Blog #11: Operation De-Occupy LA

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
-Abraham Lincoln

The execution was flawless. The collateral damage was virtually non existent. The mission was accomplished. Many of my friends and family texted, facebooked and emailed me throughout the day leading up to, during and after the LAPD closed down protester’s tents and physically evicted them from the lawns of City Hall late Tuesday evening. After a 24-hour shift, my back was killing me! My greasy face, my tired eyes and my gel-less hair were evidence of a long day at work. It wasn’t a pretty sight. I fell onto my bed like a rock and was surely snoring as soon as my head hit the pillow. The following day I wanted to hear anything but the newscasts about this “Occupy LA” movement. I went into a local coffee shop, injected some caffeine into my veins, and read my book. However the buzz about the eviction was inescapable. There were groups talking about it while I tried to read. I use “talking” instead of “debating” because the conversations were clearly one-sided. Here I was. Recovering from a 24-hour shift. I was proud of what my brothers and sisters in blue had accomplished. Only to be surrounded by coffee shop patrons verbally bashing the efforts of my organization! So I went back home for some good old cable TV instead. But of course, the media’s top headlines were all about the eviction. So, I gave in and listened.

Surprisingly enough the media was quite fair about how they reported on the logistics of the operation. They didn’t have much to report about except for how smooth and how relatively peaceful the event unfolded. All the cameras were focused on City Hall. The coordinated plan of action allowed protesters on the lawn time to leave and gave them other resources and options to take advantage of. Some made the decision to be peacefully arrested for the good of their cause. Officers contained the perimeter, moved in and took action in the most professional way seen throughout the country. Preparation and training allowed for a successful eviction of the controversial “Occupy” movement....LA style!

While order was being maintained in the focal point of the occupier’s encampment and while the media focused all of their attention at ground zero of the protest, they did not cover the action in the streets surrounding the area. These so-called Anarchists got wind of LAPD’s shutdown of “Occupy LA” through various social media networks. They descended onto the downtown area in scattered groups ranging from 20-50 people cloaked in black bandanas around their faces, but their efforts were futile. We were too well organized, too prepared and too mentally ready. The Anarchists tried to get into the City Hall lawn but were turned away by squads of LAPD officers lined up in blockade forces. They jumped fences into private property, damaging everything in their path, desperately trying to get into the epicenter of the “Occupy” movement and cause destruction, but we outflanked them at every turn. It was a beautiful sight. And it was like music to my ears hearing the communication between our LAPD Air-ship and the ground troops working harmoniously together to shut down their efforts. No major incidents. The architects of our battle plan covered all bases. And it was a complete success. (“Anarchists” are a seditious group of protesters who have used violence to disrupt otherwise peaceful protests around the country).

There are many different aspects to our country’s current economical woes. There are many people with very opposing views and very opposing ideals of how our country should be run. There are countless factors that contribute to the situation. To address the root causes, the “how’s” and the “why’s”, would be to write a never ending novel. The big picture of our country’s problems is way too dynamic and multi-faceted to point one’s finger at the police. But it seems that when these dilemmas come full circle, the flashpoint always occurs with the police, even if the matter at hand never involved them in the first place. However, when the pot does boil over, the police are the easiest to point there fingers at and the easiest to direct their anger towards.

Allow me to give you a viewpoint through the lenses of a police officer.

Mass protests affect many people. Other citizens are affected by these protests. The frenzy of media vans and an influx of vehicles driving through to take a peek at the tents on the City Hall lawn add to the downtown LA traffic. Those who reside in the surrounding neighborhoods are taken away from their normal day to day lives. They are forced to deal with the crowds of protesters, media personnel, police officers and looky-loo’s who have taken over their neighborhoods. Those residents have the same rights as the protesters. And it is our responsibility to take action and protect their rights as well. What is the command staff of my department supposed to tell community residents when they complain about the protesters? Ignore them? Sorry, but the protester’s rights are more important than yours? It’s a tough balance. The department asked for for the patience of residents. The police department also asked for compromise from the protesters, but to no avail. The city leaders ignored the protesters violations for almost two months. They ignored the concerns of citizens affected by the protests for almost two months. How long can city leaders ignore citizens on the other side of the coin? To who’s expense? And on who’s behalf? The shut down was inevitable, but the protesters had options to protest legally therefore expanding and elongating their stay. But they collectively refused. As a police officer, I am not offended by them. But when there is a whole other population affected by these actions and I sit back and do nothing, it constitutes a failure to do my duty.

