VOL. 81 NO. 12 APRIL 2021

VOL. 81 NO. 12

APRIL 2021

SRA EMPORIUM LASD UNIFORMSWe want to GIVE them away, but the Board won’t let us!

(But we almost do anyway.)

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For more info, visit SheriffsRelief.org/storeSHERIFFS’ RELIEF ASSOCIATION EMPORIUM LOCATIONS:

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Vol. 81 No. 12 ....................... April 2021

Official monthly publication of the Sheriffs’ Relief Association of Los Angeles County, California, Inc.; STARS Center, 11515 Colima Rd., Bldg. B, Whittier, CA 90604. Phone: (562) 946-7081 or toll-free (800) 544-4772. Fax: (562) 946-5302.

COPY DEADLINE: 1st of the month for the following month. Send copy to: [email protected] or [email protected].

OFFICERS President ...............................................Rod Kusch Vice President ................................... Diane Stone Secretary-Treasurer ........................ Mike Abdeen

TRUSTEESJoe Badali, Chuck Becerra, Sue Burakowski, Mike Fratantoni, Joe Hartshorne, Steve Katz, Rod Kusch, Oscar Martinez, Conrad Meredith and Glenn WalshGeneral Manager .........................Bill McSweeney

FOR ADVERT IS ING CALL

(818) 848-6397911MEDIA.com

911MEDIA® is a division of Trade News International, Inc.

Tabl

e of

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THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SHERIFFS’ RELIEF ASSOCIATION

STAR NEWS

Star News (USPS 21670 ISSN 2637-4382) is published monthly by Sheriffs’ Relief Association of Los Angeles County, Inc. at their headquarters, STARS Center, 11515 Colima Rd, Building B, Whittier, CA 90604. Periodicals post-age paid at Whittier, CA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Star News, 11515 Colima Rd, Building B, Whittier, CA 90604.

UnitsTrustees Monthly Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Retired Deputies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Temple Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Parks Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

LAS4D Spouses Supporting Spouses . . . . . . . . 12

Transit Services Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Scientific Services Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Personnel Administration Bureau . . . . . . . . . . 18

From the Docs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Norwalk Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Walnut/Diamond Bar Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Peer Support Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

The Chaplain’s Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Peace Officer’s Fellowship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

FeaturesRetired Marshals Lunches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

February Retirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

In Memoriam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Cover photo courtesy of SRA / Daniel Deitch

April 2021 Star News 3

The regular meeting of the Sheriffs’ Relief Association convened on Thursday, February 11, at 536 South Arroyo

Parkway, Pasadena, at the Arroyo Chop House. The following officers and trustees were present: Rod Kusch, President; Diane Stone, Vice President; Mike Abdeen, Secretary-Treasurer; Trustees Chuck Becerra, Mike Fratantoni, Steve Katz, Oscar Martinez, Conrad Meredith and Glenn Walsh; and Bill McSweeney, General Manager. Trustees not present: Joe Badali, Sue Burakowski and Joe Hartshorne.

The meeting was called to order at 5:42 p.m. A motion was made by Trustee Abdeen, seconded by Trustee Fratantoni and unanimously carried to approve the minutes of the January 14 meet-ing and the January and December Foundation expenditures.

COMMUNICATIONSGeneral Manager Bill McSweeney reported that

communications were received from the following during the month of January:

From Julie Mac Quarrie to SRA, “Can’t thank you enough for your help and time!”

From Jeanene McConnell to Denise Jezak, “Thanks so much to Sheriffs’ Relief for the mor-tuary benefit. It is greatly appreciated.”

From Scott Paddock to Denise Jezak, “Thank you for your kind words and condolences on the

passing of my father, Frederick Paddock.”From the Tsheppe Trust to SRA, “Your Foun-

dation and its work through the Survivors and Dependents Fund were in Anne Tsheppe’s thoughts during her last years. Enclosed is a $50,000 check from her Trust, payable to the Sheriffs’ Relief Foundation.”

BENEVOLENT REPORTMORTUARY BENEFITS PAID DURING

JANUARY: $299,500MORTUARY BENEFITS PAID YEAR TO

DATE: $299,500

MEMBERSHIP REPORTA total of 1 new membership application was

received during the month of January. A motion was made by Trustee Stone and seconded by Trustee Walsh to accept the following new applicants: Kyle N. Ambat, Alejandro Araiza, Jose A. Avalar Cruz Jr., Juan R. Barragan, Erik Benitez, Angela M. Carrasio, Gabriel S. Costa, David L. Crocker, Brandon A. Cruz, Cesar Curiel, Julianna T. Diggs, Sean B. Estrada, Connor R. Freeborg, Christian J. Futrell, Andres Garcia Romo, Bailee N. Garcia, Erika Garcia, Jeremy T. Garcia, Chad R. Gittisarn, Emmanuel Gomez Gomez, Pablo C. Gomez, Sara M. Greenlee, Joshua A. Guerra, Johnathan Guti-errez, John A. Hackett-Lasher, Clinton A. Hall, Branden J. Hedge, Gina A. Henderson, Taylor B.

Hopkins, Chongsarid Hutayana, Joaquin Ibarra, Juan D. Jimenez-Bibian, Jarid L. Joseph, Peter A. Katalaris, Blanca E. Kelley, Rubyrosa F. Leoparte, Joel Hk. Li, Ryan D. Lopez, Nhat M. Luu, Alisha R. Machuca, Keith B. McCowen, Francisco J. Meier, Alejand Mendez Albarado, Emmanuel Mercado, Nicholas M. Mileski, Alonza B. Moore II, Kate A. Nguyen, Yiming Ov, Charles K. Park, Nathan L. Pena, Alejandro Pereyra, Samantha Perez, M. Ramirez Gutierrez, Eleazar Ramirez, Daniel Razo, Jordan G. Romo, Alexis Salas, Audrey G. Sanchez, Josue Sanchez, Giovanni A. Sera, Stephen W. Shan, Nickolas P. Trujillo, Francisco J. Vargas, Alejandro Vasquez and Brittney C. Walker.

We had 6 deaths of active members, 26 deaths of retired members, 3 cancellations of active membership, no cancellations of retired mem-berships, 2 new honorary associate members and 6 deaths of honorary associate members for the month of January.

There were no members who resigned and 1 who transferred from the Sheriff ’s Department/Relief Association during the month of January.

ADJOURNMENTAt 6:02 p.m., a motion was made by Trustee

Abdeen, seconded by Trustee Martinez and unanimously carried to adjourn the meeting of the Sheriffs’ Relief Association, Sheriffs’ Relief Foundation and Sheriffs’ Relief Services, Inc. I

Trustees Monthly Meeting

4 Star News April 2021

Stay in touch with

the Department

and other retired

members. Go to

www.lasdretired.org,

and in the upper

right-hand corner, click on the “JOIN” button.

IN THE

ARE YOU

NEXT YEAR?


O n Wednesday, February 3, the Desert Heat Retirees got together in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, at the Elks Lodge

for their monthly luncheon, and we all were ready to eat. They met at 11:30 a.m., and at noon, the 14 retirees entered the dining room. Everyone orders from the menu and received separate bills. There is a no-host bar. Those attending this month were Jerry Gillen, Doug Muchmore, Bill Tag-gart, Steve Root, Linda Quinn, Kevin Gavaghan,

Mike Castorina, Tommy Jimenez, Brian Smith, Robert Pellerin, Billie and Dan Grahek, and Chickee and Norman Nelson. The Desert Heat Retirees Luncheon started around 2000. When they first started, they met on the second Wednesday of each month, but several years ago, they switched to the first Wednes-day of the month. Jerry Gillen organizes these luncheons. He was in Class #68. He came on our Department in 1957 and retired in 1987. The majority of his career was at Lennox Sheriff Station, which has now been renamed to South L.A. Station on Imperial Highway in Los Angeles. The station serves Athens, Del Aire, El Camino Village, city of Lawndale, Lennox, Moneta Gardens and Wiseburn. Jerry moved to Parker, Arizona, in 1988 and has been in Lake Havasu since 1999. This group meets the first Wednesday of every month, and all retirees are welcome! If you have any questions, you can contact Jerry Gillen at [email protected].

On Wednesday, February 10, the San Diego Retirees met at Hennessey’s Tavern in the Village

in Carlsbad. A good time was had by all, as seen by their exuberant faces in the attached photo. Those attending this luncheon were Phil and Bonnie Brooks, Bill Findon, Ron Wisberger, Ron Eoff, Bob Henley, Bill Gaynor, Joe Raffa, Lou Brown, Harry Penny and Greg Simon. They meet from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. They meet once a month on the second Wednesday of the month. If you are available, you can join them. If you have any questions, you can contact Joe Raffa at [email protected].

On Tuesday, February 16, the LASD Northern

continued on page 6

By Chickee Nelson and Don Fandry24 W. Winnie WayArcadia, CA 91007(626) 447-6962Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

NEXT LUNCHEON: Thursday, April 15, 2021 11:30 a.m. Buffet $10.95 Villa Catrina Restaurant 251 N. Santa Anita Ave. Arcadia, CA 91006

Retired Deputies

Jerry Gillen of the Desert Heat Retirees was in Class #68

Desert Heat Retirees. Front row: Mike Castorina, Tommy Jimenez, Dan and Billie Grahek, Chickee Nelson, Linda Quinn and Steve Root. Back row: Doug Muchmore, Brian Smith, Kevin Gavaghan, Norman Nelson, Bill Taggart, Jerry Gillen and Robert (Bob) Pellerin.

San Diego Retirees: Phil Brooks, Bill Findon, Bonnie Brooks, Ron Wisberger, Ron Eoff, Bob Henley, Bill Gaynor, Joe Raffa, Lou Brown, Harry Penny and Greg Simon


Idaho retired law enforcement luncheon was held at Sargents Restaurant & Lounge in Hayden, Idaho. Speaking to the group was Sheriff Bob Norris from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department. Those who attended were Lane Starr, Judi Griffin, Cindy Palmer, Dan Bellano, Rudy Barrio, Carol Oguri, Susan Johnson, Greg Wrighley, Bill Postmus, Christopher Lee, Larry Priddy, Richard Centola, Barbara Kemper, Vickie Ridgley, Chris Cahhal, Dan and Dee Edington, Donna Cline, Pat Rear-don, Don Wrest, Ken Johnson, Patrick Griffin, Gary Pfahler, Morgan John, John Kunkle, Ray Kemper, Bill Ridgley, John Skikas, Mike and Pat Nelson and Kanzo Oguri.

