe, attorney Rick Zbur, attorney Cecilia Estolano at a fundraiser for Kehoe at Burke’s house in Hollywood 2000 (Photo by Karen Ocamb) 

Three years ago, Equality California hired Tulchin Research to conduct a statewide poll to gauge what percentage of California’s voters identify as LGBTQ. “We were actually surprised to find the 12% of registered voters in the state of California are members of the LGBTQ community,” a percentage not reflected in the number of out elected officials.

“My running for city attorney, advancing LGBTQ civil rights and social justice clearly will be an important priority, but I’ve dedicated my career to really advancing progressive values and focusing on work that helps improve the lives of average and vulnerable people,” Zbur tells the Los Angeles Blade.

LA City Attorney Mike Feuer, California Senate Pro Tem Kevin De Leon, Equality California’s Rick Zbur, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, Assemblymember Miguel Santiago, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck at Nov. 3, 2016 press conference on #Transform CA kickoff to support transgender rights. (Photo via @CityAttorneyLA twitter)

Though Zbur has great respect for Mayor Eric Garcetti and City Attorney Mike Feuer, “I consider myself a reform candidate,” he tells the LA Blade.

“We’re starting a new potential eight-year period with a new set of elected officials. And we’re moving into a period now where the world has changed around us,” says Zbur. “I’ll be bringing a fresh perspective that has been advised by the life I’ve lived.”

The job is exciting “because of the power this office has to reform how the city does business,” he says, starting with looking at the city’s problems and how the city attorney can provide strategic leadership in solving some of those  problems.

Zbur wants to create a “reform public policy legal think tank in the city attorney’s office,” becoming partners with the mayor and the city council rather than just respond to proposals that bubble up, “tackling many of the problems that plague our communities.”

The crisis of homelessness is a critical, personal issue for Zbur.

“LGBTQ people are probably the group that is most represented among people experiencing homelessness,” Zbur says, citing statistics from the Williams Institute and a host of other studies. “Four out of 10 homeless youth are LGBTQ. The number is almost as high among homeless adults. So 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ when we may be five to 10% of the population. That’s anywhere from four to eight times higher than our portion of the general public.”

Attorney Rick Zbur c 1996 (Photo by Karen Ocamb)

Los Angeles must deal with this crisis, says Zbur, who has been concerned with these issues since serving as a young attorney in the early 1990s.

“We’ve got to get outside of the boxes that have constrained making progress on it,” he says. “I think that we can address homelessness in a manner that focuses on making sure that we are trying to lift people out of homelessness, and getting them into transition services,” not just use the enforcement authority to sweep people out of areas and charge them with misdemeanor crimes.

“Think about it. You’ve got homeless folks that basically are just racking up misdemeanor, criminal records,” he says. “We need to do things like give them an opportunity to expunge their records when they get on their feet. And we need to have new laws that prevent for-profit criminal reporting agencies from reporting expunged crimes” on background checks. “Part of it is using administrative citation tools, as opposed to criminal enforcement, to get people into transition services.”

Zbur says it’s important to step back and look at all the pieces needed to make improvement happen. As city attorney, “I want to approach problems in systematic and systemic ways.”

The latest LA County homeless report did not include LGBTQ statistics.

“The fact that there’s no LGBTQ data collection happening” means, Zbur says, that “you don’t know the extent to which our community is suffering….If you’re not gathering data, you’re not counting LGBTQ people. We don’t count. We’re invisible.”

Zbur says he would use the bully pulpit of the City Attorney’s office to advocate for state laws, as well as advocating that the city begins gathering LGBTQ data voluntarily.

“Every public agency that gathers demographic data on race and ethnicity should be gathering it voluntarily on sexual orientation and gender identity,” Zbur says. “It’s important information to understand the extent to which our community is facing challenges and disparities and measures of health and wellbeing. And it’s important to understand whether public programs are meeting the needs of our community.”

