LAPD gang unit collects weapons from all city animal shelters *

The LAPD's anti-gang unit today raided the city's six animal shelters and confiscated the service weapons of animal control officers as part of a gun audit of the Animal Services department, the Daily News is reporting. At the West Valley shelter, officers from the LAPD's Gang and Operations Support Division confiscated two shotguns, a rifle, more than a dozen .38-caliber Smith and Wesson handguns and ammunition from a shelter storage locker, staffers said. The LAPD officers showed a letter from Brenda Barnette, general manager of Animal Services, telling employees to turn over "all handguns, rifles, shotguns and ammunition that are at your shelter."

* Added statement from Controller Wendy Greuel: "It's clear there are not appropriate internal controls over the use of weapons at the City's animal shelters. We need to get to the bottom of how many weapons there are, how these guns are being used and what protocols are in place to ensure public safety."