Belmont Beacon
MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2014 - JULY 6, 2014
belmontbeacon.com
Milestone ruling: Cellphone searches without warrants are now illegal By JENNIFER schlueter On Wednesday, June 25, the Supreme Court ruled cellphone searches without warrants to be illegal. The unanimous 9-0 decision involved the cases Riley v. California, 13-132 and U.S. v. Wurie, 13-212. Riley’s sophisticated smart phone and Wuris’ basic flip phone had been searched by police without a court-issued warrant. The court ruled police’s investigation practices in both cases to be unconstitutional because they violated the Fourth Amendment. The evidence on both phones led law enforcement to discover crimes. Because phones now store more and more personal data, the police frequently rely on them in search for evidence. Therefore, law enforcement agencies struggle with the court’s verdict. Even though issuing a warrant can now be done via mobile devices, it still takes valuable time – time in which crucial evidence can be destroyed or
pets during the Fourth of July is responsible pet ownership, just like licensing and keeping identification tags on pets, and making sure they are spayed or neutered The shelter will be closed Friday, July 4, 2014, but Animal Control Officers will be responding 24-hours a day to emergency calls, such as stray and injured animals, and animals that have bitten others. Animal Care staff will contact owners of lost pets that have identification tags or microchips. Animals with identification will be held at the Village for fourteen days, pending being claimed by their owner. AniPlease see page 4
Please see page 4
vancing technologies such as Stingrays capturing data from both criminals and innocents. 91 percent of adult Americans owning cellphones, according to Pew Research Center 2013, indicates a giant data pool of texts, calls localities, etc. that law enforcement can access. Nathan Wessler, attorney with the Speech, Privacy and Technology Project for Please see page 2
Pet owner tips for the July 4th holiday The Fourth of July can be a frightening time for animals, with the loud sounds of firecrackers and fireworks often sending pets scurrying out of the house or yard in search of security or shelter. Long Beach Animal Care Services reminds all animal owners that they can save themselves and their pets a tremendous amount of heartache and anxiety by following a few simple suggestions: Keep pets indoors, if possible, or confined to a secure area (never tether an animal because it can lead to more harm or an accidental death) Double check yard gates to make sure that pets cannot escape
Make certain pets are wearing identification, including the name and current telephone number of owner Anyone who loses an animal in the City of Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, Signal Hill or Cerritos should visit www.petharbor.com or the City’s pet lost and found online atwww.longbeach. gov/acs. If one does not see their pet online, please visit the local shelter in person on Saturday, July 5, 2014, between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. The shelter is located at 7700 E. Spring St., between Studebaker Road and the San Gabriel River (605) Freeway. Taking special care of your
4th of July safe celebration reminder With the 4th of July holiday fast approaching, the Long Beach Police and Fire Departments would like to remind residents and visitors that all fireworks, including those marked “Safe and Sane,” are illegal in the City of Long Beach. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): •Thousands, mostly children and teenagers, are injured using consumer fireworks •Each year, fireworks cause fires to structures, vehicles, and property •In 2012, over half of the country’s fireworks related emergency room visits were for injured extremities; over one third were for head injuries •The national risk for fireworks related injuries is highest for those aged 15-24, followed by those under the age of 10 The Police and Fire Departments will be out in force the days leading up to and on July 4th to ensure compliance of the Long Beach City Ordinance that bans fireworks. Although both Departments seek voluntary compliance to ensure public safety, this duty often requires strict enforcement of all laws through arrest and citations. Anyone cited or arrested for fireworks violations may be faced with a $1,000 fine, sentenced to jail for six months, or both. The fines and penalties may increase depending on the fireworks’ classification. Fireworks may be voluntarily disposed of at collection bins located at Lifeguard Head-
-Photo by Terry Miller
information about an arrest can travel quickly, as Robert Mintz, a former federal prosecutor, adds in a Reuters article. According to the same article, “Justice Department spokeswoman Ellen Canale said the government would ensure federal law enforcement agents complied with the ruling.” As it has been discovered, local and state police agencies have been tracking our mobile devices with increasingly ad-
VOLUME 1, NO. 9
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Recycling industry launches website dedicated to helping stop metals theft The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) recently announced the launch of StopMetalsTheft.org, a new website designed to assist in the fight against the crime of metals theft. The site serves as an online resource for law enforcement, prosecutors, and the recycling industry by providing practical tools, success stories, news, legal resources, FAQs, and background on fighting metals theft. "The recycling industry is fully committed to being part of the solution when it comes to preventing metals theft," said Robin Wiener, president of ISRI. "StopMetalsTheft.org provides law enforcement, prosecutors, the recycling industry, and other community stakeholders with key information and techniques that can be
used to help prevent metals theft, as well as build cases and prosecute crimes when they do occur. Through our continued outreach efforts, we hope to strengthen our existing partnerships while building new ones." The many benefits available through StopMetalsTheft. org include: -- The ability to send theft alerts to local recyclers; -- Success stories as submitted by law enforcement across the country; -- Tools geared towards law enforcement, prosecutors and recyclers; -- A comprehensive glossary of terms on stolen commodities; and -- Industry insight and knowledge provided by an ISRI
team of experts. StopMetalsTheft.org is part of an expansive approach by the recycling industry to tackle the issue of metals theft. In March, ISRI upgraded ScrapTheftAlert.com, an online alert system to notify scrap yards of nearby metals theft. Also this year, ISRI announced the creation of the Law Enforcement Advisory Council comprised of experienced law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and security personnel from around the country who are tasked with the development of a multi-layered training program
to assist law enforcement in metals theft prevention and prosecution. Brady Mills, a retired U.S. Secret Service agent, was hired to serve as the director of law enforcement outreach to work closely with the law enforcement community. Any questions about StopMetalsTheft.org or any of ISRI's other efforts to stop metals theft can be directed to Danielle Waterfield, ISRI's director of government relations and assistant counsel at (202) 662-8516, or Brady Mills, ISRI's director of law enforcement outreach at (202) 662-8526.