LGBTQ data is needed to review police charging policies, as well.

“We’ve got many, many cases of transgender people, particularly transgender women, being arrested simply on solicitation charges for really walking around,” says Zbur, who advocates policies that “deemphasize that as a public problem.”

Photo of Rick Zbur by Claudia Unger, courtesy Zbur

Zbur says he wants to scrutinize “differential kinds of enforcement” that wind up with the city mistreating trans people, undocumented immigrants, and members of the Black and Latinx communities.

“I really want to take a new, fresh look at how charging decisions are made and really looking at reforming them and really trying to address some of this systemic discrimination that is embedded in the way our laws are enforced,” Zbur says. Anytime “you’re seeing disproportionate impacts on a particular community, then that raises a flag that you’ve got a problem.”

As City Attorney, Zbur wants to work with the police commission and the police department to do “a full scale review” of the office’s charging policies and to review “where their enforcement priorities are and take real steps to address systemic discrimination that’s embedded in our criminal justice system,” including racism, homophobia, transphobia and xenophobia.

“Systemic problems need systemic approaches to solve them,” says Zbur. “The city attorney not only has a role in deciding whether to prosecute or defend the city in a particular case, it can look at the policies that guide all the city’s actions.”

For more on Zbur’s campaign, including endorsements, go to: https://rickchavezzbur.com/

To get a sense of Zbur, watch his remarks during the 2019 Equality California Equality Awards, celebrating the organization’s 20th anniversary:

“Yes, we face threats from the White House and an administration that’s hell-bent on rolling back the progress we’ve achieved. But at every turn, we keep moving forward because we in California have a special role in leading this movement and doing so boldly. As my friend Congressman Mark Takano likes to say, ‘ We’re here, We’re queer. And we’re Californians.’ We cannot and we will not rest knowing that members of our community or the diverse communities to which we belong, don’t have full lived equality.”

 

 

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Los Angeles

L.A. Marathon is Sunday & here are road closures to avoid

Roughly 25,000 runners will stream through city streets with the goal of completing Sunday’s 39th Los Angeles Marathon

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L.A. Marathon 2023 (Photo Credit: City of West Hollywood/Jon Viscott)

LOS ANGELES – Celebrating its 39th year of running, the Los Angeles Marathon course will begin at Dodger Stadium and it will conclude at Century Park in Century City. The portion of the route that runs through the City of West Hollywood remains unchanged.

Roughly 25,000 runners will stream through city streets, passing by iconic venues, all with the goal of completing Sunday’s 39th Los Angeles Marathon. The 26.2-mile course begins at Dodger Stadium, with the competition getting underway at 7 a.m. and going through several communities, including Echo Park, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood and Century City.

The finish line is at Santa Monica Boulevard and Avenue of the Stars in Century City. Most streets will reopen by 1 p.m. Sunday, with parts of Avenue of the Stars and Century Park East near the finish line being the last to reopen at 8 p.m.

The Los Angeles Marathon route for 2024 will guide runners westbound into the City of West Hollywood along Sunset Boulevard at Marmont Lane, just west of N. Crescent Heights Boulevard. From the Sunset Strip, runners will turn left (south) onto N. San Vicente Boulevard; then right (west) onto Santa Monica Boulevard; then left (south) onto N. Doheny Drive, where they will enter the City of Beverly Hills. The Marathon will run through West Hollywood between miles 14 and 15 of the course.

To ensure the safety of the large numbers of Los Angeles Marathon runners, there will be several street closures in the City of West Hollywood on Sunday, March 17, 2024 from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m.; crews will work to reopen roads to vehicle traffic as quickly as possible as the Marathon moves through the City of West Hollywood:

  • Sunset Boulevard between Marmont Lane and Clark Street/N. San Vicente Boulevard (the route enters the City of West Hollywood from the City of Los Angeles west along Sunset Boulevard from Marmont Lane, just west of N. Crescent Heights Boulevard);
  • N. San Vicente Boulevard between Sunset Boulevard and Melrose Avenue;
  • Santa Monica Boulevard between La Cienega Boulevard and N. Doheny Drive;
  • N. Doheny Drive between Santa Monica Boulevard and Beverly Boulevard (the route exits the City of West Hollywood to the City of Beverly Hills south along N. Doheny Drive).

