Red Bluff Daily News

April 18, 2015

Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/497821

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 9 of 23

ByChristopherWeber The Associated Press LOS ANGELES Califor- nia's attorney general an- nounced a statewide train- ing program on Friday aimed at helping police avoid built-in biases that hurt their ability to enforce laws fairly and with appro- priate force. The move came as state Attorney General Kamala Harris outlined the results of a 90-day review by the California Department of Justice that sought to strengthen trust between police and the public fol- lowing slayings of un- armed civilians by offi- cers in cities across the country. The review prompted a broad overhaul of policy and procedures, a move toward enhanced trans- parency and plans for in- creased community in- volvement in policing, Har- ris said. Under a pilot program, Department of Justice spe- cial agents would be outfit- ted with on-body cameras similar to those worn by some officers in California. Harris ordered the re- view on the day of her sec- ond inauguration in Jan- uary, promising to lead a public dialogue about bias and racial profiling. The attorney general was joined Friday by the heads of several local law enforce- ment agencies who are members of a group shar- ing best practices and try- ing to improve public trust. The group expects to report on its progress at the end of the year. Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said removing built-in bias among officers is a challenge. "This is not something you get inoculated against once in your life and that's it. This takes constant re- training, constant discus- sion," he said. Harris, a Democrat, is a candidate for U.S. Senate. LAW ENFORCEMENT Ha rri s se ek s to r ed uc e built-in police biases DAMIANDOVARGANES—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS Stockton Police Chief Eric Jones, le , California Attorney. Gen. Kamala Harris, Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck, far right, announce the results of a 90-day review of the state Department of Justice's special-agent training programs on "implicit bias and use of force" during a news conference in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. The Associated Press ELDORADO Drought condi- tions may have led to a re- mote Northern California fire that burned more than a dozen acres. The Sacramento Bee re- ports Friday that no one was injured in the Thursday afternoon fire in El Dorado County, near Sacramento. No structures were dam- aged. California is in its fourth year of drought and dry conditions could lead to the worst fire season on record. Some rural homeown- ers in the county are using rented goats to help out. Each goat can eat up to 10 pounds of vegetation daily, which helps reduce fire haz- ards. California Department of Forestry and Fire Pro- tection spokesman Brice Bennett said Thursday's fire started along Highway 49 near Sand Ridge Road, about a mile from the area burned by last year's mas- sive Sand Fire. He said the area con- tained dense brush and was tough to access. DRY CONDITIONS No rt her n Ca lif or ni a fir e li ke ly s pa rk ed b y dr ou gh t NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, VIA AP, FILE The Griffith Park mountain lion known as P-22is seen in 2014. The Associated Press LOS ANGELES Tracking data revealed that a moun- tain lion that triggered a ruckus when it was discov- ered under a Los Angeles home had only been there a short time, and it quickly returned to an urban wil- derness after being left alone, the National Park Service said Friday. The tracking informa- tion came from a GPS col- lar on the male cougar, dubbed P-22, that trans- mits its location via a sat- ellite link for a study of lo- cal mountain lions, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area said in a statement. On April 13, a worker spotted P-22 in the crawl- space of a home in the Los Felizneighborhoodadjacent to Griffith Park, the wilder- ness park that sprawls over the eastern end of the Santa Monica range surrounded by the nation's second-larg- est city and its suburbs. News media descended on the area as wildlife of- ficers tried to haze the lion out of its hideaway by pok- ing it with a stick and fir- ing bean bags and tennis balls near it, seemingly to no effect. The area was then cleared for the night and P-22 was gone when authorities returned the next morning and in- spected the crawlspace. A review of GPS track- ing information before the encounter found that as of 6 a.m. on April 13, the mountain lion had left the boundaries of Griffith Park but wasn't yet at the house, the park service said. The collar logs eight lo- cations in a 24-hour period, most of them during eve- ning hours when mountain lions are typically active. Data wasn't recorded, how- ever, when the cougar was in the crawlspace for lack of the satellite connection. GPS data next showed he was out of the house be- fore 2 a.m. on April 14 and was back inside Griffith Park by 4 a.m. Seth Riley, a wildlife ecologist for the national recreation area, said that in ensuing days P-22 was spending time in remote, natural areas of the park. "Like most mountain li- ons, he likes to find a quiet place during the day to rest, but we hope next time it will be in dense chapar- ral as opposed to under someone's house," Riley said in the statement. P-22 first gained fame for managing to make his way from mountains west of Los Angeles and head east into the heart of the metropolis, crossing ma- jor freeways to establish his range in Griffith Park. GPS tracked movements of LA mountain lion HOME ENCOUNTER By Scott Smith The Associated Press FRESNO A large explosion closed both directions of a major highway in Central California and injured at least three people, author- ities said Friday. Traffic heading both north and south on High- way 99 in Fresno was halted by the explosion about 2:30 p.m., the Cali- fornia Highway Patrol re- ported Friday. Three people were in- jured and two were flown outbyhelicopterformedical treatment, said Tony Botti, a spokesman for the Fresno County Sheriff's Office. The explosion happened at the Fresno County Sher- iff's gun range, where a work crew including county jail inmates using heavy equipment appar- ently hit a pipe carrying natural gas, Botti said. One of the workers appeared to be in critical condition, he said. No law enforcement of- ficers were injured, Botti said. A nearby rail line was also halted out of concern that a passing train could spark leaking gas. Witnesses reported see- ing a large fireball, said Pete Martinez of the Fresno Fire Department. The flames prompted a two-alarm call of firefighters. The CHP asked driv- ers should use alternative routes. It's unclear when the highway will reopen. CENTRAL CALIFORNIA Gas-line blast closes highway, injures several PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. Thank you! REDBLUFF MEADOWS 850KIMBALLRD. RED BLUFF AcceptingApplications Spacious 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apts. featuring fully equipped kitchen, laundry facilities, energy efficient design. Rental assistance, is available. For further information and application, Call: 530-527-9196 TDD 1-800-735-2929 This institution is an Equal Opportunity provider, and employer Monday-Friday9am-6pm (530) 529-1220 100 Jackson St.,Red Bluff 2 FREE Tanning Sessions with any new membership in the month of April Valid:4-1-2015to4-30-2015 ComeseetheHUGE NAPA 18 Wheeler Tool Truck at your Red Bluff Napa store on Tuesday April 21 st AUTO PARTS M-F: 8:00AM-5:30PM • Sat: 8:00AM-5:00PM • Sun: 9:00AM-3:00PM RED BLUFF 527-4135 1030MAINSTREET Tehama Motor Parts Tehama Motor Parts NAPA hasservedtheRedBluffcommunitysince1972,keepyourmoneylocal! HUGE SALE !! | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015 10 A

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Red Bluff Daily News - April 18, 2015