On Monday, February 22, at Compton Sheriff’s Station, a memorial was held around 6 p.m. for Officers Kevin Burrell and James MacDonald, who were shot and killed while making a traffic stop at the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue and Dwight Avenue. For 28 years, they have had a memorial each year for them. The suspect was a parolee with a gun. He was able to break free as the officers attempted to handcuff him. He fired at both offi-cers with another gun he still had concealed on his person. The suspect was arrested and convicted of murdering two police officers and received the death penalty. Kevin was 29 years old, and Jim was 24 years old. That was going to be Jim’s last night working for Compton because he had been hired by San Jose Police Department. Since 1888, the city of Compton has been serviced by two law enforce-ment agencies, the Compton Police Department and, beginning in 2000, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. In more than 130 years, five officers have fallen in the line of duty. Police Officer Dess K. Phipps was killed in an automobile acci-dent during a high-speed pursuit on October 12, 1962, and passed away that day. He was 37 years old and had served in the U.S. Navy from June 16,

1943, until December 29, 1944, during World War II. In September 2020, when we were preparing for the Compton Reunion, our daughter, Shannique Solaita, found this information about Kay Reeves’ father. Police Officer Ralph Kay Reeves, who was 50 years old, suffered a heart attack on April 4, 1967, while struggling with a student at Compton High School. He was responding to the school to investigate reports of an intoxicated student. The student began to struggle with Officer Reeves, and a group of other students began to surround the two as they tried to take the subject from Officer Reeves. As other officers arrived, Officer Reeves collapsed. The other officers called an ambulance. He was transported to a local hospital, where it was learned that he had suffered a heart attack. His condition never improved, and he died as a

Retired Deputies continued from page 5

LASD Northern Idaho Retirees. Front row: Lane Starr, Judi Griffin, Cindy Palmer, Dan Bellano, Rudy Barrio, Carol Oguri, Susan Johnson and Greg Wrighley. Middle row: Bill Postmus, Christopher Lee, Larry Priddy, Richard Centola, Barbara Kemper, Vickie Ridgley, Chris Cahhal, Dan and Dee Edington, Donna Cline, Pat Reardon, Don Wrest and Ken Johnson. Back row: Patrick Griffin, Gary Pfahler, Morgan John, John Kunkle, Ray Kemper, Bill, John Skikas, Mike and Pat Nelson and Kanzo Oguri.

LASD retiree Sheriff Bob Norris from Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department

Compton Sheriff’s Station

The memorial in front of Compton Sheriff ’s Station


result on March 26, 1968. He was survived by his wife, four children and three grandchildren. Officer Reeves’ son, Kay Reeves, was a police officer in Compton. Officer Reeves’ brother, Patrolman Richard Vance Reeves, was killed in the line of duty on October 2, 1957, while serving with the Kansas City, Mis-souri, Police Department. Sergeant Alfonso Lopez suffered a fatal heart attack while responding to assist other deputies who were involved in a high-speed pursuit in Comp-ton at approximately 5:20 a.m. on October 24, 2016. It is believed that Sergeant Lopez suffered a fatal heart attack prior to his vehicle colliding with a fence at low speeds. Deputies responded to the location and began performing CPR on Sergeant Lopez. He was transported to St. Francis Medical Center, where he passed away. Sergeant Lopez was 47 years old and had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Depart-ment for 26 years. He is survived by his wife and two adult children.

On Friday, February 26, we were finally able to resume our monthly breakfast, which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Good morning, this is the friendly Antelope Valley Retirees monthly breakfast report. For those who are not aware, every last Friday of the month, the Sheriff’s Department retired folks residing in the Antelope Valley and/or its environs gather together at Denny’s on 20th Street West and Ave-nue K in Lancaster around 7–8 a.m., for purposes of reminiscing about the “good old days,” discuss-ing and finding solutions to world and domestic problems, remembering friends and partners of the past, and selecting the least expensive break-fast from the seniors’ menu. The conversations this gathering covered subjects on health, Depart-ment issues, lost comrades, books to read and, of course, politics. Mary McKain mentioned that a water line had frozen and broke in her cabin in

Montana, causing some damage. We also mourned the passing of Chief John Graham, an old friend to many of us, which led us to remember-ing special events with him. This morning was a cold morning in the Antelope Valley. When I left home, it was still a cold 32 degrees, and not thinking, I turned on my wind-shield wipers and immediately the window spray froze on the window. This was not a good thing, as I now had to stop and scrape ice off of the windshield. Twelve of us braved the cold weather to attend the breakfast, and since the governor decreed that all restaurant dining must be held outdoors, we sat in an area that was being heated with propane heaters, which was nice, except that we were still cold. Additional heaters were provided, which helped ease some of the cold. Attending the breakfast were Tom Ewens, John Ament, Fred McNutt, Ron Nybakken, Donald Ott, Mary McKain, Ron Shreves, Dennis Watters, Glen Hutchinson, Vance Kirkpatrick, Dennis Papp

and myself, Carlos Valdez. Until next time, stay healthy and enjoy retirement.

The warmth of the California sun shined down upon the green hills of Carbon Canyon, provid-ing a convivial climate for members of the Carson Station OG emeritus. Here among leafed trees in a remote section of the oil-rich gradients of Brea, stewards of Carson mustered for the renewal of whi-lom friendships. Friendly talk could be heard within the serene picnic arena with an occasional cock-a-hoop tale to be distinguished. Those at the luncheon were Carson Deputies Frank Moritz, Dan Garner, Bruce Jacquez, Denise Jacquez, Buck Bland, Den-nis Freed, Mike Turner, Hiroshi Yokoyama, Greg Adams, Joe Dawidziack, Curtis Holtmeir, Danny “Slappy” White, Steve “Photo Bomb” Skrnich, Jon Brick, Marcie Jones, Don Jones, Dave Vega, Cor-nelius Healy, Corey Fletcher, Paul Scauzillo, John Cawdrey, Robin Hana, Dan Maceldery, Michelle Hauser, Will Bartlett, Allen Harris and Gerry Velona (two names not listed). Cachinnation sounds filled the crisp, clean air as many enjoyed lunch during this outing. As occasional ground squirrels scampered by the old Carson deputies, their fraternity strength-ened with each passing moment. The old “Keystone Koppers” and current “Fort Carsonites” share a com-mon friendship that can never be commensurable. If you would like to attend a Carson OG gathering, please contact Greg Adams. The next gathering is scheduled for May 2021. Also, a sincere apology to those who booked hotel reservations for the January gathering. The cancellation was due to the current flu problem and beyond anyone’s control. In regards to the individuals whose names are not listed for the photo, a request was made to identify, which was met with negative results. You can reach Greg Adams via email at [email protected].

After almost a year, the breakfast gatherings will restart at the Lone Spur Café on 106 W. Gurley Street in Prescott, Arizona, across from the Courthouse Square. Here are future dates so you can mark your calendars. You can respond to Tony Hollins

continued on page 8

Attendees visiting memorial at Compton Sheriff ’s Station

Officer Ralph Kay Reeves (EOW:

March 26, 1968)

Sergeant Alfonso Lopez (EOW:

October 24, 2016)

Carson Station Alumni Luncheon. Front row: Frank Moritz, Dan Garner, Bruce Jacquez, Denise Jacquez, Buck Bland, Dennis Freed, Mike Turner and Hiroshi Yokoyama. Back row: Greg Adams, Joe Dawidziack, Curtis Holtmeir, Danny “Slappy” White, Steve “Photo Bomb” Skrnich, not identified, Jon Brick, Marcie Jones, Don Jones, Dave Vega, Cornelius Healy, Corey Fletcher, Paul Scauzillo, John Cawdrey, not identi-fied, Robin Hana, Dan Maceldery, Michelle Hauser, Will Bartlett, Allen Harris and Gerry Velona.


at [email protected] if you plan on attending: May 2, June 1, July 7, August 3, September 7, October 5, November 2 and December 7.

The monthly Prescott Area Retired Law Enforcement lun-cheons are starting up again at the Lone Spur Café, which is located at 106 W. Gurley Street in Prescott (right across from the Courthouse Square). The café is still only oper-ating at 50% capacity. They are allowed to have groups larger than 10 people, same as before. We meet at 1 p.m. and are usually seated in the back room. We always meet on the third Thursday of the month. Again, if you plan on attending, please email Moon so he can give the Lone Spur a head count. You can contact me at [email protected]. If you would like to mark your calendar for future dates of the luncheon for 2021, here they are: April 15, May 20, June 17, July 15, August 19, September 16, October 21, November 18 and December 16. Stay well and be safe. — Moon

Due to the present condition of the COVID-19 pandemic, RFD will not schedule a May 2021 lun-cheon. The welfare of our members is our priority. At a later time, it will be determined if a November 2021 date is feasible. You are important, so God keep you safe. — RoseMarie Johnson

As we are the hostesses for this event, Eileen and I wanted you to know that arrangements

have been made to hold the May 2022 luncheon at the Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa in Ran-cho Mirage, assuming the COVID-19 virus will no longer be a concern. Additional details will be sent out at a later date. We are looking forward to getting together again. Thanks for your under-standing. — Judy Preimsberger and Eileen Kelly, event hostesses

The March 20 Las Vegas ROMEOs Luncheon is canceled. I have identified a location with great barbecue for our May 15 luncheon. More on this later. Pat and I hope this finds you well. We, like so many others, have been trying to minimize our potential exposure to COVID-19. We have both been able to receive both shots of the COVID vaccine. — Bob Canfield

Bill (William) Hutton retired from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department on March 31, 2003, after 34 years on our Department. He was in Class #117 and went through the Academy while still in the Marine Corps and just back from Vietnam. He had two years left in the Corps and was discharged on April 3, 1969. He did not go back through the Academy or to custody. He started at East Los Angeles Station in patrol as a trainee on April 5, 1969. He retired as a sergeant on March 31, 2003.