Parking will be strictly prohibited along the Los Angeles Marathon route. “No Parking” signs will be posted prior to the event. Vehicles in violation will be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense.

Los Angeles Marathon spectators and community members who are searching for alternative parking solutions in West Hollywood during the Los Angeles Marathon are encouraged to visit the City of West Hollywood’s website, where a directory of parking structures and municipal lots with hours of operation and rates is available online. Members of the public are encouraged to carpool and to use public transportation, taxis, or ridesharing options.

Roads will be closed to the public for the event as early as 3 a.m. on Sunday. They include roads along the route. A map of closures can be found below:

A map of road closures along the L.A. Marathon course for Sunday, March 17, 2024. The closures will begin as early as 3 a.m. (Google Maps)

A full list of complete-street closures can be found at this link: L.A. Marathon course closures.

Along with the fully closed roads along the entire course, several streets will be local access only, meaning only residents can access these roads since they aren’t on the race course. Residents can ask for local access at the traffic closure.

A list of local-access only areas can be found at this link: L.A. Marathon additional street closures.

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Crescenta Valley councilman urinates on doorway to LGBTQ bar

One of the men on the video was later identified as Chris Kilpatrick, an elected member of the Crescenta Valley Town Council

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DTLA LGBTQ+ bar manager scuffles with men after they urinate on bar's employee entrance doorway. (Screenshot/YouTube KABC 7)

UPDATED: The Crescenta Valley Town Council (CVTC) on Thursday announced councilman Chris Kilpatrick had resigned. “Today, Councilmember Chris Kilpatrick tendered his resignation from the Crescenta Valley Town Council,” CVTC said in a statement posted to Instagram.

LOS ANGELES – In an incident caught on surveillance security video this past weekend at the Precinct DTLA queer bar located at 357 South Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, two men are seen walking into the alcove of the employee entrance to the bar and urinating on the door.

One of the men on the video was later identified as Chris Kilpatrick, an elected member of the Crescenta Valley Town Council. In an interview with KABC 7 Eyewitness News, Jeremy Lucido, bar’s general manager said:

“I was walking to my car on the sidewalk, noticed two guys, drunk with their full cocktails,” Lucido said. “I recognized the glasses from our bar so I knew they (had been) inside. I told them ‘whatsup! You can’t have your drinks out here’ and I went to grab one of the cups and the tall dude pushed me and I flew back.”

Lucido said that when he later reviewed the surveillance security video, he realized that they were the same men he had the altercation with. He told KABC 7 that he posted the video to the bar’s Instagram account which then racked up over 5,000 views and reactions.

“Two bros walk into a bar. 🍻👬😵🚫 Last Saturday night, these two party boys decided to show everyone what not to do at Precinct. They first left the bar with full cocktail glasses in hand, then decided to go to our employee entrance, whip out their 🍤 and piss all over it together. 💛 When done, they rounded the corner where one of the managers spotted the drinks and tried to take them away; the big one reacted by physically assaulting him, throwing him to the ground. Precinct is a safe space for all; let’s have a good time. Don’t be a d*ck. 🫶🏼 oh, yeah, we also have several bathrooms.”

KABC 7 reported that the video has racked up nearly 1,000 comments. Many commenters identified one of the men as Kilpatrick.

“The comments just grew very fast with different stories, other parties and party hosts, and bar managers, like ‘oh yeah, we know them’,” Lucido told KABC 7.

