Valley Police on Tactical Alert after Officer Struck in Hit and Run

A Los Angeles police officer conducting a narcotics investigation in Mission Hills was struck by a vehicle and injured today, and authorities searched for the driver, who fled on foot.

The male officer was injured about noon in the 10900 block of Haskell Avenue. His condition was not immediately known, but he was “conscious” when taken to a hospital, said LAPD Officer Liliana Preciado of the Media Relations office.

The officer was wearing civilian clothing, according to reports from the scene.

The suspect was described as a black man about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing about 180-200 pounds, Preciado said. He had a short Afro haircut, and wore blue jeans and a maroon shirt.

The LAPD ordered a modified tactical alert this afternoon for officers in the San Fernando Valley, which allows commanders to hold personnel over past the end of their scheduled shifts.

As a precaution, Porter Middle School and Danube and Haskell elementary schools were placed on lockdown, according to the Los Angeles Unified School District. The lockdown at Porter was lifted after about an hour, but the lockdown was continuing at Danube and Haskell, according to the LAUSD.

• City News Service