His son, Billy, is following in his footsteps. He is a sergeant at the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department and has 22 years on. Billy has two daughters, Ava (7) and Brynlee (4). They are Bill’s pride and joy.

If you are interested in learning about the SRA Emporium store products and exclusive offers, please email [email protected] to provide your name and personal email address. Your name will be added to their monthly email list. You may opt-out at any point.

This concludes my article for this month. I hope you all are doing well, staying safe and enjoying life to the fullest. That has been kind of hard to do because of COVID circumstances, but just make the best of it. Until next month, take care. — Chickee Nelson I

Retired Deputies continued from page 7

Ava and Brynlee Hutton with Bill Hutton (Class #117)

Billy Hutton of Ventura County Sheriff ’s Department and Bill Hutton (Class #117)

L.A. County Retired Marshals Lunches for 2021ALL LUNCHES ARE SCHEDULED FOR 12 NOON

May 5 Katella Bakery

4470 Katella Ave. Los Alamitos

June 2 Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill

400 S. Baldwin Ave. Arcadia

July 7 San Antonio Winery

737 Lamar Street Los Angeles

August 4 Black Angus Steakhouse

560 W. Huntington Drive Monrovia

September 1 Katella Bakery

4470 Katella Ave. Los Alamitos

October 6 Rodrigo’s Mexican Grill

11805 Artesia Blvd. Artesia

November 3 Yang Chow

3777 Colorado Blvd. Pasadena

December 1 Villa Tepeyac

2200 E. Garvey Ave. S. West Covina


I would like to start this month’s article with a moment to pause and reflect on the lives we’ve lost in our Department recently.

Prayers go out to the family and friends of Sergeant Armando Meneses, a 25-year veteran of our Department from Court Services, who lost his battle with COVID-19. Prayers also go out to the family and friends of Deputy Pedro “Pete” Romo, also a 25-year veteran of our Department from Santa Clarita Valley Station, who lost his battle with COVID-19. A final prayer to the friends and family of Deputy Thomas J. Albanese from Lakewood Station, who tragically lost his life in a traffic collision. May God keep these brave men and women in his arms and in his glory. We here at Temple Station send our heartfelt condolences to his brothers and sisters in uniform and to their loved ones. No time will fill the loss of these men and women, but we will carry on from here and keep watch as we always do.

STATION HAPPENINGSWe were treated to a wonderful catered lunch

by Friendsgiving, which is a wonderful nonprofit organization here in Temple City. They treated us to Panda Express and delicious desserts. Thank you so much!

MAJOR MILESTONESCongratulations go out to the following

station personnel in receiving their Department and County Service Awards:• Yvonne Salas (35 years of service)• Lieutenant Robert Hahnlein

(30 years of service)• Sergeant Richard Lewis

(30 years of service)• Lieutenant Francis Ruiz

(30 years of service)• Sergeant Jeffery Serpa (30 years of service)• Law Enforcement Technician Maria Sigala

(30 years of service)• Detective Stephen Cabrera

(25 years of service)• Deputy Jim Farley (25 years of service)• Sergeant Edmo Luna (25 years of service)• Deputy David Olivas (25 years of service)• Detective Marco Palmieri (25 years of service)• Deputy Arthur Valenzuela

(25 years of service)

Thank you all for your dedication and service to our Department.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTSDeputies in Duarte arrested three males for

being in possession of a catalytic converter, bur-glary tools to remove converters, brass knuckles and drug paraphernalia.

Our Rosemead SAO team conducted a search warrant, which yielded numerous gaming machines and arrests for illegal gambling.

South El Monte deputies arrested a suspect near our patrol area wanted for kidnapping and GTA from South Gate.

Great job, Team Temple! Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other. I

By Lisa RicoTemple Station

Captain Mark A. Reyes with members of Friendsgiving

Sgt. J. Serpa, Lt. R. Hahnlein, Lt. F. Ruiz, Chief C. Jacob, Det. M. Palmieri, Sgt. E. Luna, Dep. J. Farley, Sgt. R. Lewis, LET M. Sigala, Det. S. Cabrera, Capt. M. Reyes, Cmdr. E. Morejon and Dep. A.Valenzuela

ATTENTION ANIMAL LOVERS: STAND BY FOR THE FOLLOWING CUTE ANIMALS

L et’s start this one with some horses. Why? Because who doesn’t love horses?In January, our mounted enforcement

deputies were riding their horses, Silver, Snickers and Trigger. They were conducting a patrol check of the Browns Canyon Trail in Chatsworth when they saw something in the distance on the trail.

Was it a dog? Was it a cat? It was definitely moooooving! Well, as you can see in the photo, our cowboys don’t have the best cameras. Plus, it might be kind of hard to take a photo while riding a horse — kind of like texting and driving? Maybe? Well, if y’all look real, real close, you’ll see a mama cow with her two little baby calves. Can all my animal lovers say “awwwwwwww”? There is always some-thing special about a mama and her babies! These bovines had been pretty deep on the trail, but our mounted enforcement deputies followed them quite some distance to safety. On that note, we are bummed to say farewell to the Mounted Enforce-ment Detail (MED). MED joined the Parks Bureau

family in 2010, but will now be off to their next adventures under Community Partnership Bureau. MED will be missed, but we hope they drop-in and say “howdy” from time to time!

YOU’RE KIDDING?Again?! Seriously? We’ve all experienced the

annoyance of getting hit at the same place with the same crime over and over again. The typical “change the date and copy and paste the report.”

This was happening with gang graffiti vandal-ism at Val Verde Park in our North Zone. Our detectives were able to investigate and identify a suspect with a good address.

Detective Bureau served a search warrant, which resulted in more than just graffiti tools. What else did we recover? Guns and dope, of course! Three

arrests were made, and the residents in the area, as well as Parks and Recreation staff, were thrilled. A local news company even reported on the great job!

COMMUNITY HONORS TIM TELLEZ

On December 22, 2020, we lost our beloved Deputy Tim Tellez. He passed away, leaving behind his beauti-ful wife, Vanessa, and three children, Nyla (18), Joshua (14) and 1-year-old Noah.

Tim came to Parks Bureau in 2010, dedicating his years with us as a member of our special problems team. Tim and his team identified, located and arrested many suspects of violent crimes in our parks. They worked with community members to solve quality of life concerns and make a significant positive impact. One of those communities is the Whitley Heights community in Hollywood.

In 2016, this community’s park was taken over by transients and gang and narcotic activ-ity. They reached out to Tim, and he took ownership. Tim and his team completely trans-formed this park. Because of Tim’s hard work, the community was able to have numerous chil-dren’s events in the park, including puppet shows and concerts. They finally felt safe.

As the Whitley Heights community learned of Tim Tellez’s passing, they were devas-tated. Members wrote a children’s book with


By Brittany FraserParks Bureau

photos and dedicated it to his children. They also fundraised for his family. The book is titled The Deputy Who Saved Our Park. The com-munity is very grateful for Tim’s service and dedication. I



“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” — Coretta Scott King, author, civil rights leader

and the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.

A nd what a great community we have. They say that through tough times, we recognize our own strength. We

may not see it right away, but once we overcome our struggles and look back, we can realize and appreciate how far we have come. As we all can attest to, last year was a struggle. We all had hope that this year would be better, and many joked that 2021 could not be any worse. This year has already started out with so much loss and sadness that has hit our LASD family especially hard, proving that things can always be worse. With that said, we should look for the silver lining in every situation we can and appreciate others while we have the pleasure of their presence.

With the passing of so many LASD personnel recently, we offer our sincerest condolences to the families and partners who are having to endure such great losses. Since the Department is so widespread, we find it amazing that we all know someone who knows someone, allowing us to personalize the loss. Each passing has affected us as a group, but losing one of our members has hit home. Our group was approached with a request to help raise money for a stair-lift chair for her friend, who was also one of our members. She shared that Senior Deputy Lara Damole, married to Deputy Erik Florin, could really benefit from this stair-lift chair because the ovarian cancer she had been fighting for 20 years had recently taken some of her strength away, making it difficult to walk up the stairs to the second-floor bedroom of her home. We sprang into action with a request to our group on our private Facebook page and our Instagram account, indicating a goal to collect $1,200. In less than 12 hours, we received just under $2,000. We even had an offer from the Owen-Speed Foundation to cover a large portion of our goal, but with the monetary donations from our friends and family, we were fortunate to be able

to decline so that another family could benefit from the Foundation’s generosity. Exactly a month to the day later, we woke up to horrible news that Lara had begun her journey to live her eternal life with the Lord.

As our name indicates, we are all about sup-port. We began reaching out to our members and friends outside the group to help us create care packages for the widows and widower of our Department members to express our sym-pathy and help support their needs. In doing so, we have met so many kind people who have been willing to donate their time, money and exceptional craftsmanship to include in our care packages. It feels like the hits keep com-ing because while collecting money for one care package, we immediately start collecting for another with news of more loss.

Unfortunate circumstances have afforded us the opportunity to meet with people we would have otherwise not met. They are not the ideal situations to meet someone new, but it allows us to provide them with the comfort of knowing that they will never be alone, and they have a built-in support system of peers who are here with open arms when they are ready.

We met with Erica Albanese the week following Deputy Thomas J. Albanese’s line-of-duty death with the help of Pico Rivera Station personnel. It was an honor to meet Erica, their sons and family members as we delivered various household necessities that we purchased from Costco with some of the donations we collected. The family was extremely grateful for the outpouring of condolences from the Department and our group, and we will continue to reach out to offer our support. Along with the Costco items and care package we are putting together for Erica, we are on a mission to collect LASD unit and other police agency challenge coins to gift to Deputy Albanese’s sons. We are looking forward to putting a smile on their faces and doing something just for them. Thank you to all who have donated toward this special gift.