John Duran, an attorney for Kilpatrick in a statement to KABC claimed that Lucido did not identify himself as a bar employee. He says Kilpatrick acted in self-defense, believing he was going to be gay-bashed.

The attorney’s statement read in part: “…public urination is not a criminal offense. It is an infraction under the Los Angeles Municipal Code and one can be cited to pay a fine for this violation. Battery is a misdemeanor offense including an unlawful touching as exhibited by individual one, who grabbed my client first. Pushing back is an affirmative defense if done to defend oneself or others.”

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LAPD seeking additional victims of celebrity photographer

If you have been a victim or have information about this investigation, you are urged to contact LAPD’s Special Assault Section: 213-473-0447

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Kenneth Howard Dolin via screenshot YouTube & headshot provided via the Los Angeles Police Department

LOS ANGELES – Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Operations-West Bureau Special Assault Section (SAS) are seeking additional victims in a series of sexual assaults in the Hancock Park area.

On January 10, 2024, a 29-year-old woman reported that she was sexually assaulted by Kenneth Howard Dolin at his residence/photography studio in Wilshire Division. Dolin is a well-known photographer and acting coach.

KTLA 5 news reported that Dolin’s website includes photos of “Saturday Night Live” stars like Chris Parnell and Molly Shannon, former Laker and actor Rick Fox, “numerous multiple Oscar and Emmy Award winning actors” and “luminaries from the worlds of business and media,” he writes.

He has significant connections in the entertainment industry and has been known to solicit victims on modeling websites. The detective’s follow-up investigation revealed that two additional female victims in their mid-twenties also accused Dolin of sexual assault in 2017. All three incidents began with professional contacts that led to reports of Dolin touching women inappropriately during photo shoots when they were alone in his studio.

On March 4, 2024, SAS investigators arrested 64-year-old Kenneth Howard Dolin for 289(a) P.C., Penetration with a Foreign Object (booking #6769557). He has since been released from custody pending further investigation. 

“These victims felt trapped and had to comply with his advances,” said Detective Brent Hopkins, a supervisor with the Special Assault Section. “There’s a huge difference between art photography and sexual assault. We want to make sure we know everything that happened and make sure that line does not get crossed again.”

Investigators believe other victims have yet to be identified. A photograph of the suspect is being released to identify and speak with those victims.

If you have been a victim or have information about this investigation, you are urged to contact Officer Richard Podkowski, Special Assault Section, at 213-473-0447.

During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247).

Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly towww.lacrimestoppers.org.

Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.

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Mom says beating & stabbing of her 16-year-old son is a hate crime

The video shows the teen cover his face as he’s being stomped, kicked & stabbed as homophobic epithets & racist slurs can be heard being used

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Photo provided by the family of the victim

PLAYA DEL REY, Calif. – The mother of a sixteen-year-old boy is asking for community support as her son recovers from a vicious beating and stabbing by multiple people at Dockweiler Beach while his attackers shouted racial and homophobic slurs, the entire incident caught on mobile phone video.

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told the Blade that based on witness statements some of the suspect assailants have been identified as minors and are being interviewed by LAPD detectives. The spokesperson noted that investigators are aware of the video footage of the attack, including it in their criminal probe.

The mother Frankie, who chose to remain unidentified by her surname, told both the LAPD and KABC 7 Eyewitness News the assault happened Feb. 10 at a bonfire party at the beach. She says her son suffered a concussion and spent days in the intensive care unit with severe injuries.

“He had a tube going through his chest. They had to collapse a lung to repair the other lung,” she said. “They had to take a camera in his stomach to check to see if there was anything else going on in his stomach because there was so much blood.”

According to the mother, the fight started after her son tried to help a friend and that he was not the aggressor – a detail police confirmed to KABC Eyewitness News.

“When he went to go help her up I guess the guys didn’t like it, and they came and wanted to fight, and my son didn’t want any problems,” his mother said. “The guy just pushed him, and then another guy came and they just all started attacking him – there was nothing my son could do.”

