Chief’s Message – May 2009

We Will Never Forget
To protect and to serve does not come without its sacrifices – the sacrifice of time away from loved ones, the sacrifice our families make, and for a valiant few, the ultimate sacrifice made while in the line of duty.  We all know far too well the dangers of our profession and the bravery and dedication with which we wear the LAPD badge.  Each May, during National Police Officer Memorial Month, we pay tribute to those courageous officers who with their own lives defended the badge and upheld their commitment to the freedoms our democracy provides and police officers protect.   In return, we pledge to them and their families that we will never forget them, their sacrifices, and those that they leave behind.  

Over the course of the Los Angeles Police Department's one hundred and forty year history, 202 officers have given their lives in the line of duty.  In celebrating our Department's 140th anniversary, we cannot forget the heroic tales of our fallen colleagues.  From the very first fallen LAPD Officer in 1907 with Policeman Clyde A. May to Officer Randal Simmons the very first LAPD SWAT officer to die in combat, their sacrifice does not go in vain and each will continue to live on in LAPD history.    

Although a year later, the City continues to feel the loss of our much- loved Officer Randy Simmons.  A true community legend, Officer Simmons epitomized the very best of the LAPD.  As Randy's legacy is burnt in the hearts of the hundreds of children he mentored and thousands of lives which he touched, so will his name be forever etched in the memorial wall in Washington, D.C. this May as he is honored for his sacrifice.

Sadly, last year also did not go without another loss.  Most recently, we lost Officer Spree Desha whose life was cut short in the tragic Metrolink crash of September 2008.  Her body was found among the wreckage, and she was still wearing her badge, bent but unbroken.  Officer Desha was an exceptional officer, receiving 34 commendations during her seven years of service.  Her love for her family and Department was only matched by her devotion to the communities which she so proudly served.

Please join the Department in honoring these fine men and women at the LAPD Annual Memorial Ceremony which will be held on Monday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m. on the Elysian Park Field.  This year, Officer Spree Desha will be inducted as the 202nd LAPD officer to die in the line of duty.  A presentation will be made to the family of Officer Desha and the names of all 202 fallen officers will be read.   Show your support by joining us in commemorating these courageous officers. 

The memory of our fallen officers will also carry on in the new LAPD Officers' Memorial at the site of the new Police Administration Building.  Designed by the Gensler Architecture Firm, the magnificent memorial wall is made of individual brass plaques etched with the LAPD Badge and the names of the officers.  The wall will be placed in the memorial garden area where a reflective space will allow family and friends to remember the officers who have given their lives in service to the City of Los Angeles.  All of the members of the design team at Gensler generously donated their time and expertise in developing the new memorial.

As we take this opportunity to pay tribute to our officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, it is only appropriate during this time of remembrance, we also keep in our hearts and prayers our fellow colleagues, both sworn and civilian, who we have lost over the past year.

Peter Courtney Sinclair
Police Officer II
Personnel Division
End of Watch: 6/12/08

Dorothy E. Gist             
Principal Clerk Police II
Records and Identification Division
End of Watch – 6/14/08

Arthur H. Aspiras         
Senior Clerk Typist
Training Division 
End of Watch – 8/8/08

Spree DeSha                  
Police Officer III
Office of Operations
End of Watch – 9/12/08

Ernesto R. Haro             
Police Officer III
Hollywood Area
End of Watch – 9/29/08

Richard Mathias            
Police Officer III
Southeast Area  
End of Watch – 10/24/08

Grace Bradbury
Volunteer
Harbor Area
End of Watch – 11/11/08

Gregory Allen Ortiz
Police Officer II
Professional Standards Bureau
End of Watch – 12/31/08

Ruben Baca
Police Officer I
Southeast Area
End of Watch – 2/06/09

David Lee "Dr. Dave" Briggs, Sr.
Minister of Leather
End of Watch – 2/24/09

Kenneth Otto Garner
Deputy Chief
Operations-South Bureau
End of Watch – 3/1/09

Joyce Diane Corrales
Police Service Representative II
Rampart Area
End of Watch – 3/4/09

Darlene Goya
Commission Executive Assistant I
Police Commission
End of Watch – 3/11/09

Kelvin M. Lee
Garage Attendant
Motor Transport Division
End of Watch – 3/11/09

And let us not forget our recently departed retired colleagues who we have also lost over the past year.

Sally Greer
Secretary

Michael Callan
Police Officer III

Ernest Herman Lucero
Police Officer II

James Young   
Police Officer III+I

Daniel W. Lott Jr.
Detective III

Thomas Felix Sr.
Sergeant I

Edmond Burns Jr.
Police Officer II+II

William H. Jones
Detention Officer

Cathy Bagnall
Principal Clerk Police III

Kenneth Vils
Policeman

Jeff Poor
Investigator II

Ron Zito
Garage Attendant

Terry Pearson
Detective III

Randall Becker
Policeman III+III

Jesse H. Roth, Jr.,
Policeman II

David Jay Harrison
Detective III

Morrie R. Henkin
Policeman

Jack Rollins
Investigator III

Joe S. Lewis
Detective III

Barney O. Hroza
Police Lieutenant I

Russell Taggart
Police Detective III

John Charles Payton
Police Officer II

Joseph Daniel Friend
Detective III

Michael Mines
Lieutenant II

Fred R. Riscen
Detective I

Robert Fredrickson
Detective III

George O'Nan
Policeman

Thomas Gerald Pompa
Detective I

Virginia Abney
Secretary

Cecil Muchmore
Sergeant

Raymond Crawford
Police III

Harold N. Crowder
Policeman

Charles P. Brown
Sergeant II

Joy Kindler
Police Service Representative

It is often said the LAPD is like a second family.  We often refer to one another as our LAPD brothers and sisters.  As a family, we must care for and look after each other.  Two such ways in which the LAPD cares for its personnel is through its Military Liaison Program and the Department's Wellness Coordinator.

The Military Liaison Program works closely with both Department employees and their families to resolve situations or problems that may arise out of the employee's military activation.  Officer Richard Garibay currently serves as the Department's Military Liaison Officer and is dedicated to providing enhanced quality of life services for those serving in the United States Armed Forces, Guard and Reserve.  For more information, please visit the Military Liaison Officer Program link on the LAN.

Another excellent resource for Department personnel is the Department's Wellness Coordinator.  Now under the command of my office, the Wellness Coordinator represents the Department in critical incidents involving sworn or civilian employees and their immediate family members who are hospitalized, seriously injured, catastrophically ill or who have been impacted by a long-term illness.  The Wellness Coordinator is available to assist with a multitude of resources in the midst of a crisis.

The sworn Wellness Coordinators are on-call 24 hours/seven days a week to respond when a Department sworn or civilian employee, or immediate family member, is critically injured, ill, hospitalized or dies.  If you would like assistance or have questions for the Department Wellness Coordinator, please contact Sergeant Whit Pauly at 213-925-0963, Sergeant Mary E. Kite at 213-944-6819 or the Civilian Wellness Coordinator, Antonia Diaz at 213-216-7009.  

As we take this opportunity to pay reverence to our fallen colleagues and thank them and their families for their sacrifice, we also strengthen our resolve to continue their fight to protect and to serve with integrity, dignity and honor as they did in the name of duty.  We vow to continue to tell their stories and ensure their legacy is never forgotten.sdas