As we were posting information about the recent need for care packages, a member responded, stating that she is a recent widow. A few of us reached out to her and learned that she is also a retired deputy and was sadly dealing with the passing of her husband of over 30 years. A few days later, we took our new friend to lunch and had a great time. We presented her with a beautiful gift that serves as a sweet and positive reminder that her husband is always with her. We continue to reach out to let her know that she is not alone and remind her of the amazing support system she has in our group. Our group members’ compassionate actions are continuingly and selflessly being demonstrated, simply to be there to support a fellow LASD spouse. This is exactly what our group is about.

It is important to get out and enjoy life, especially when faced with so much sorrow. We

By Jen MyersLAS4D Spouses Supporting Spouses


mentioned in our last article that we were participating in a Girls & Guns event. The event took place shortly after submission, so we were unable to provide details. Several members attended, and we learned basic first aid and tourniquet use, as well as proper gun handling and safety. We put our new education to use as we shot our guns in target practice, some for the very first time. It was such a fun event that was educational and empowering.

Our friends at LAPD-owned Side Action Apparel invited us and our small business owners to their Cruise Out car show event. Along with some beautiful classic cars, we enjoyed law enforcement-owned and law enforcement-supportive vendors in a family-friendly environment. Since many of our members attended, we had the opportunity to meet each other for the first time, which is always great to make in-person connections. On March 13, we had a SeaWorld San Diego excursion, where several of us got together with our families and enjoyed marine life, demonstrations, shows and the various encounters. For many of us, this was our first time experiencing the animals and activities SeaWorld has to offer. It was a great time for all.

As our group continues to grow and requests for our support increase, LAS⁴D Spouses Support-ing Spouses is always seeking additional resources to share with our members that can help ease some of their concerns along with information that can benefit their livelihoods. We are working

on a “Prepare for the Unexpected” series, where we will have professionals in their respective fields of expertise present various information and resources to help us all plan for situations we may find ourselves in one day, given the profession our spouses are in. With the vast network of amaz-ing group members we have, we are fortunate to begin our lineup of guest speakers with our own members and LASD family. We are excited to bring this information to the forefront, despite the difficulty and reluctance many of us have in facing the possibility of having to deal with such unfortunate circumstances. The series will include life insurance and financial planning; the

road to retirement and what factors contribute to your financial stabil-ity; deferred compensation; benefits change information; association member benefits; medical compli-cations, injuries, line-of-duty death benefits and what to expect during such times; and more.

Additionally, we have several upcoming events we are proud to announce. Adult and Pediatric CPR Training is in the works as we coordinate with deputy-owned Medic Up Consultants, LLC., which is the same company that hosted our Girls & Guns event last month. Our Easter Egg Hunt and Family Picnic event is coming up at the end of the month, and we will share the details in the next article. We were invited to attend a Choir Boys Ride in a few months in order to gain more dona-tions for Detective Josh Dubin and

his wife, Bethany. We also have a few surprises up our sleeves that we are holding onto, which we will announce when all details are aligned and available for sharing. We are excited about where we are as a group and look forward to all that is to come. If you are an LASD spouse or domestic partner and would like to participate, you can email us requesting membership at [email protected]. If you have Instagram, follow us at @lasd_spouses. If you steer clear of social media but are still interested in partici-pating in our weekly hikes, fun events, online meetings and other gatherings, email us to be added to our mailing list. I

By Jonathan Loo and Ramon MontenegroTransit Services Bureau

SHERIFF VILLANUEVA DEDICATES THE NEWEST TSB SUBSTATION

W e are writing this article from our newest substation, located in the city of Irwindale, California. The

substation is less than a block away from the Metro Irwindale L Line train platform and will serve to shorten the already impressive response times to calls for service to the northern and eastern portions of the Metro L Line (formerly Gold Line). Sheriff Alex Villanueva officiated at the grand opening on February 1, accompanied by Irwindale Police Chief Ty Henshaw and hosted by TSB Captain John Burcher, who actually cut the ribbon welcoming all to the state-of-the-art facility.

The new home for TSB L Line units and various other administrative staff is the result of two years of planning and investment by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro). Deputies and professional staff are already benefitting from the functional gym, 75-seat briefing room with a state-of-the-art audio/visual system, expanded locker rooms, 10 administrative offices and a full-service kitchen. Irwindale substation will be home to TSB Timekeeping, Scheduling and Training, Procurement, Public Information Office, as well as a deployment location for the Bureau’s Transit Mental Health Team (TMET) and Special Assignment Unit (SAU).

We look forward to continuing the LASD tradition of customer service to Metro, as we have since 1990, from our new digs. Special thanks to Special Operations Division Chief Jack Ewell, Commander Robert Lewis and Metro Safety and Security Chief Robert Green for joining us to help celebrate the ribbon cutting.

SAU FINDS AND ARRESTS PASADENA MURDER SUSPECT

The SAU deployed in force to the Pasadena area, days after a male suspect had physically assaulted a Metro bus operator so savagely that the bus operator had to be transported to a local hospital. During the investigation by our Detective Bureau, assisted by our Crime Analyst, it was learned that the suspect of the ADW was probably the same one wanted by Pasadena P.D. for the murder of an elderly Asian woman on the same day as the bus


operator assault (and just blocks away). The SAU team began a comprehensive search in the area that the suspect was known to frequent. The suspect was identified by an anonymous tipster who was shown a flyer by SAU deputies just that morning. The suspect was safely taken into custody near a train station in Pasadena by SAU and turned over to Pasadena P.D., where charges were sought for the murder and ADW of the bus operator. Nice work, team! You’re even clearing other agencies’ cases.

RETIREMENTS AND TRANSFERSDeputy Juan Gonzalez-Valencia retired in

late February, leaving us, where he’ll be splitting his time between L.A., Arizona and warmer equatorial climates. Deputy Valencia started his LE career as a sheriff’s security officer. He then was hired as an L.A. County police officer, working for the Office of Public Safety. When

that department dissolved, he “came home” as a DSG, working most of his time as a TSB deputy, where he worked pretty much every assignment. We will miss his positive spirit and proactive work ethic.

We wish happy trails to Deputies Carlos Flores (driving off to Court Services Transportation), Jonathan Kerber (to Pico Rivera Station), David Chavez (to Lomita Station) and Oscar Peraza (sailing off to Malibu/Lost Hills Station).

NEW PARTNERS ARRIVETSB is a place with constant growth and

change. The following deputies recently transferred in from patrol training and have joined our family: Deny Cabral, Gerardo Chavez, Hector Gonzales, Joseph Molina, Christopher Valencia, Jennifer Villafana and June Yu. Welcome to the most unique patrol assignment in the county. A special mention to Deputy Kristen Aufdemberg, who is back for her second tour after previously serving several years with us when we were the Transit Policing Division. Welcome back, Kris! I


Deputy Juan Gonzalez-Valencia, who retired in late February

H ello, and happy new year from Scientific Services! We have been absent from Star News for quite a while. COVID-19 has

affected staffing and put a wrench in some of our collateral duties, but we are back and have a lot of catching up to do.

NEWSMAKERSWe are proud to announce that Senior Crimi-

nalists Juan Apodaca and Lennert Mitchell will have an article published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences in July 2021. The article will be entitled, “The Effect of the Safer at Home Order on the Frequency of DUI Breath Alcohol Test in Los Angeles County.” Juan was kind enough to pro-vide us with this summary of the study they did and their results:

Based on our statistical analysis of the breath alcohol test data, we determined that there was a 49% decrease in the likelihood of submitted breath alcohol tests during the pandemic period compared with the same time period the year before. We also reviewed traffic volume data obtained from Cal-Trans and the number of DUI collisions from the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System. We determined that the odds of encountering an intoxicated driver decreased by approximately 23% during the Safer at Home period.

The interesting thing is that the Safer at Home order required all bars, restaurants and large social gatherings where alcohol may be served to close. Although these obvious sources of alcohol were closed, there were still people who were drinking and driving. By determining the unknown source or sources of alcohol, we can create countermea-sures to decrease DUIs by 23%. This is a big deal! In 2018, 670 people died in alcohol-involved traffic collisions in L.A. County. You can possibly save 154 people from being killed in an alcohol-involved traffic collision if we decreased DUIs by 23%.

We would like to congratulate both Juan and Lennert for the recognition they will receive with the publication of the article and their contribu-tions to SSB and LASD. In a year that seemed so incredibly negative, it’s good to know there was a positive. Way to go, guys!

TRANSFERSHere is a list of the movements we had

with staffers in the last year. In October 2020, Supervising Criminalist Lew Bolf moved from

DNA to Controlled Substances; ASM II Sheila Courts took over the PRELIMS project for the Bureau; Assistant Director Erin Trujillo moved from the PRELIMS project to the Forensic Chemistry group at the Downey Lab; and Assistant Director Micah Anozie acquired Evidence Control as one of the units he oversees. In December 2020, Senior Criminalist JJ Cavaleri moved from Firearms to Controlled Substances; Supervising Criminalist Kirsten Correa moved from DNA to Operations; and A/Supervising Criminalist Margaret Kaleuati moved from Operations to DNA.

PROMOTIONSWe would like to congratulate the following

SSB staffers on their promotions. OAIII Wynjel-lyn Gan promoted when she transferred to SSB in August 2020. In October 2020, Senior Typist Clerk Andrea Cruz was promoted to A/Secretary V. And finally, congratulations to the following forensic identification specialists promoted from FIS I to II in November 2020: David Bouffard, Diamond Cook, Cathy Johnson, Jessica Liang, Jenny Mak, Laura Monzon, Krystal Parker, Desiree Rollins, Danica Scales, Elizabeth Soto and Jessica Vuguin.

RECENT RETIREESWe would like to thank the following retirees

for all their hard work and commitment to Sci-entific Services and the Sheriff’s Department. We send them off with our warmest wishes as they begin this new and exciting phase of their lives.

• Assistant Director Heidi Robbins (Forensic Chemistry) — August 2020

• EPCIII Cecilia Munson (Evidence Control) — September 2020

• FIS II Diana Escobedo-Gutierrez (Latent Prints) — September 2020

• OAII Sheilah Morris (Operations) — September 2020

By Team SSBScientific Services Bureau

Millie Wang at her retirement celebration with SSB co-workers


Among those at the gathering for Assistant Director Heidi Robbins’ retirement was SSB Captain Joe Nuñez (left), her son Eric (a Long Beach P.D. officer) and her daughter Kristen (a deputy with Orange County S.D.).