The video showed the teen cover his face as he’s being stomped, kicked and stabbed by at least five assailants. Also homophobic epithets and racist slurs can be heard yelled by the attackers. Initially when she got to hospital, When she got to the hospital, doctors told her they weren’t sure if he would survive. “Everything went black from there,” she added.

The LAPD has not classified it as a hate crime and continue to investigate.

The mother has set up a GoFundMe page to help offset medical expenses which continue to increase as he remains in hospital recovering and the costs of relocating.

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TransLatin@ Coalition celebrates 15 Years of advocacy & progress

The organization has achieved numerous milestones, including founding of the Center for Violence Prevention & Transgender Wellness in 2015

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Led by Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, the press conference highlighted the perilous situations faced by transgender and Latinx individuals in their home countries. (Photo by Simha Haddad)

LOS ANGELES, CA – Today, the TransLatin@ Coalition commemorated a significant milestone as it marked the launch of its 15th Anniversary Campaign during a press conference held in Los Angeles. The event also served as a platform to unveil the organization’s 2023 Annual Report, shedding light on its journey, accomplishments, and ongoing commitments.

Led by Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition, the press conference highlighted the perilous situations faced by transgender and Latinx individuals in their home countries, where they often confront insurmountable violence.

Salcedo emphasized the harsh reality that many flee to cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco seeking asylum, only to encounter further violence and danger, often leading to deportation and, tragically, sending them back to potential harm or death.

A poignant moment of the event was the unveiling of a new logo commemorating the organization’s 15th anniversary, aptly dubbed their “quinceañera.” This symbolizes not only a milestone but also a renewed commitment to advocacy and support for the TransLatin@ community.

In a groundbreaking announcement, Salcedo revealed plans for a $35 million state of the art multiservice and multipurpose space aimed at providing a safe and secure space for transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. With $20 million already secured, this initiative underscores the organization’s dedication to addressing the pressing needs of the community.

The TransLatin@ Coalition, founded in 2009 by a group of transgender and gender nonconforming immigrant women in Los Angeles, has evolved into a nationally recognized organization with a presence in 10 states across the U.S. It offers direct services to transgender, gender nonconforming, and intersex individuals in Los Angeles, with a focus on empowering and improving the quality of life for its members.

Since its inception, the organization has achieved numerous milestones, including the establishment of the Center for Violence Prevention and Transgender Wellness in 2015, the opening of the first-ever TransLatin@ office in 2016, and the launch of the #TransPolicyAgenda in 2019.

The TransLatin@ Coalition’s advocacy efforts have also extended to legislative triumphs, such as the passage of AB2218 in 2020, which allocates grant funding for transgender wellness and equity programs, and supporting bills like AB1163 and AB 1487, aimed at advancing transgender rights.

With the recent expansion to include the El Monte site and the opening of a new building on Sunset, the TransLatin@ Coalition continues to broaden its reach and impact, reaffirming its commitment to serving the community and creating inclusive spaces where history is made and celebrated.

“Beautiful and amazing people, who are trans, gender non-conforming, or intersex, please know that you are beautiful and amazing and that you are valued. Do not feel alone. There is a whole movement that is fighting for you. Continue to assert your presence within the tapestry of our society. We love you, we see you, we thank you,” Salcedo told the Blade.

As the organization looks ahead to the next 15 years and beyond, its mission to advocate for the specific needs of the TransLatin@ community remains steadfast, guided by values of altruism, respect, transparency, and collaboration.

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LAPD Police Commission names Dominic Choi interim chief

The son of Korean immigrants, Choi began his LAPD career in 1995 after earning his bachelor’s degree from USC

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass with Assistant LAPD Chief Dominic Choi. (Photo Credit: Screenshot/KABC 7)

LOS ANGELES – Assistant LAPD Chief Dominic Choi will be the first Asian-American to lead the Los Angeles Police Department after the city’s Police Commission unanimously selected him to the role with a start date of March 1, 2024, as current LAPD Chief Michel Moore is set to retire effective at the end of February.

