CHARLIE BECK & THE COUNCIL

Monday, Chief of Police designate Charlie Beck will go before the City Council’s Public Safety committee as the first step of his confirmation process.

So far it’s mostly been love and kisses from the council. Greig Smith, the Public Safety committee’s chairman, has said that he is “…confident that Deputy Chief Beck will be an excellent chief, and will build on the great strides that Los Angeles has seen in reducing crime and making the city safer under Chief Bill Bratton.”

Yep. Now let’s get him confirmed so that he can go to work.

CHARLIE BECK & HIS NEWLY BADGED KID

This past Friday morning, Charlie Beck pinned a badge on his son who will graduate from the police academy in one month. (Evidently the badge ceremony takes place around four weeks before one becomes a full fledged cop.)

DowntownNews photographer, Gary Leonard, happened to be there at the ceremony and snapped some photos.

SCOTUS & LWOP KIDS MONDAY

The two, much-awaited Supreme Court cases having to do with juvenile life sentences will begin Monday.

Bill Mears of CNN.com has some interesting perspectives on the issue.

Lyle Denniston at SCOTUS BLOG has an excellent analysis.

The NY Times has this editorial.