• EPCII Debra Colbert (Evidence Control) — October 2020

• Sergeant Al Garcia (Polygraph) — November 2020

• OAI Millie Wang (Operations) — November 2020

• Deputy Ivan Chavez (Firearms) — January 2021

• Deputy Craig Johnson (Firearms) — January 2021

• FIS II Edna Roches (Latent Prints) — pending

• Supervising Criminalist Beverly Kerr (Biology) — March 2021

GOODBYEWe also said goodbye to LET Sonia Vasquez.

Sonia left SSB/Latent Print Section to work Crime Scene Investigations for Buena Park P.D. We wish her the very best!

WELCOMEIn February, we

welcomed new hire Ralph Chapman, who joins SSB as a FIS II in Latent Prints. Ralph comes to us from Pasadena P.D., where he started his 20-year law enforce-

ment career as a community service officer and worked his way to the Forensics Unit. We are pleased to have Ralph join our LASD family.

CONDOLENCESAnd finally, we would like to extend our deepest

sympathy and heartfelt condolences to retired Super-vising Forensic Identification Specialist Susan Garcia and her family for the loss of her husband, retired Sergeant Donald Garcia. Don worked for the Sheriff’s

Department for 36 years and retired from Homi-cide Bureau. Susan was an instrumental part of the Latent Prints Section, where she oversaw comparison training and the Chemical Processing Section. After retirement, both Susan and Don remained involved with the Southern California Association of Finger-print Officers (SCAFO) and attended many of the monthly meetings. Don died from complications of COVID-19 on January 26. I

Director Wes Grose with Mille Wang Debra Colbert (in front of the table) with the ladies of Evidence Control

Deputy Craig Johnson with Director Grose Deputy Craig Johnson and his Firearms cohorts

By Team SSBScientific Services Bureau


By PAB StaffPersonnel Administration Bureau

GOODBYE TENSION, HELLO PENSION!

After nearly 33 years, Assistant Director Jim Coyne retired on March 31, 2021. Jim was hired on June 20, 1988, as a crime

analyst, sheriff and he was assigned to Lakewood Station. He subsequently worked at Carson Sta-tion and Transit Services Bureau as a crime analyst, sheriff until the Department lost the Metropolitan Transit Authority contract in 1994. After the “job fair,” Jim was administratively reassigned to Cen-tury Regional Detention Facility as an operations assistant III, sheriff and assisted with opening and staffing the new facility. He promoted to senior departmental personnel technician in 1997 and was assigned to Personnel Administration Bureau’s Classifications Unit. Jim was subsequently pro-moted to head departmental personnel technician and then to head departmental personnel specialist while he was assigned to the Classifications Unit.

In 2000, Jim transferred to Management Infor-mation Services (MIS) as a supervising operations assistant I, where he was then promoted to admin-istrative services manager II. At MIS, Jim oversaw the Department’s FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, coordinated publishing the Department’s Year in Review, and assisted with the oversight and expan-sion of the Crime Analysis Program. After seven years at MIS, Jim was promoted to administrative services manager III and transferred to the Profes-sional Examinations Unit, which he very much enjoyed. Because of his Classifications knowledge, Jim was subsequently transferred to the Classifi-cations Unit, where he served as the manager for

three years. In 2011, Jim was promoted to assis-tant director, Bureau Operations, and served two years at Facilities Planning Bureau. In 2013, Jim transferred to Personnel Administration Bureau’s Pay, Leaves and Records Unit, where he ended his Department career.

After retirement, Jim plans to get out of the city of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County and the state of California in the very near future. He will most likely relocate initially to Nevada, with a possible future relocation to the Gulf Coast of Mississippi or Florida. Pay, Leaves and Records Unit wishes Jim all the best in his retirement and future endeavors.

Maria Hernandez, known as “Commander Hernandez” of the Sworn Examinations Unit (SEU), has retired after serving the County of Los Angeles for more than 15 years. Maria started her career with the County of Los Angeles on October 3, 2005, and was hired as an interme-diate typist clerk with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). She worked at the Pre-Employment Unit for about one and a half years. In 2007, Maria was assigned to SEU, which is where she worked until her retirement. Before starting her career with the County of Los Angeles, Maria worked as an administrative assis-tant for 16 years at the John Wesley Community Health Center. She worked with youth who were on probation or incarcerated, which is how she honed in on her “commander” persona.

During her tenure at SEU, Maria was primarily responsible for the supply inventory, managing the water club and assisting with various SEU exams.

Maria is not shy, to say the least, so she would hunt people down when they would take supplies without her knowledge, and she would barge into meetings with high-importance information.


Assistant Director Jim Coyne, Undersheriff Murakami, Captain McBride and the Pay, Leaves and Records Unit team celebrate National Payroll Week in 2019

Assistant Director Jim Coyne

Maria Hernandez

Maria’s presence is definitely going to be missed by many. She was the life of the party and never shy to dance or sing a song or two. On Maria’s last day, everyone at SEU was blessed with one last song and dance by her, “Fuiste a Acapulco y no me trajiste,” which means, “You went to Acapulco and you did not bring me.” It is her favorite song, and she left the Sherman Block Building on a happy beat.

Maria is always on the go and enjoys going to new places and meeting new people. She enjoys her music, dancing and watching her favorite movies and shows. One of the things she would like to do on her bucket list is to visit Disney World in Florida. So, traveling is definitely in her future. On her first week of retirement, Maria and her husband traveled to Sin City to celebrate her milestone. Maria is family-oriented — she loves being with and near her family. She has eight children, 27 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and her husband to enjoy spending time with in this next chapter of her life. Maria is like a flower. A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it — it just blooms. We know that Maria will continue to bloom like a flower at its brightest stage of life throughout her retirement and for many years to come. Maria, on behalf of the Department, PAB and SEU, we thank you for your outstand-ing service throughout your career, and we wish you the very best in your new chapter in life!

Kim L. Dorsey of the Injury and Health Sup-port Unit (IHSU) has retired after serving the County of Los Angeles for 35 years. Kim joined the Sheriff’s Department on June 1, 1985, as a senior clerk, working in Personnel Administra-tion. She promoted to parking control officer on October 4, 1987. On August 1, 1989, Kim was promoted to an accounting tech I. Her classifi-cation then changed to operations assistant I, then to employment services assistant I. From 1994 through 2005, Kim promoted to employ-ment services assistant III. In 2005, Kim’s career continued to blossom, and she was promoted to senior department personnel tech. She enjoyed that position from 2005 until 2011.

In 2011, Kim’s classification changed to senior employment services representative (SESR). From 2011 until the day of her retirement, Kim enjoyed her career as a SESR. She was very diligent and was loved by her co-workers. Kim continued to dem-onstrate outstanding service and dedication. She was a vital asset to the IHSU. Kim will be greatly missed. Her knowledge and understanding of the Department’s policies and procedures have made her a valuable resource.

Kim will leave behind large shoes to fill. Speaking of shoes, Kim loved them. She always graced the halls wearing the most beautiful shoes and clothing. She was very stylish and meticu-lous. Kim was a go-to of working knowledge and a familiar face for everyone.

Kim, on behalf of the Injury and Health Sup-port Unit and the Department, we wish you the best of luck on this new chapter of life. May you create more memories with your family, and do whatever you want to do. Thank you for your out-standing service throughout your career.

Debra L. Ray of the Injury and Health Sup-port Unit (IHSU) has retired after serving the County of Los Angeles for over 35 years. Debra

joined the Sheriff’s Department on December 31, 1985, as a sheriff station clerk. Throughout the years, Debra worked as a sheriff station clerk II, sheriff station clerk III, sheriff station clerk V, a matron, OAII, OAIII and ESA III.

Debra remained an ESA III since 2013 and became part of the Injury and Health Support Unit in 2019. She was a vital member and asset to IHSU, working as the office manager. Debra was well organized, professional and really knew about and loved the Sheriff’s Department. She will be greatly missed. Her knowledge and understanding of the Department’s policies and procedures made her a valuable resource.

Debra will leave behind large shoes to fill. She was not only a go-to of working knowledge, but also a familiar face for everyone. Debra, on behalf of the IHSU, we wish you the best of luck on this new chapter. May you create more memories traveling and enjoying the Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Seahawks.

Debra, on behalf of the Department and IHSU, we thank you for your outstanding service throughout your career, and we wish you the very best in your new chapter in life! I

Does Sheriffs’ Relief have your current address? Are your beneficiaries up to date?

Call SRA at (562) 946-7081 or (800) 544-4772 today.You can also go to www.sheriffsrelief.org to contact us.


Kim Dorsey Debra Ray


CONGRATULATIONS TO THE RETIREES OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

Thank you for your many years of dedicated service to our Department. We wish you a long life, happiness, relaxation and many years of personal fulfillment.