Choi’s the first Korean American to hold the job taking over from Chief Moore, whose retirement Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced four weeks ago in a press conference. The assignment is expected to last only until mid-summer, while a nationwide search is conducted to find a more permanent replacement.

“This appointment will continue our work to make Los Angeles safer. I look forward to working with Interim Chief Choi in the coming months as he provides steady and stable leadership for our police department,” said Mayor Bass. “Interim Chief Choi’s more than 28 years of service to this City as a member of the police department put him in a unique position to not only lead, but to grow and improve our department. I want to thank Interim Chief Choi for his willingness to accept this appointment as we work to make our city safer for all.”

Reacting to the news, LA City Councilmember John Lee wrote on social media: “Congratulations to my good friend Dominic Choi on being named the Interim Chief of @lapdhq!”

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michel Moore, Assistant LAPD Chief Dominic Choi & Los Angeles Councilmember John Lee.
(Photo Credit: Office of Councilmember Lee)

The son of Korean immigrants, Choi began his LAPD career in 1995 after earning his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California, KABC 7 News reported.

He worked patrol assignments in different divisions, rising through the ranks to detective, sergeant, and lieutenant. In 2014, he was promoted to captain, serving in both Foothill and Pacific areas. In 2017, he was promoted to Commander of Operations Central Bureau and later became the Department’s Homeless Coordinator. He remained in that position until he was promoted to Deputy Chief in 2019.

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Chief Moore has been LA’s top cop since June 4, 2018 after then Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti appointed him to the post which was ratified by the Los Angeles City Council on June 27, 2018. Moore is a veteran law enforcement official having joined the LAPD in 1981.

The Chief during his career in the LAPD, has received numerous commendations and awards for his police service including the department’s Medal of Valor, the Police Medal, the Police Star, and the Police Meritorious Service Medal.

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Mayor Bass & officials warn Angelenos to prep for Sunday’s storm

The Mayor and officials are cautioning residents to stay at home and to be careful as the second storm approaches

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley held a press conference Friday afternoon at the LAFD's Station 29 in Hancock Park. (Screenshot KNBC Live)

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley held a press conference Friday afternoon at the LAFD’s Station 29 in Hancock Park as the second of two major storms caused by another atmospheric river approaches.

The Mayor and officials are cautioning residents to stay at home and to be careful as the second storm approaches.

The storm is slated to bring cooler temperatures with heavy rain totals with a likelihood of thunderstorms and localized flooding. This storm is expected to bring three to six inches of rain in Southern California’s coastal areas and valleys. The foothills and mountains could see up to 12 inches Saturday night into Tuesday.

The National Weather Service says Metro L.A. will see the most significant downpour from Sunday night into Monday.

On Friday, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California has mobilized more than 8,300 boots on the ground ahead of the next set of winter storms anticipated to bring serious impacts to much of the state this weekend and into early next week.

In addition to increased personnel, California has activated its State Operations Center, Flood Operations Center, Caltrans Emergency Operations Center and the Medical Health Coordination Center – all coordinating a unified response with our local and federal partners.

Supporting recovery efforts from storms in January and late December, Governor Newsom today also proclaimed a state of emergency in Humboldt, Imperial, Monterey, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, which join two counties the Governor proclaimed a state of emergency for last week due to storm impacts.

THE FORECAST: According to the National Weather Service, an atmospheric river will move into California starting early morning on Sunday and will continue through Tuesday and possibly Wednesday. 

