By Ken Stone,Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  La Mesa Police Chief Ray Sweeney (right) succeeded Walt Vasquez (center) and Matt Nicholass in July 2021. Photo via Twitter

September 3, 2023 (La Mesa) - The announcement came Monday in Facebook.

By Miriam Raftery

April 13, 2022 (La Mesa) – The city of La Mesa’s decision to fire La Mesa Police Officer Matt Dages in 2020 was “supported by the weight of the evidence”, according to a tentative ruling issued by Superior Court Judge Katherine Bacal.  According to the Judge, the evidence showed that Dages provided “false and misleading” information in his report on his arrest of Amaurie Johnson.

Source:  City of La Mesa

November 15, 2021 (La Mesa) - The La Mesa Police Department will roll out a police traffic services program to deter dangerous and illegal driving behaviors that increase the risk of crashes in the community.

By Ken Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  Arrow points to La Mesa police Detective Eric Knudson before he withdrew behind a wall and shot Leslie Furcron with a beanbag shell. LMPD photo

March 19, 2021 (La Mesa) - Eric Knudson, the La Mesa police officer cleared by county and local authorities in his beanbag shooting of Leslie Furcron last May at a George Floyd protest, returned to work last week, but remains under a cloud.

By Alexa Oslowski 

Photo by Jake Rose:  suspect exits arson fire at Randall Lamb Building during May 30-31 riot in La Mesa

February 23, 2021 (La Mesa) - The long-anticipated independent report on the La Mesa Police and city’s responses to the May 30-31, 2020 riots was released and reviewed at the January 26 City Council meeting. The creation of the report included briefings from the City Council, City officials, the La Mesa Police Department (LMPD) Heartland Fire and Rescue Department, the Citizen Public Safety Oversight Task Force as well as community outreach, as ECM previously reported.

By Ken and Chris Stone, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego News Association

Photo:  Leslie Furcron, a 59-year-old grandmother who was injured during a protest in front of the La Mesa Police Department, thanked her hospital caregivers but said she is still very weak and will need nursing care. Photo by Chris Stone

June 11, 2020 (La Mesa) - Leslie Furcron spoke for three minutes outside La Mesa City Hall on Wednesday — her first public remarks since being shot in the face during a La Mesa police station protest. But her lawyer said she was wounded for being heard saying “Murderers.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: La Mesa Police Chief Walt Vasquez

October 20, 2019 (La Mesa) – The city of La Mesa is seeking diverse representation for the newly created Citizen Public Safety Task Force. Members will develop the framework for a Commission that will review police department policy, complaint investigations, training, and citizen concerns. This Commission will provide recommendations to assist the La Mesa Police Department in serving the city in a more effective manner.

If you are interested in applying, visit http://www.cityoflamesa.us/250/Boards-Commissions.

Source: La Mesa Police

March 14, 2019 (La Mesa) -- St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by millions across the country, often culminating in parties where drinking is involved. Sadly, this leads to tragedies on our roadways because of drivers who choose to leave parties impaired. This St. Patrick’s Day, the La Mesa Police Department will have additional officers on patrol all weekend, ready to stop and arrest drivers suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

East County News Service

February 20, 2019 (La Mesa) -- Today, the La Mesa Police Department’s Traffic Unit hosted the County-wide Inter-agency Traffic Enforcement Team which consists of motorcycle traffic enforcement officers from all over the County of San Diego, who meet once a month for the specific purpose of targeting primary collision factors and reducing traffic violations in problem areas.

By Miriam Raftery

March 2, 2017 (La Mesa) –The popularity of selling goods using the internet has substantially increased over the last decade, which has also increased criminal activity during the sale of these items.  So today, La Mesa Police Department announced designation of two parking stalls on the east side of the police station as a “transaction zone” for La Mesa residents engaging in e-commerce.