Noel C. Abad Civil Management Bureau

Mary H. Alexander Food Services

Nahed P. Andrawes Civil Management Bureau

Ma Bella F. Bautista Financial Programs Bureau

Sabrina K. Bennett South Los Angeles Station

Richard W. Biddle Homicide Bureau

Matthew Bossier Jr. North Patrol Headquarters

Dale W. Buckeridge Aero Bureau

David W. Buckner Reserve Forces Bureau

Maria L. Chavez Records and Identification Bureau

Meng K. Chua Data Systems Bureau

Anthony W. Culotta Special Victims Bureau

Stanley G. Dominguez Bureau of Labor Relations

Troy D. Dorman Lancaster Station

Dennis R. Dubois North County Correctional Facility

Jose Duran Jr. Court Services East Bureau

Virginia R. Durazo Special Enforcement Bureau

Wilbert M. Escalante Narcotics Bureau

William C. Fabian Walnut Station

Thomas Filpi Court Services East Bureau

Christian T. Fisher Court Services Transportation Bureau

Linda A. Flamenco Civil Management Bureau

Jeffrey W. Flotree Century Station

Joseph S. Frey Court Services West Bureau

Laura A. Galliher Training Bureau

Charles E. Gates Special Victims Bureau

Andrew K. Gill Lomita Station

Juan C. Gonzalez-Valencia Transit Services Bureau

Bradley P. Gray Century Regional Detention Center

Timothy C. Holt Parks Bureau

Maria E. Jimenez Marina Del Rey Station

Mario Jimenez South Los Angeles Station

Amy D. Julian Court Services East Bureau

Ilona Kelemen Lancaster Station

Beverly A. Kerr Scientific Services Bureau

Derek J. Kruzner Court Services West Bureau

Gioi Le Data Systems Bureau

Chung Ming Li Financial Programs Bureau

Robert A. Lomas Communications and Fleet Management Bureau

Ignacio R. Lugo Major Crimes Bureau

Ben Mach Facilities Services Bureau

Maria B. Marcos Records and Identification Bureau

James D. Martin Data Systems Bureau

Flor M. McBride Walnut Station

Gregory S. Moore Lakewood Station

Paul F. Morales Parks Bureau

Romeo S. Pascual Carson Station

Robert S. Payne Metrolink Bureau

Jeffrey W. Perry Community Partnership Bureau

Karen D. Phillips Inmate Reception Bureau

Raul Pineda Facilities Services Bureau

Vincent E. Plair Community Partnership Bureau

John D. Prentice Parks Bureau

Bryan E. Riley Training Bureau

Carmen C. Rodriguez Office of the Undersheriff

Orlando E. Romero Facilities Services Bureau

Rosa Ruelas Personnel Administration

Freeland J. Rukavina Facilities Services Bureau

Sandra Solis Administrative Services Division Headquarters

Sergio Tiscareno Fraud and Cyber Crimes Bureau

Liza M. Vera Narcotics Bureau

Kathryn L. Walker Pitchess Detention Center North Facility

Bob A. Weber Facilities Services Bureau

Leroy Welcome Facilities Services Bureau

Patrick E. Winningham Civil Management Bureau

Christopher J. Wood Court Services Transportation Bureau

John J. Yateem Community Partnership Bureau

Personal, Practical and Spiritual Care Supporting deputies, civilian personnel and their families of all faiths and none.

Response to Major and Critical IncidentsSupporting emergency services personnel and assisting in community recovery.

Operational SupportA resource where faith and operational issues intersect.


One of the most common reasons I see folks seeking counseling is related to the issue of managing stress. In my work with

them, learning how to reduce stress and improve overall well-being is often our biggest goal. When first reviewing stress management strategies, most people are not surprised by our initial discussions, which are mainly related to increasing exercise, rest and self-care activities. However, once an ini-tial effort is made at increasing the interventions listed above, those same people are often surprised to hear about additional strategies that can help reduce stress. One of these strategies, which is effective for everyone, is learning to say “no.”

I often hear how people feel stressed and over-whelmed. When exploring this further, it is revealed that most people are often overloaded with obliga-tions and responsibilities and do not think they have enough time to get everything done. Given this, it can be really helpful to start viewing “no” as a healthy option and as a strategy for stress relief in and of itself.

Stress and stress levels are unique to each per-son. This means that what one person may consider stressful and overwhelming, another may not. As such, it’s important for each of us to know our limits, to know how much we can handle and when enough is enough. When discussing saying “no” with people I work with, many recognize that although it may sound easy, putting it into practice is not. When dis-cussing reasons why this may be hard to implement, I hear common reasons given. One reason is that peo-ple perceive saying “no” as being selfish. It’s important

to know that this is not true. In fact, learning to say “no” to future tasks and responsibilities can help you commit the necessary time and energy to your prior commitments and ensure they are able to be completed to your satisfaction. Another common barrier to saying “no” is often not wanting to let others down. It’s important to remind ourselves that we will never be able to satisfy everyone. No matter what decisions we make, others may disap-prove, so getting comfortable with and accepting disapproval from others is another way to reduce stress and increase your ability to say “no.”

Determining when to say “no” can also be dif-ficult. How do we decide which commitments and activities to pass on and which to accept? Strate-gies to help navigate this include:

• When possible, take time to think about your decision. Sometimes when we make quick decisions, we may not fully understand how it may fit in with our other responsi-bilities or just how much time it would take away. So … buy yourself some time. Examples of how to do this could be, “Let me take a day to think about how this fits in with my other responsibilities,” or “Let me sleep on it.”

• Prioritize what’s important. First, weigh your current commitments. Prior to commit-ting to any new tasks, ask yourself how much of a priority this new commitment would be for you. If it is important, then go ahead and accept. If not, perhaps this is a task you can practice saying “no” to.

Although the act of saying “no” sounds easy enough, as discussed above, for many, it’s just not that easy to do. Below are some strategies to con-sider when practicing this strategy.

• Actually use the word “no.” This word is short, but it’s powerful. Being clear and direct can help minimize any confusion about your response later.

• Provide a quick and concise reason for your answer. It can be respectful to give the requester an honest expiation as to why you need to decline; however, avoid the need to provide long explanations. For example, after saying “no,” you might offer, “I’m swamped with my children’s activities this week.”

• Be prepared to repeat yourself. It is not uncommon for requestors to try to change your mind or talk you into taking on the task. You may even experience some guilt during this process. It’s important to be aware of this and repeat your position as needed, especially because other people in your life may not necessarily be used to you saying “no.”

Remember, while saying “no” isn’t always easy, it is an effective strategy to reducing the amount of stress you are experiencing. Also, with practice, it can start to feel more comfortable. If you would like to learn more about stress management and/or saying “no,” you can contact Psychological Services Bureau at (213) 738-3500 to schedule a confidential and free appointment. This information was adapted from the Mayo Clinic (tinyurl.com/daebpef8). I

By Natalie Betlachin, Psy.D.F R O M T H E D O C S

YOU ARE ALLOWED TO SAY IT … REALLY


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$11.95 Item #: 0625

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SERVICE AWARDS

This month, several of our personnel were presented with service awards: Lieutenant Todd Barnes (30 years of County service);

Detective Greg Effle (25 years of County service); Sergeant Robert Reynolds, Sergeant Jose Saldivar, Deputy Juan Sanchez and LET Kerry Wolf (20 years of County service); Sergeant Chris Gensel, Detective Dusting Bernard and Deputy John Balarosan (15 years of Department service).

ARREST OF THE MONTH (FEBRUARY 2021)

The February arrest of the month went to Deputy Daisy Rosales for her arrest of a gang member in possession of a loaded firearm and possession of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl for sales. Deputy Rosales conducted a traffic stop, and as she approached the vehicle, she observed the suspect making furtive movements. Recovered during a search of the vehicle was a loaded firearm, a plastic bag containing a large amount of methamphetamine, three plastic baggies containing cocaine, a plastic bag containing heroin, a container containing fentanyl, a digital scale and currency in various denominations. Under Miranda, the suspect admitted the firearm was his and that he possessed the narcotics for sales. The suspect admitted to being a gang member and was also found to be a convicted felon.

MORE GUNS AND DOPE TAKEN OFF THE STREETS

In the month of February, we had a total of eight arrests involving Norwalk Station deputies taking suspects into custody for possessing firearms. During those arrests, eight loaded

firearms were recovered. Additionally, we had nine arrests involving suspects placed under arrest for possessing methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl for sales.

DETECTIVE CASE OF THE MONTH (FEBRUARY 2021)

The detective case of the month for February went to Detective Daniel Rodriguez.

Detective Rodriguez heard a call go out for an assault with a deadly weapon (ADW). He immediately responded to assist in the investigation. Detective Rodriguez obtained video of the incident. He created a photo lineup and made contact with the victim. The victim positively identified the suspect. Detective Rodriguez put a WANT in the system. Based on the WANT, a border patrol agent detained the suspect. The case was presented to the district attorney’s office, where the suspect was charged

with attempted murder, ADW, burglary and grand theft. Thanks to Detective Rodriguez’s timely investigation, there is one less dangerous criminal on the streets. Great job! I

By Juan Sanchez and Tracy Stewart Norwalk Station

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HandALL Beavertail Grip Sleeve (Glock Gen 1-2-5)

Fits Glock 17, 18, 19X, 20, 21, 22, 24, 31, 34, 35, 40, 41, 45 (Gen 1-2-5). Features beavertail design and cobblestone texture for increased comfort and grip.

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HandALL Beavertail Grip Sleeve (S&W and Ruger)

Fits S&W M&P Shield 9mm and 40, and Ruger LC9 and EC9 models. Features beavertail design and cobblestone texture for increased comfort and grip.

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S&W J-Frame Round Butt: OverMolded Rubber Monogrip

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Item #: 0187

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Item #: 0994


Fits Glock 19, 23, 32, 38 (Gen 3-4). Features beavertail design and cobblestone texture for increased comfort and grip.

Item #: 0992


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HandALL Beavertail Grip Sleeve (Sig Sauer)

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Item #: 0996

S&W K- or L-Frame Round Butt Nylon Monogrip

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Support the efforts of the Association by making the Emporium your first stop for tactical equipment, LASD merchandise, and gifts for friends and family. Shop SRA Emporium

THE STARSUPPORT


By Dean LeCesneWalnut/Diamond Bar Station

IN MEMORY OF OUR FIRST CAPTAIN

What is now known as the Walnut/Dia-mond Bar Sheriff ’s Station originally opened in 1987 as the 1st Regional

Walnut/San Dimas Station. Since that opening, this station has been host to nine captains. The very first captain was Tom Vetter. We are sad to report that Tom passed away on January 16, 2021.

Tom was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in June 1935. He joined the Marine Corps in 1952 and served with the 1st Marine Division in Korea in 1954. After his active duty, he served in the Marine Corps Reserve until retiring in 1983 as a lieutenant colonel.

Tom joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department in 1958 and graduated with Class #70 as the honor cadet. He served in various posi-tions and was promoted to sergeant in 1969, and in 1971, was promoted to lieutenant.

Tom became captain and opened the station in 1987. This station was his pride and joy! In 1990, Tom was promoted to commander and served in various roles until his retirement in 1994.

Most people did not know that Tom’s middle name was Marion, a name for which he was not fond of. When asked by people over the years what “M” stood for, he would reply, “Marine.” Semper Fi! God love you, Tom. Rest in peace!

SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT HELPS DETER CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFT

On February 10, Walnut Station hosted its first catalytic converter etching event. The event was organized by Deputy Shackelford of the Dia-mond Bar SAO team and was held at the Calvary Chapel of Diamond Bar.

By appointment, Diamond Bar residents drove their personal vehicles into Calvary Cha-pel, where Walnut Station deputies etched license plate numbers onto vehicle catalytic converters.

Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise, costing residents from Diamond Bar, Wal-nut and Rowland Heights thousands of dollars in damage in a mere matter of seconds. Etch-ing allows law enforcement to identify a license plate number on a catalytic converter that may be stolen and in someone’s possession.

The purpose of this event was to educate residents regarding the prevention of catalytic con-verter thefts and to deter the selling and purchasing of catalytic converters with identifying numbers. The turnout of the event was so successful that future events are forthcoming! Log onto the Walnut Station website for updates and more information concerning these upcoming events.

Tom Vetter

LOAN POLICY CHANGES NOTICEAttention, members: There are two important changes to the Sheriffs’ Relief Association loan policy, effective November 1, 2017.

▶ There will no longer be restrictions on the number of loans to a member each year.

▶ SRA will no longer make loans of less than $400.


IT’S ONLY GOODBYE TO THE UNIFORM …

In December 2020, the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff ’s Station said goodbye to our very own a.m. shift Watch Deputy Kannah-Marie Saavedra, who was affectionately known as “Mama Kamm.” Where were you in 1997? What was popular? We were singing along with Celine Dion in Titanic and were introduced to Men in Black. Well, Kamm was begin-ning her career with the Los Angeles County Courts as an office assistant in February 1997 at CCB.

In February 1998, Kamm became a custody assistant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s Department, where she worked Twin Towers Cor-rectional Facility and at the Inmate Reception Center until April 2000. In August 2000, Kamm graduated from the Los Angeles County Sheriff ’s

Department Academy at STARS Center and began her custody career back at Twin Towers Correctional Facility. After working IRC and Glendale Court, it was time for patrol! Kamm went to Lennox Station as a trainee in November 2006 and stayed at her unit of assignment until September 2012. Kamm transferred to Altadena Station in September 2012 as a watch deputy until we were lucky to have her as our very own watch deputy at the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff ’s Station in June 2014.

When asked about some of her fondest memo-ries during her career, Kamm said, “Being on the same department as my father, uncle, brother, two brothers-in-law and, finally, meeting and marry-ing my husband (Walnut/Diamond Bar Station Detective Santino Saavedra) has been a blessing.” According to Kamm, being able to work alongside her husband over the course of her career was an accomplishment, and she wouldn’t have changed a thing. Kamm stated, “He is my biggest supporter and the best partner.”

Over the course of her career, Kamm has enjoyed playing and coaching co-ed softball teams in the

Police Olympics, as well as meeting other amazing men and women on the Department who have made profound personal impacts. Kamm stated the past 20 years have “flown by,” and she has no regrets.

Kamm can’t wait to see what the future holds and plans on looking into a possible secondary career. Well, “Mama Kamm,” we can’t wait to see what the future holds for you. Thank you for all you have done for our station, and we can’t wait for you to visit!

WELCOME!Welcome to Walnut! We’re always happy to

welcome new trainees! This month, we welcome Deputies Preston, Green and Word (TSB).

Walnut also recently promoted Deputy J. Mabee and Deputy G. Kerr to training officers. Both have volunteered to teach newer deputies who are ready to embark on the next chapter in their careers, patrol training. At this time, we currently have five senior field training officers who are ready and willing to share their vast knowledge with their new coun-terparts. We know Deputies Mabee and Kerr will do great! I

FTO Deputy C. Acuna and Deputy Macias going over traffic stops with training Deputy WordKannah-Marie Saavedra


APPLICATION FOR CHANGE OF BENEFICIARY

Please mail to:Sheriffs’ Relief Association11515 Colima Road, Bldg. B, Whittier, CA 90604

Sheriffs’ Relief Association OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, INC. STARS Center, 11515 Colima Road, Bldg. B | Whittier, CA 90604 (562) 946-7081

Name of Member _____________________________________ Date: _______________________I wish to change (amend) the name, or names, of the person, or persons, heretofore shown as my beneficiary, to receive any and all death benefits which may accrue by reason of my membership in the Sheriffs’ Relief Association of Los Angeles County, California, Inc.

I hereby designate and appoint as my primary adult beneficiary: Relationship: Address: Phone # I hereby designate and appoint as my alternate beneficiary (OPTIONAL): Relationship: Address: Phone # It is understood and agreed by me that the provisions of the By-Laws of this Association, as the same now exist, or may be heretofore modified, amended

or enacted, shall be binding upon me.

This supersedes any previous designation of beneficiary.

LASD EMPLOYEE # (IF KNOWN):

CURRENT MAILING ADDRESS:

EMAIL:

Signature of Member

By Rachel De Hoyos

FORGIVENESS …

H as someone you loved wronged you in the past, or even in the recent days? More importantly, have you wronged

someone you love? Now, think about that time and how difficult it was to look that person in the face and admit to your wrongdoing. Sometimes in life, we make wrong decisions and choices in the moment and then when we have time to reflect on it, we realize the impact it might have caused or is causing our loved ones. Does it mean you are a bad person? I would like to think not, but when we make mistakes, it is our choice to choose whether we are going to make a change in our life or continue to make the same mistakes.

When we admit to our wrongdoings, do we expect our loved ones to forgive us in the moment, after a couple weeks, after a couple months or maybe even never? Now, what if our loved ones have forgiven us but continually bring up the mistake when there is frustration or anger. Do you ask yourself, “Have they truly forgiven me?” Some people, maybe even you, may believe that once a person has forgiven you, they will forget and never bring up the mistake that was committed. While that may be a possibility, sometimes people

forgive you for a mistake, which gives them an opportunity to continue to grow and live a life with you, but the hurt and memory of the mistake may take a little longer to process and forget.

People choose to forgive because sometimes it helps them heal. I read an article from Psychology Today written by Nancy Colier, LCSW, a psychotherapist and ordained interfaith minister, and she writes about how there are many ideas of what forgiveness means. She writes, “We want to know how to forgive, and yet, it can be very hard to achieve or practice something that we don’t really understand.” Below, she writes what forgiveness is not saying and what forgiveness is saying.

FORGIVENESS IS NOT SAYING …• You were not hurt by what the other

person did.• Your pain is gone.• Life can pick up where you left off, and

you can feel the way you did before, as if what happened never happened.

• You no longer view what happened as important.

The way we view forgiveness, in many ways, is flawed. We say “forgive and forget,” but

when we forgive, we don’t forget … forgiveness is different for every human being that lives it. There’s no right way to find or live forgiveness; any path to, and version of it, will do.

FORGIVENESS IS …• A willingness to drop the narrative on

a particular injustice … to stop telling ourselves over and over again the story of what happened

• A decision to let the past be what it was … and to relinquish the idea that we can create a different (better) past

• Being willing and able to respond to what’s happening in the present moment and not react through the lens of anger and resentment, the residue from the past

Forgiveness may come easy to some, but for others, it may be a process. If you find yourself in a position where you need guidance, help or additional resources, reach out to Psychological Services Bureau at (213) 738-3500. We have a great team of psychologists, chaplains and Peer Support Program members who are available to help. Our services are free and, more importantly, confidential. I


HEY, CAPTAIN! TELL YOUR UNIT’S STORY. YOUR STAR NEWS WANTS TO SHARE IT.

Administration Services Division and Personnel Command

Advanced Officer Training Unit

Aero Bureau

Altadena Station

American Legion Star Post 309

Audit and Accountability Bureau

Avalon Station

Carson Station

Central Supply and Logistics Unit

Century Regional Detention Facility

Century Station

Cerritos Station

Civilian Training Unit

Communications and Fleet Management Bureau

Community College Bureau

Community Partnership Bureau

Compton Station

Contract Law Enforcement Bureau

County Services Bureau

Court Services Bureau

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Court Services West Bureau

Crescenta Valley Station

Data Systems Bureau

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East Los Angeles Station

Emergency Operations Bureau

Facilities Services Bureau

Homicide Bureau

Industry Station

Inmate Reception Center

Inmate Services Bureau

Intake Specialist Unit

Internal Affairs Bureau

Internal Criminal Investigation Bureau

Lakewood Station

Lancaster Station

Lomita Station

Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Band

Los Angeles Sheriffs’ Museum

Major Crimes Bureau

Malibu/Lost Hills Station

Marina del Rey Station

Men’s Central Jail

Metrolink Bureau

Mira Loma Detention Center

Narcotics Bureau

North County Correctional Facility

Operation Safe Streets

Palmdale Station

Pico Rivera Station

Pitchess Detention Center, North Facility

Pitchess Detention Center, South Facility

Pre-Employment and Background Investigation Unit

Professional Development Bureau

Psychological Services Bureau

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Recruit Training Unit

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Reserve Forces Bureau

Risk Management Bureau

San Dimas Station

Santa Clarita Valley Station

Sheriff’s Information Bureau

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Special Enforcement Bureau

Special Victims Bureau

Star Unit

Training Bureau

Twin Towers Correctional Facility

Video Production Unit

Weapon Training Unit

West Hollywood Station

From the Docs

Norwalk Station Temple Station

Peace Officer’s Fellowship

Peer Support Program

Retired Deputies

The SRA wants to feature your station or bureau’s recent activities, achievements and events in Star News! Send updates and photos to [email protected] or [email protected] by the first of the month for publication in the following month’s issue.


Scientific Services Bureau

Parks Bureau

LAS4D Spouses Supporting Spouses

Personnel Administration Bureau

Transit Services Bureau

The Chaplain’s Notebook

Walnut/Diamond Bar Station


I IN MEMORIAM I

COMPASSION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT

What does compassion have to do with law enforcement? A lot, in fact …

Compassion is described as a willingness to intentionally assist others and selflessly put their needs ahead of your own without expecting reciprocity. Seen this way, having compassion — and empathy — is a little-acknowledged, but essential ingredient of law enforcement. It’s been demonstrated that members of law enforcement are more likely to be trusted — and are more successful at their jobs — when they demonstrate empathy with those they encounter. People like to talk to people who care.