Motorcyclist shot On Friday, June 27, 2014, at approximately 2:00 a.m., Long Beach Police responded to the 5500 block of Dairy Avenue regarding shots fired. When officers arrived, they discovered a male adult down on the street with multiple gunshot wounds. Long Beach Fire Department paramedics responded and pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. The victim has been identified as 28-year-old Marcel Johns of Long Beach. The preliminary investigation indicates the victim was riding a motorcycle at the
time he was shot, which caused him to collide into multiple parked unoccupied vehicles. No suspect information is available at this time. The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact Long Beach Police Homicide Detectives Scott Lasch and Donald Goodman at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Search warrants for cell phones Long Beach Office 3780 Kilroy Airport Way Suite 360 Long Beach, CA 90806 Ph. (562) 472-0071 Fx. (562) 689-0071 Los Angeles Office 5701 South Eastern Avenue Suite 100 Los Angeles, CA 90040 Ph. (323) 727-1144 Fx. (323) 727-9198 www.heger-industrial.com Lic. #00814086
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the American Civil Liberties Union and advocate for more data privacy stated: “The court’s reasoning clearly recognizes that the aggregation of sensitive electronic data raises particularly acute Fourth Amendment concerns that call for more robust judicial protections of our privacy. While the Supreme Court has not yet settled the issue in other contexts, lower courts can learn much from this decision about how to safeguard our privacy rights in the digital age.” Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in
an opinion regarding his and his fellow judges verdict: “We cannot deny that our decision today will have an impact on the ability of law enforcement to combat crime […] The fact that technology now allows an individual to carry such information in his hand does not make the information any less worthy of the protection for which the (country’s) Founders fought. Our answer to the question of what police must do before searching a cellphone seized incident to an arrest is accordingly simple - get a warrant.”
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USC Scientists create new battery that’s cheap, clean, rechargeable… and organic Scientists at USC have developed a water-based organic battery that is long lasting, built from cheap, eco-friendly components. The new battery – which uses no metals or toxic materials – is intended for use in power plants, where it can make the energy grid more resilient and efficient by creating a large-scale means to store energy for use as needed. “The batteries last for about 5,000 recharge cycles, giving them an estimated 15year lifespan,” said Sri Narayan, professor of chemistry at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and corresponding author of a paper describing the new batteries that was published online by the Journal of the Electrochemical Society on June 20. “Lithium ion batteries degrade after around 1,000 cycles, and cost 10 times more to manufacture.” Narayan collaborated with Surya Prakash, Prakash, professor of chemistry and director of the USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, as well as USC’s Bo Yang, Lena HooberBurkhardt, and Fang Wang. “Such organic flow batteries will be game-changers for grid electrical energy storage in terms of simplicity, cost, reliability and sustainability,” said Prakash. The batteries could pave the way for renewable energy sources to make up a greater share of the nation’s energy generation. Solar panels can only generate power when the sun’s shining, and wind turbines can only generate power when the wind blows. That inherent unreliability makes it difficult for power companies to rely on them to meet customer demand. With batteries to store surplus energy and then dole it out as needed, that sporadic unreliability could cease to be
such an issue. “‘Mega-scale’ energy storage is a critical problem in the future of the renewable energy, requiring inexpensive and ecofriendly solutions,” Narayan said. The new battery is based on a redox flow design – similar in design to a fuel cell, with two tanks of electroactive materials dissolved in water. The solutions are pumped into a cell containing a membrane between the two fluids with electrodes on either side, releasing energy. The design has the advantage of decoupling power from energy. The tanks of electroactive materials can be made as large as needed – increasing total amount of energy the system can store – or the central cell can be tweaked to release that energy faster or slower, altering the amount of power (energy released over time) that the system can generate. The team’s breakthrough centered around the electroactive materials. While previous battery designs have used metals or toxic chemicals, Narayan and Prakash wanted to find an organic compound that could be dissolved in water. Such a system would create a minimal impact on the environment, and would likely be cheap, they figured. Through a combination of
USC professor Sri Narayan -Courtesy Photo of USC by Gus Ruelas
molecule design and trial-anderror, they found that certain naturally occurring quinones – oxidized organic compounds – fit the bill. Quinones are found in plants, fungi, bacteria, and some animals, and are involved in photosynthesis and cellular respiration. “These are the types of molecules that nature uses for energy transfer,” Narayan said. Currently, the quinones needed for the batteries are manufactured from naturally occurring hydrocarbons. In the future, the potential exists to derive them from carbon dioxide, Narayan said. The team has filed several patents in regards to design of the battery, and next plans to build a larger scale version. This research was funded by the ARPA-E Open-FOA program (DE-AR0000337), the University of Southern California, and the Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute.