  • Rain: Heavy rainfall is possible nearly statewide, but the most likely focus will be on coastal central to southern California. Significant flooding is becoming increasingly likely, including the potential for flooding on roadways, creek and main stem river flooding, mud/rockslides, and debris flows. 
  • Snow: Additional heavy mountain snowfall is expected across virtually the entire state, with snow levels on Sunday starting as low as 2,500-4,500 feet across northern California and 5,000-6,000 feet in southern California. Multiple feet of new snow accumulation are likely in several mountain ranges, and extremely difficult mountain travel conditions are expected. 
  • Wind: Periods of strong, gusty winds will likely lead to outdoor property damage, tree damage, and power outages. 

According to the State Operations Center, Flood Operations Center, and Caltrans Emergency Operations Center:

California has mobilized: 

  • 8,300+ boots on the ground, including:
    • Cal OES, through the California Fire and Rescue Mutual Aid System, has deployed more than 550 local government firefighters and support staff, as well as 19 swift water rescue teams, 1 local government urban search and rescue team, in 19 counties.
    • More than 4,000 Caltrans personnel deployed throughout the state.
    • California Highway Patrol officers and other personnel are available in impacted regions and can activate limited emergency operations centers.
    • CAL FIRE has prepositioned 5 hoist-rescue helicopters, 2 swift water rescue teams, additional four-wheel drive engines, and 6 handcrews.
    • The California National Guard is ready to rapidly deploy if called upon. These resources include high-water vehicles, aviation search and rescue assets, military police, general transportation, and heavy engineering equipment units. 
    • 500 California Conservation Corps members available to support.
  • 1,200+ pieces of winter equipment from Eureka to El Centro – such as snow blowers, graders and sweepers – are available to remove snow and ice from the highways.
    • Caltrans has prepositioned water pumps in flood-prone areas, and is ensuring storm drains are clear of debris, checking portable backup generators, and stocking up on reflective signs in the event of power outages.
  • 7 million+ sandbags prepositioned 
  • Sheltering and food supplies for 37,000+ people, including cots, blankets, water and food.  
  • Other state efforts include:
    • The State Operations Center is activated, whole of state government expertise responding 24/7.
    • Community partner phone banking effort making thousands of calls to sign up Californians for local emergency alerts in the most at-risk counties. 
    • The Flood Operations Center is activated and coordinating flood planning and response. DWR Flood Fight Specialists are also on standby and are patrolling priority levees 24/7. The California Nevada River Forecast Center is in a 24-hour operation, producing updated forecasts every 6 hours throughout the duration of the event.
    • State Parks continues to actively monitor the storm’s impacts on state parks and making real-time decisions on closures as needed. As of this morning, California has fully closed 7 state parks and partially closed 6 and have staff on the ground to respond. The public is advised to stay out of the ocean during the storm. For the latest closure information, please visit parks.ca.gov/incidents.

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Mayor Karen Bass: LAPD Chief Michel Moore will retire in February

Mayor Bass did not name a successor but indicated there will be a nationwide search for the next LAPD chief

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In a press conference Friday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that LAPD Chief Michel Moore will retire in February. (Screenshot/YouTube FOX 11)

LOS ANGELES – In a press conference Friday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore will retire at the end of February. An emotional at times Chief Moore told reporters he was proud of his career at the department.

“It’s been my distinct honor and privilege to have served for more than four decades on the finest police department in the world, and for the last five and a half years as chief, some six years ago, when the opportunity to seek the position of chief of police occurred,” said Moore.

Moore thanked his wife Cindy for her support throughout his career in law enforcement and then told reporters the opportunity to spend time with family factored into his decision to retire.

Moore has been LA’s top cop since June 4, 2018 after then Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti appointed him to the post which was ratified by the Los Angeles City Council on June 27, 2018.

Moore is a veteran law enforcement official having joined the LAPD in 1981. Rising through the ranks he was promoted to Captain and then took over command of the LAPD’s troubled Rampart Division after its former commanding officer Rafael Pérez, was arrested in a scandal in numerous crimes and corruption, notably the shooting and framing of notorious street gang leader Javier Ovando, in addition to the theft and resale of at least $800,000 of cocaine from LAPD evidence lockers.