I have been to numerous protests in my 8 years as a police officer. A yearly protest at the Israeli Consulate on Wilshire Blvd. Several gay rights protests at random locations throughout the city. Countless union protests at different grocery stores. Scores of protests at the Federal Building for a slew of different causes. During all of those protests that I have worked, I have always been in the shadows. Out of sight, out of mind. Standing-by only as a precautionary measure. Never have I donned my riot helmet. Never have I had to use force to remove protesters. There have been a handful of those where the protesters chose to be peacefully arrested. The protest leaders were always well organized and worked with city officials and LAPD command staff in order to maintain a safe environment for the people to practice their First Amendment Right. The leaders of these protests worked in unison with city officials and LAPD command staff to ensure the best possible way for their voices to be heard AND to ensure the safety and fairness of the community surrounding the protest location. Protest leaders understand that any altercation with police will take the spotlight off of their cause. It makes perfect sense.

A second police perspective I want to convey to you are the hazards of the encampment in Downtown LA. Lice, Staph infection and Meningitis were found in the encampment before it was shutdown. The grass was soaked in urine. Feces were piled high or buried in the dirt. Generators with exposed electrical chords lay in the open next to highly flammable tents. Children slept next to scurrying rats and cockroaches. I saw it with my own eyes! The fire department cited several health concerns. They went in and identified those hazards. They did their job. It was then the police department’s duty to ensure the safety of surrounding citizens and they occupiers themselves by shutting it down.

Our actions were recently compared to a “Nazi Soldier” who simply followed orders while people were murdered in concentration camps. This person also compared our actions to “racist police of the fifties” (I won’t mention who told me this). The comparison displays a deeper seeded issue of how governmental power and oppression have gone hand in hand in worldwide past and current events. The comparison is like looking into a rear view mirror, it opens our eyes on how historic clashes between the police and the people they serve have shaped society’s attitude towards law enforcement, (future blog topic). But as I stand in formation with my fellow officers, with duty and justice in my eyes, it still scares me to know that people look at me in uniform and think that way. My duty is to restore order to chaos. It is not always a pretty scene when force must be used. But the last time nothing was done, my neighborhood when up in flames during the 1992 LA Riots, (refer to Blog #5: “April 29th 1992”).

Sadly in today’s world, the politics of different situations puts many people, (soldiers, officers, citizens, families, etc...), in danger. The protest in Downtown LA is no different. I see the “Occupy LA” movement as a two-pronged problem. The politicians & the protesters.

The first problem is the political leaders making decisions from the top. They allowed politics to play into their decisions. First they allowed and even condoned the protests. Then later when they realized the protesters were in it for the long run, they went back on their initial sentiments. Mixed messages were given to the protesters. They the politicians scrambled to find a solution when it should have been dealt with from day one rather than allowing it to drag on.

The second problem are the protesters themselves. City leaders atleast attempted to compromise with them. They were given alternative protest locations, free housing for those who were homeless, temporary locations to store their belongings and many resources for food and shelter. Protesters instead decided to ignore all efforts for a peaceful compromise. They threw tomatoes at police (don’t worry it missed me by a mile), they posted “police brutality” signs, they pointed their middle finger at me (that actually kinda hurt). My questions are: Why not assemble legally? Why not take the land offered by city officials to conduct the protests? Voices would be heard on a much more positive platform. The negativity used against police would be spun into positivity for their cause. It just seems like the better solution.

There is something to be said about the worldwide protests of 2011. Time magazine named “The Protester” the Person of the Year. And I agree that WAS the most influential person in 2011. It was a year that will be highlighted in future generations to come. A time that will be compared with the civil rights movement and Vietnam War protests of the 60’s, and even with the nuclear weapons protests of the 80’s. There’s something honorable to say about how much the masses will put up with and what they are willing to do in order to be heard. The anger behind these protests around the world is understandable. And with online social media moving at light speed, the world is now on a jumbo-tron for all to see at the click of a mouse. The dynamics leading up to this unique time in human history and the projections of where we might be headed are intriguing topics. But the purpose of today’s entry is to give you my view point of Occupy LA as an insider behind the small plastic window attached to my riot helmet. I don’t claim to have the right answer, I can only assure that this is MY answer. An honest viewpoint from me: A son, a brother, a friend, a cousin, an uncle, a God-father and a fellow survivor of Da Hood.

The 99% theory is an interesting concept. Coming from food stamps and free school lunch tickets, there are many things I can definitely agree with. On the flip side, being in law enforcement and witnessing some of the failures of our society firsthand through a window of violence, I see a habitual circle of poverty and an ugly side of our current society that upsets me about the solutions offered by the 99% as well. I have my views on both sides of the fence. I am a true believer of our constitutional right of free speech and assembly. But our other responsibility to safeguard everyone affected cannot be ignored. As a community, we task those responsibilities to our police department.

