Latest news with #CMPD
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lyles, Brown expected to file for reelection in Charlotte today
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and District 3 Councilmember Tiawana Brown are planning to file for re-election Wednesday, facing primary challenges in their respective races. Lyles is seeking a fifth term in office, and she's already facing a primary challenge. One candidate, Tigress Acute Sydney McDaniel, has filed to run, but former mayor Jennifer Roberts has hinted at a possible run for her former seat. Community activist Gemini Boyd also says he is planning to run. Brown's decision to run for reelection comes amid legal challenges, as she is currently federally indicted for alleged fraud involving the Paycheck Protection Program. RELATED >> City councilmember, daughters indicted on PPP fraud charges Brown said she remains committed to her campaign. She's currently facing competition from Montravias King and Joi Mayo in the primary. Filing for the upcoming election ends this Friday at noon. (VIDEO: Mayor Vi Lyles backs CMPD chief amid possible lawsuit against city council)
Los Angeles Times
03-07-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Costa Mesa police seize 1,339 lbs of illegal fireworks, warn residents to stay safe
Costa Mesa police are warning residents to avoid seasonal dangers during this year's three-day Independence Day weekend, sharing news of a buy-bust operation that led to three arrests and the seizure of 1,339 pounds of illegal fireworks, drugs and a gun. Along with social media announcements of the city's zero tolerance policy for explosives beyond those deemed 'safe and sane,' news of the bust comes an annual operational enhancement aimed at minimizing citations and fireworks-related calls for service during the holiday. Costa Mesa Police Department spokeswoman Roxi Fyad confirmed the suspects involved in the busts — carried out by detectives with the Special Investigations Unit — were detained for attempting to sell illegal fireworks online to officers who posed as customers and met suspects at locations in town. The detective work is part of a broader campaign to raise awareness and educate residents about the city's rules surrounding the purchase and detonation of fireworks, particularly for those living in certain 'hot spot' areas, where calls for service climb as Independence Day approaches. Legal fireworks, available at city-approved stands, may be purchased from June 30 through July 4 and must be marked with a 'safe and sane' logo designated by the State Fire Marshal's office. However, they can only be discharged Wednesday through Friday, from 4 to 10 p.m. at a distance of at least 20 feet from viewers. Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano teamed up with now retired Costa Mesa Police Chief Ron Lawrence in a video aired last week on social media to remind locals that possessing or setting off illegal fireworks is a misdemeanor, punishable by fines of up to $1,000 or even jail time, while selling such combustibles is a felony offense. Both departments have increased staffing and patrols to keep an eye out for illegal activities and potential fire hazards, newly appointed CMPD Interim Chief Joyce LaPointe shared Wednesday. 'Every year, we hear from residents about how frustrated they are due to the use of illegal fireworks,' LaPointe wrote in an email. 'We understand that frustration; it is challenging to catch and cite those that use illegal fireworks. Despite the challenge, we stay focused on enforcement.' Last year, the police department fielded 336 firework-related calls for service, 47 of which requested a police presence on scene. That figure is nearly half of the 668 calls placed in 2020, according to CMPD's 2024 Fourth of July Holiday Report. Between July 4 and 5, 2024, police and fire teams responded to nine trash or dumpster fires, one brush fire, four tree fires, three still alarms and two fire alarms, issuing four citations and arresting four people for misdemeanor firework-related municipal code violations, the report indicates.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Yahoo
Homicide investigation underway after shooting in northeast Charlotte
Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are investigating a homicide that occurred late Thursday night in northeast Charlotte. Officers responded to a shooting around 11:30 p.m. on Merrick Street, according to a release from CMPD. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, MEDIC confirmed. The investigation is ongoing, and CMPD will release additional information as it becomes available. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact the authorities. This is a developing story. Check back with for updates. VIDEO: Family of Khari Wilkes to host memorial walk as search for suspects continues
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Yahoo
Family sues CMPD, claims Jovontay Williams died from restraint-induced homicide
The family of a man who died in custody is now suing the city of Charlotte and four officers who were involved. They called the death of Jovontay Williams preventable, restraint-induced homicide. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Doorbell camera video shows what happened before man's death in CMPD custody In June 2022, police responded to a northeast Charlotte home for a suspicious person who was allegedly trying to break into homes. Body camera video shows they found Williams acting erratically on the porch and put him in handcuffs on the ground. It took 19 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. In the lawsuit, the Williams family said he repeatedly told officers he could not breathe, but they made no effort to reposition him or relieve pressure from his back. According to the suit, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department policy explicitly prohibits this kind of restraint. It said an independent autopsy commissioned by the family confirmed that Williams died from restraint asphyxia while in police custody. VIDEO: Doorbell camera video shows what happened before man's death in CMPD custody
