Recent Streetsblog LA posts about reimagining public safety

In the critical incident briefing video of the July 18 shooting of Jermaine Petit, LAPD juxtaposes the view from inside Sgt. Brett Hayhoe's vehicle with footage from the officers pursuing Petit on foot. Hayhoe opens fire from inside his vehicle, sparking contagious fire from Glover.

LAPD Sergeant Fired at Jermaine Petit from Inside Patrol Vehicle, Sparked Contagious Fire from Officer Who Knew Petit Was Unarmed

By Sahra Sulaiman | Sep 3, 2022 | No Comments

If the shooting had been committed by anyone else, it would have been labeled a drive-by.

Police body cam footage captures Joshua Hatfield yelling that police are shooting at him. The distraught 28-year-old ran into a residence after Officer Justin Freund fired two shots at him. Hatfield never threatened officers and appears to have been unarmed - police were unable to find any weapons on the premises. But LAPD booked him on Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Peace Officer with a Firearm anyways.

“Y’all shot at me!”: LAPD Shoots at, Misses, then Tries to Charge Unarmed Black Man with Assault with a Deadly Weapon

By Sahra Sulaiman | Aug 6, 2022 | No Comments

LAPD chose not to transcribe the officer's attempt to slow her partner down and keep him from shooting at Joshua Hatfield

A vendor sells salvaged bikes along Manchester Avenue. Under the ordinance proposed by councilmember Joe Buscaino, this kind of activity would be criminalized. Sahra Sulaiman/Streetsblog L.A.

New L.A. Ordinance Cracking Down on Bicycle “Chop Shops” Ghost of Defunct Mayoral Campaign

By Sahra Sulaiman | Jun 15, 2022 | No Comments

The ordinance was part of Buscaino's larger effort to position himself as The Only Candidate for Mayor Prepared to Reclaim Streets from Utter Lawlessness.

During Tuesday's press briefing, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said he would be sending Metro boardmembers helpful graphics like the one he is pointing at so they could learn the difference between transportation and housing.

As Election Nears, Embattled Sheriff Announces Plan to Expel 5700 Unhoused from Metro System, Acts Like April Ultimatum Never Happened

By Sahra Sulaiman | Jun 2, 2022 | No Comments

Step #1 of the "multi-layered" plan to remove unhoused people from trains and platforms is removing unhoused people from trains and platforms.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva points at a slide on his power point presentation during a press conference Wednesday, April 13.

Villanueva Threatens to Pull LASD Out of Metro’s Multi-Agency Policing Contract this July in Grievance-Laced Press Conference

By Joe Linton and Sahra Sulaiman | Apr 14, 2022 | No Comments

In which the sheriff neglected to explain why Metro had moved to a multi-agency contract in the first place

Although LAPD claims they shot 22-year-old Margarito "Junior" López because he "advanced" toward officers while holding a knife, an examination of the body cam footage shows the standby warning for a "less lethal" projectile went unheeded, resulting in contagious fire. The warning (in green) is added by Streetsblog; LAPD elected not to include it in their transcription.

Officers Who Killed Margarito López Didn’t Heed Standby Warning for “Less Lethal” Fire

By Sahra Sulaiman | Jan 26, 2022 | No Comments

Half a second after the projectile is fired at López – who is in the midst of turning away from officers – a burst of contagious fire erupts.