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ASPCA urges California Gov. Jerry Brown to sign Bill to protect abandoned animals The ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) today urged Gov. Jerry Brown to sign AB 1810, which removes a state mandate to euthanize any animal abandoned at an animal care facility, including veterinary offices, spay/neuter clinics, animal hospitals, and grooming facilities, if a new home is not found within 24 days. Additionally, AB 1810 provides more flexibility to achieve positive outcomes for these animals by permitting animal care facilities to turn the animals over to a local shelter – an option that is strictly prohibited under current law. Sponsored by Assemblyman Brian Maienschein (R-San Diego), AB 1810 was passed unanimously by both houses of the California Legislature and now heads to Gov. Brown for his signature. “Abandonment should not be
a death sentence for animals. Dogs and cats at spay/neuter clinics, veterinary offices, or any of California’s many other care facilities should not face certain death simply because their owner fails to pick them up,” said Kevin O’Neill, senior state director of ASPCA Government Relations for the Western region. “It is imperative that we do all we can to ensure positive outcomes for these animals, and AB 1810 will do just that. We thank Assemblyman Maienschein for his work on this critical issue and we strongly urge Governor Brown to take quick action on this bill to protect California’s animals.” In May, the ASPCA announced a $25 million, multi-year commitment to save the lives of animals in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. Building on the strong foundation created by
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mals without identification will be held for a minimum of six days before being evaluated for adoption. The shelter is open to the public Wednesday through Friday, from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The shelter is closed on Monday,Tuesday and holidays. For Animal Care Services or more
information call 570-PETS (7387). After-hours emergency phone calls for services are automatically transferred to the Fire Department for dispatch service. For further information regarding Animal Care Services and responsible pet ownership, visit www.longbeach.gov/acs or call 562.570.7387.
-Photo by Terry Miller
Los Angeles’ existing local animal welfare community, the ASPCA is working closely with the leading local animal welfare groups to provide residents and rescue groups a variety of critical services that will save lives and help keep families and their pets together. A new spay/neuter facility is part of this commitment. “We must exhaust every opportunity to save the lives of these animals, and this legislation helps by removing barriers to potentially life-saving transfers,” said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA President and CEO. “The mandate to euthanize abandoned animals was never acceptable, and we thank California lawmakers for creating and support-
ing humane solutions to the issue of homeless pets.” At the ASPCA’s first-ever California ‘Legal Voices for Animals Day’ in March, California law students met with state leaders to advocate on behalf of animal welfare legislation, including AB 1810. In addition to lobbying for stronger protections for abandoned animals, students engaged lawmakers on issues impacting the welfare of California’s animals such as regulations on dogs imported into the state and tax deductions on adoption fees. For more information about the ASPCA, or to join their Advocacy Brigade, please visit www.aspca.org.
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quarters, 2100 E. Ocean Boulevard (on the West side of the Junipero lot), and at all police stations. For those who would like to enjoy fireworks, please attend a safe and professionally controlled firework show to ensure the safety of your family, friends, and property. Police officers will strictly enforce all laws, especially those associated with drinking in public, public intoxication, drunk driving, minors in possession of alcoholic beverage and underage drinking, and illegal barbecues on all public property, parks, and beaches. The use of personal barbecues
in all city parks and beaches is prohibited. Use of permanent city installed barbecues is acceptable. All parks and beaches from Shoreline Drive to the end of the Peninsula will be heavily patrolled. The Long Beach Police Department encourages responsible parenting and requests that parents closely supervise their children, set expectations for proper behavior, and monitor their activities. If you See Something, Say Something! Call Long Beach Police Dispatch at (562) 4356711 or 9-11 if you observe dangerous or illegal activities this holiday.