What about “bad actors?” Do criminals lack empathy? According to Science Daily, research shows psychopathic criminals do not lack empathy, but fail to use it. A brain imaging study in the Netherlands shows individuals with psychopathy have reduced empathy while witnessing the pains of others. In this light, empathy is a choice we make. Seeing the world from another’s point of view requires effort.

So why is compassion so important? Compassion is empathy in action. Being open to others enables us to face not only their tough times, but our own tough times with innovation and strength. It helps us get things done by what Buddhists call “skillful means” to deal with the significant stress and sacrifices inherent in our jobs as deputies.

Compassion goes hand in hand with a peaceful mind. Matthew Loux from the American Military University explains the benefits of meditation in his article, “Why Meditation Should Be Part of Every Cop’s Mental Fitness Plan” (PoliceOne.com). He offers a variety of techniques for “slowing down.” This allows us to take a step back when feeling overwhelmed. Moreover, it offers such benefits as stress reduction, increased happiness, elevated mood, improved brain power and concentration, physical health improvements, as well as self-acceptance and self-awareness.

Gallup (New York: Gallup Press, December 2008) has been researching great leadership for over 30 years. Over three million people have taken

the company’s StrengthsFinder assessment. When asked, followers were able to describe exactly what they need from a leader with remarkable clarity: trust, compassion, stability, calmness, hope.

Compassion gets easier with practice. It can become a “positive feedback loop.” People sense it in you. As a routine, it can become contagious, serving you, your families, friends, colleagues and the communities you serve. I encourage you to pay attention to your deeds of kindness. Don’t dismiss them. There’s nothing selfish in noticing how you made even a small difference in someone’s life. Small differences can lead to big change. We never know what lasting effects we may have on the people we encounter.

For most of you, isn’t that a big reason why you became a deputy in the first place? You made a commitment to make ours a better world. And despite what the media might claim these days, you’re doing it!

You have a purpose, you have a cause, you care … and it shows! God bless! I

By Chaplains Eric Morgenstern and Phil ReevesLASD Chaplains’ Executive Committee

LETICIA A. ACEVEDO RETIRED 05-20-17, DECEASED 12-24-20 PAB/ESA IITHOMAS J. ALBANESE ACTIVE, DECEASED 02-25-21 PICO RIVERA/DEPUTYJAMIE J. ARAKAWA ACTIVE, DECEASED 02-08-21 COLLEGE BUREAU/SERGEANTROBERT J. BOUFFARD RETIRED 09-15-03, DECEASED 01-29-21 RISK MANAGEMENT BUREAU/SERGEANTROBERTO H. CASTRO RETIRED 03-31-04, DECEASED 01-25-21 TECH. SERVICES TRANSPORTATION/ DEPUTYLARA A. DAMOLE ACTIVE, DECEASED 02-20-21 COURT SERVICES EAST/DEPUTYHAROLD C. FIFE RETIRED 03-17-81, DECEASED 12-27-20 DET SERVICES BUREAU/LIEUTENANTLEONARD J. GERGEL RETIRED 03-11-79, DECEASED 11-02-20 PERSONNEL BUREAU/DEPUTYJOHN C. GRAHAM RETIRED 03-30-79, DECEASED 02-22-21 ADM/CHIEFTHOMAS LAMBRECHT RETIRED 03-29-04, DECEASED 02-02-21 SEB/DEPUTYFERNANDO R. MARTINEZ RETIRED 04-28-12, DECEASED 02-01-21 PDC EAST/CUSTODY ASSISTANTARMANDO F. MENESES ACTIVE, DECEASED 02-16-21 COURT SERVICES CENTRAL/SERGEANTREGINA F. MIMS RETIRED 08-30-18, DECEASED 01-05-21 COMMUNITY COLLEGE BUREAU/ STATION CLERK IIJAMES L. ROWLEY RETIRED 02-02-84, DECEASED 02-05-21 PICO RIVERA STATION/SERGEANTJACK W. SHINE RETIRED 03-17-80, DECEASED 12-21-20 WHR-MAX/SERGEANTJOHN H. SMITH RETIRED 03-31-86, DECEASED 01-03-21 BISCAILUZ CENTER/SERGEANTEUGENE L. SWANSTON RETIRED 03-17-83, DECEASED 02-05-21 COMMUNICATIONS/DEPUTYHERBERT R. WIELKIE RETIRED 03-31-86, DECEASED 11-01-20 MALIBU/DEPUTY

JACK DEVINE, SPOUSE OF ACTIVE MEMBER, SARA L. PINEDA, DECEASED 12-17-20LORI ANN FOURNIER, SPOUSE OF RETIRED MEMBER, PAUL J. FOURNIER, DECEASED 02-09-21ELIZABETH GUNNERSON, SPOUSE OF RETIRED MEMBER, EARL GUNNERSON, DECEASED 02-01-21MARILYN J. WINTERS, SPOUSE OF RETIRED MEMBER, MICHAEL D. WINTERS, DECEASED 02-22-21

EACH MEMBER LISTED WAS PAID AN SRA SURVIVOR BENEFIT.

GIVE IT UP? REALLY?

I do not know if you have ever been to an Alco-holics Anonymous (AA) or a Peace Officer’s Fellowship (POF) meeting, but I have. There is

a common theme to many of the stories shared. It is one of regret. Person after person talks about feeling regretful about things they said and did when they were drinking — regret for losing everything and having to start over (again and again) and regret for their inability to see that doing the same thing but expecting different results would not get them anywhere new. Over time, they have learned it is not possible to drink your problems away. They know from experience that alcohol negatively impacts judgment, relationships and eventually, your personality.

To be present for your family and friends with a clear mind can be very rewarding. Just try to imagine all you have missed while sitting on a stool nursing a highball on the rocks. Is it worth not being there for your friends? Is it worth missing the quality time with your family? Some things happen once in a lifetime, like your child’s first home run or his/her piano recital. These are things you cannot get back, and your chance at having those memorable moments are lost forever. They also can lead to your relationships being lost forever if you are not careful.

Another common story shared is the experience of arriving in a place where people recognize their need to leave alcohol behind. These same people share how much better life has been for them since making and sticking with this choice. They are also clear in their stories that, while living without alcohol is not the end of the world, that it does take effort. The decision can raise questions about what sort of a person you will be without alcohol. It can also be very empowering no longer letting alcohol control your life, making clear decisions daily and becoming fully aware and conscious of the world around you. This is a significant leap of faith, but one well worth taking.

The reality of this is that the challenge does not end with making the decision to stop. When people find out that you are no longer drinking, it can be (and often is) difficult for them to hear. They want to know why. They might make jokes. They may even have a hard time believing you. It is important that you have a plan for how to handle these types of scenarios so you can be successful. Here are some ways to tell someone you do not drink anymore or that you are not interested in a drink:

• “Drinking wasn’t doing me any good.”

• “I’m trying to treat my body better, so I’ve challenged myself to stop drinking alcohol for the year.” (If they try to push, you can tell them, “You’re not going to break me.”)

• “My partner told me I’d be sexier without my beer belly.”

• “I didn’t like the person I was when I drank.”• “I’m driving.”• “I’m not drinking anymore. I’ve already drunk

my lifetime quota.”• “I’m an all-or-nothing person, and nothing is

easier.”• “Personal choice, and I appreciate it if you

respected it.”An effort may also be needed if the people

in your life are not supportive of your choice. One option here is to sit down with them to talk about your situation and ask them to be supportive of your decision. Another option is to reconsider your friendship. It is OK to let go of relationships that are not supportive of your interest in self-improvement. While certainly not easy, it can be helpful to find friends who have been through what you are going through and/or friends who can offer you support in your decision to make this change. If you are not sure where to find such people, maybe check out a meeting (AA or POF).

So, ask yourself this question, “Will my life be better without alcohol?” If your answer is yes, now

is the time to be proactive. Reach out for help and develop a plan to get sober. Psychological Services Bureau (PSB)/Substance Abuse Resource Program is an excellent place to start. Services are free and confidential and can be accessed by calling (213) 738-3500. This will be one of your best calls to preserve your future success.

If you are sworn, POF is available. You can contact one of the members on this page and they will be more than happy to assist a fellow deputy. If you are non-sworn, feel free to contact me for AA meeting resources. I

N A ME HOME PHONE CE L L PHONE

Eric Castano* (562) 673-3374Joe Collins (320) 684-4008 (909) 240-0509Bob Ghan (714) 916-3299John Heckman (805) 559-4993Kathy King (714) 323-8600Chris Loomis (626) 447-9011 (626) 230-3137Dave Philippon (909) 296-0203Ray Terhorst (818) 383-5539John Valencia (909) 599-1160 (951) 316-3633Marty Weirich (360) 570-1216Daryl Williams* (951) 764-3723

These people have agreed to give up their anonymity so that others who are in need of help can find the POF. Don’t worry about bothering us; helping those with drinking issues is one of the ways we stay sober.

*Active LASD

STAY UP TO DATE!

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*Annual Percentage Rate. Auto loan payment estimates on a $45,000, 84-month loan with a 3.49% APR = $605; on a $15,000, 36-month loan with a 1.99% APR = $430. $10,000 minimum on terms longer than 60 months; $15,000 minimum for 84-month terms. 96 month rate exclusive to tiers 1, 2, and 3, available on new autos or most recent model years, less than 5000 miles, $40,000 minimum. Certain model year restrictions may apply, contact First City for clari�cation. Rate increase of .25% for vehicle mileage of 100,000 or more. Re�nance o�er not available on existing First City loans. Cannot be combined with other promotional o�ers. eGreen and Advantage Checking Account loan rate discounts do not apply with these promotional rates. Rates and programs subject to change. Other conditions may apply.

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Sheriffs’ Relief AssociationO F L O S A N G E L E S C O U N T Y, C A L I F O R N I A , I N C .

S.T.A.R.S. Center11515 Colima RoadWhittier, California 90604

Documents

VOL. 81 NO. 12 APRIL 2021