After years of supervisorial assignments, Moore was promoted to First Assistant Chief and transferred to be the Director – Office of Operations, responsible for overseeing the department’s geographic bureaus and patrol divisions which provide uniformed and investigative services to the city.

The Chief during his career in the LAPD, has received numerous commendations and awards for his police service including the department’s Medal of Valor, the Police Medal, the Police Star, and the Police Meritorious Service Medal.

Mayor Bass did not name a successor but indicated there will be a nationwide search for the next LAPD chief, which Moore will play a continuing role as a consultant.

LAPD Chief Michel Moore to step down

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Los Angeles

LAPD: San Fernando Valley possible hate crimes suspect arrested

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64-year-old Edelidio David Wallace was apprehended in the 21000 block of Victory Boulevard at 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon. (Screenshot/YouTube KTLA 5)

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Police Department said that Topanga Area patrol officers have arrested the suspect in a series of acts of vandalism in the northwestern area of the San Fernando Valley over this past weekend.

64-year-old Edelidio David Wallace was apprehended in the 21000 block of Victory Boulevard at 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon. The LAPD’s Major Crimes Division, is seeking additional victims of a vandalism suspect in the Topanga area.

An LAPD spokesperson said that Wallace is the man seen in multiple surveillance videos throwing rocks and cement bricks to smash glass windows and doors at over five businesses.

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On January 6, 2024, at approximately 3:00 a.m., Topanga Area patrol officers responded to three vandalism incidents within three blocks of the 20900 block of Victory Boulevard. The suspect used rocks and cement bricks to smash glass windows and doors belonging to several closed businesses. The suspect fled from the location on foot.

On January 8, 2024, between 1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m., the same suspect vandalized additional closed businesses on Vanowen Street, Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and Sherman Way, again throwing rocks and bricks. All the vandalism occurred within a two-mile radius. Major Crimes Division is investigating the vandalism series to determine if there is a hate crime nexus based on three businesses being Jewish-owned. The rocks recovered had “Glory” and “Pay Up” written on them.

Major Crimes Division is also investigating additional vandalisms that occurred on January 5th and January 7th in the same general area to determine if they are related.

Clothing Description:
January 6, 2024: Nike green sweatshirt, black pants, white Nike shoes
January 8, 2024: Nike burgundy sweatshirt, black pants, white Nike shoes

Investigators believe there are other victims who have yet to be identified. A photograph of the suspect is being released in hopes to identify and speak with additional persons who may have been victimized.

If you have been a victim or have information about this investigation, you are urged to contact Major Crimes Detectives Beard or Patin at 213-486-7280. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org. Lastly, tipsters may also download the “P-3 Tips” mobile application and select the LA Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.

Suspect arrested in connection with possible hate crime spree in Canoga Park 

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Los Angeles

At least 5 more potential hate crime acts in Canoga Park 

The LAPD noted that if you have any information about these criminal acts, you can remain anonymous by submitting a tip to Crime Stoppers

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Photo Credit: The Los Angeles Police Department

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed that at least 5 businesses in Canoga Park were vandalized early Monday morning in what an LAPD source said could be potential hate crimes. At least one of those businesses is Jewish-owned.

Officers from the LAPD’s Topanga Community Police Station responded to calls in the 21300 block of Vanowen Street and in the 6000 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. A tire store, paint stores, a sign shop, mattress store and an In-N-Out had their windows broken with rocks the LAPD said.

These criminal acts coming on the heels of the acts of vandalism against three Jewish-owned businesses this past week in neighboring Woodland Hills.

The LAPD confirmed that hate crime investigations are underway related to the Woodland Hills incidents, but would not confirm if the Monday morning attacks are believed to be connected.

The LAPD noted that if you have any information about these criminal acts, you can remain anonymous by submitting a tip to Crime Stoppers at www.lacrimestoppers.org, or call 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

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