Afternoon Briefs on the Los Angeles Numbers Cooking Machine for Thursday

Mayor Antonio Villar to his LAPD Chief  Charlie Beck: "My LAPD chief must know multiple recipes for cooking the crime numbers".

Mayor Antonio Villar's numerous press aides were busy today in preparation for their choreograph event to announce yet another year of downward criminal activity, with the exception of murders which were up by one over last year. Many police observers have be dubious of LAPD's "Com Stat System" which the likes of the LA Times links to in issuing its crime alerts. But while Mayor Villar and Chief Beck were all smiles today in regaling themselves in manipulated numbers, LAPD has been playing with deployment numbers to the likes of the 77 Street Division, to combat gang violence, at the expense of patrol deployments in other areas of the city. And with thousands of supposed "low level, nonviolent offenders" expected to hit the streets now and in the weeks ahead, due to California's Prison Realignment, that Assemblyman and CD 15 City Council Candidate Warren Furutani voted for, don't expect smiles a year from now as crime moves back upwards.

** Speaking of Assemblyman Warren Furutani, expect tough weeks ahead for the "raging assemblyman" as his chance to gain 12+ years of gainful employment as the latest political lifer on the City Council looks bleak. Further, with Isadore Hall dropping out of 44th Congressional District race and running for the same open assembly seat that he would of ran for, Furutani may find a public pay check hard to come by.

** Downtown News Jon Regardie has his thoughts on some of the other 2013 elections that merit watching. We will give the "Scribe of Wit" a pass for not including the City Controller race with Councilman Dennis Zine, insider Ron Galperin and LA Neighborhood United Cary Brazerman, that could get festive.
Your thoughts ..............
Scott Johnson in CD 14