Los Angeles Times
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Once a ‘rule of law' city, Costa Mesa offers assurances to Latinos amid ICE activity
As federal immigration enforcement efforts ramp up throughout Orange County, officials in Costa Mesa, where Latinos comprise nearly 36% of the population, this week reassured residents the city's police department would not enforce immigration laws or investigate residents' legal status. In a community message issued Tuesday on behalf of Mayor John Stephens and Mayor Pro Tem Manuel Chavez, leaders reaffirmed the city's commitment to the safety of all residents. 'We stand firmly by our core values of inclusivity and compassion for all members of our diverse community,' read the statement, which promised safe harbor to peaceful protesters while offering a warning to those who might use a demonstration to justify acts of violence, vandalism or property damage. 'The Costa Mesa Police Department cannot and will not enforce immigration laws nor investigate immigration status,' the missive continued. 'If there is a crime that needs to be reported, or if you are in need of officer assistance, our police department is here for you, regardless of immigration status — do not hesitate to call for help.' The proclamation comes amid reports this week of enhanced ICE sightings and activity in the neighboring cities of Santa Ana and Fountain Valley, where individuals have been reportedly detained by agents in the course of normal daily activities, including at job sites. 'The impetus [for the message] was a palpable fear we were sensing in the community from our Latino residents, so our intention was to alleviate some of the concerns,' said Chavez, who represents the predominantly Latino 4th Council District on the city's west side. 'It was really important for us to remind folks CMPD supports everyone in the community — it's so vital for me that my residents feel comfortable calling CMPD if anything happens.' Tuesday's message is a far cry from Costa Mesa's earlier stances on immigration enforcement and the role local police officers should play in reporting and tracking residents' legal status. The federal government in 2006 agreed to assign a full-time immigration agent to work inside Costa Mesa's jail so the residency of detainees could be verified. Prior to that, such verification was undertaken by the Orange County Sheriff's Department but was not common at the city level. Over the next four years, nearly 1,300 individuals processed through the jail would be identified as undocumented immigrants, according to city records, although it is unknown how many were processed or deported at the federal level. The move was championed by then-Mayor Allan Mansoor, a vocal anti-immigrant activist, who was still on the council in 2010, when a conservative-led, five-member council voted to declare Costa Mesa a 'rule of law' city. Resolution No. 10-27 pledged the city would support federal immigration enforcement through the adoption of local measures and would not be a sanctuary to those who violated immigration laws. Mayor Pro Tem Chavez in an interview Thursday recalled being 15 at the time the declaration was made. The anti-Latino sentiment in the community was thinly veiled and families were reluctant to contact the police at the time. 'There was a lot of rhetoric. You knew it was there and you couldn't hide from it,' he said. 'For me, the perception of my community and what we felt was there was no need to call the police. That's how I grew up.' Chavez was 22 years old in 2018, when a group of residents and officials rallied for the city to officially oppose Senate Bill 54, a 'sanctuary state' law that provided expanded protection for undocumented immigrants. He translated the public comment of a Spanish-speaking resident who wished to share her concerns with the council and later that year ran for a seat on the newly districted council and won with nearly 61% of the vote. 'It was at that moment I felt the need to step up for residents in my community, who are here working and following the rules and following the law but just happen to be undocumented,' the mayor pro tem said. 'They just want the American dream, to have a roof over their heads, food on the table, a good job and good education for their children.' Roberto Herrera is a leadership development director for Resilience Orange County, a nonprofit social justice group that aims to build leadership and representation in local communities of color. Since 2022, the group has created the neighborhood initiative Costa Mesa Unidos to focus, in part, on tenant protections. He said a series of public arrests earlier this year involving Homeland Security agents in Costa Mesa, even if not directly related to immigration enforcement, have raised concerns about an increased federal presence in town. 'I was working with city council members to verify if this [activity] involved CMPD,' Herrera said. 'I think this initial effort was to blanket all those in the immigrant community as criminals.' While advocates appreciate Costa Mesa officials' efforts to reassure the immigrant community of their inclusion and protection, Herrera suggested the city might take a page from Santa Ana, and support a legal defense fund for detained residents. 'Right now, this message to the public is helpful, but I believe the city can do more,' he said. 'People are being detained and deported, so legal services are what's needed right now.' Costa Mesa police officials declined requests for an interview on the department's history of immigration enforcement and policing in years past, but spokesperson Roxi Fyad on Thursday affirmed this week's message in a separate comment. 'We, as a local police department in California, cannot and will not enforce immigration laws nor investigate immigration status. We are here to protect and serve our community,' she said.
