Mayor Sam's Hotsheet for Monday

A law enforcment blog gives high praise to LAPD Chief Bill Bratton for falling crime rates and the ability to gather political capital in Los Angeles.  However, Rick Rosenfeld, a criminologist at the University of Missouri challenges Bratton's claims that his methods have controlled crime and that for the last decade economic growth drove crime down.  The coming recession, according to Rosenfeld will be the true test, saying “We haven’t had a recession since late 1950 in which crime did not go up.  The one we’re entering is not likely to buck that trend.”

Mayor Villaraigosa's cousin and newly elected Assemblyman John Perez is on a list of new state legislators to watch and one of only two openly gay legislators in the group.  The Mad Professah blog opines that Perez could be a future Assembly Speaker.

The Sacred Fools Theatre Company has a new production of Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol just in time for the holidays.  This version replaces lead villian Ebenezer Scrooge with historic Los Angeles figure William Mulholland who was the founder of the modern LA Department of Water and Power.  There is no truth to the rumor that one of the characters in the musical is current DWP head H. David Nahai as the "Ghost of Christmas Shady."

What you might have missed on the blog over the long holiday weekend:

• Thanksgiving Photo Opps Continue
• Zuma Dogg Marathon
• Why your car insurance rates just went up