We have a responsibility to protect everyone’s rights.
We have the responsibility to maintain order.
We have the responsibility to protect our own safety in the process.
We have the responsibility to ‘maintain restraint in the face of scorn or ridicule.’
We have the responsibility to clean up the mess after all is said and done.

It’s a difficult balance that I challenge you to ponder. How would YOU ensure our citizen’s 1st Amendment Right while not alienating other citizens who are simultaneously affected? If we can agree that this is not an easy task, then I believe there is hope after all.

And while we work on that hope, I’ll be working on my Hitler ‘stache! Until my next blog, dawg!

PIECE LOVE & WHISKEY

dedicated to liz...

Fallen Officer Since Last Blog: 9 Souls
Total Line-of-Duty Deaths for 2012: 19 Souls

Deputy James I. Thacker
Pike County Sheriffs Dept, KY
End of Watch: Monday, January 23, 2012
Age: 53 years
Tour of Duty: 5 years
Cause of Death: Head-on traffic collision
Survived By: n/a

Officer Gail Thomas
Atlanta Police Dept, GA
End of Watch: Tuesday, January 24 2012
Age: 46 years
Tour of Duty: 15 years
Cause of Death: Struck by a drunk driver while assisting with a traffic incident
Survived By:

Officer William D. “Bill” Talbert
Montgomery County Police Dept, MD
End of Watch: Friday, January 27, 2012
Age: 64 years
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Cause of Death: struck by a DUI driver while on duty in 1983. A blood transfusion saved his life but the blood he received was infected by Hepatitis C. His health deteriorated eventually leading to his death.
Survived by: wife, daughter, three sons, ten grandchildren, and sister

Master Corporal Sandra E. “Sandy” Rogers
Aiken Dept of Public Safety, SC
End of Watch: Saturday, January 28, 2012
Age: 49 years
Tour of Duty: 27 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire at a suspicious vehicle call.
Survived by: parents, two brothers, one sister, and her life-long friend.

Police Officer Steven Green
Mobile Police Dept, AL
End of Watch: Friday, February 3, 2012
Age: 36 years
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 8 months
Cause of Death: Stabbed by prisoner.
Survived by: wife, son, and two daughters.

Reserve Deputy Don Williams
Dale County Sheriff’s Office, AL
End of Watch: Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Age: 55 years
Tour of Duty: 17 years
Cause of Death: Automobile accident possibly caused by medical emergency prior to accident.
Survived by: wife and six children

Detective David White
Clay County Sheriff’s Office, FL
End of Watch: Thursday, February 16, 2012
Age: 35 years
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire during a drug house raid (meth-lab)
Survived by: wife and two children

Sergeant Michael Todd May
Monongalia County Sheriff’s Dept, WV
End of Watch: Saturday, February 18, 2012
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 11 years
Cause of Death: Vehicle pursuit, rammed by suspect’s vehicle.
Survived by: parents and brother

Trooper Tony Radulescu
Washington State Patrol, WA
End of Watch: Thursday, February 23, 2012
Age: 44 years
Tour of Duty: 16 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire during a traffic stop.
Survived by: his son.

Blog#10: Law Enforcement’s Violent Encounters with the Mentally Disabled

“Judgements prevent us from seeing the good that lies beyond appearances.”
  -Wayne Dyer


Our police radio blared out yet another radio call on this busy Friday evening:

“20-Adam-14, 20-Adam-14, Handle a violent male with mental illness at Olympic Blvd and Western Ave, suspect is wearing a camoflauged jacket and black pants walking in and out of traffic and wielding a Samurai sword. Handle Code-3, incident 1124, RD 2036.”

“Code-3” means respond with lights and sirens. We were on what seemed like our hundredth code-3 call that day. I put up our windows, took a look in my rear view mirror and hit the light bar/siren switch with my right hand while my left hand maneuvered the steering wheel for a swift u-turn, all in one fluid & rehearsed motion. As I readied myself for a high adrenaline race through Koreatown’s rush hour traffic, my partner read out loud the comments of the radio call from our police car’s computer, he communicated with dispatch for updated details of the knife wielding man and used a different frequency to communicate with our responding police helicopter, all the while clearing my blind spots at every single intersection.

I weaved through stubborn cars with clueless drivers, trying to catch momentum between red lights. Watching for pedestrians with headphones on who never look right- left-right before crossing the street. I surgically hit sharp right turn apexes and purposely spring loaded my police car’s shocks with the skill of a Nascar driver, all the while looking for potholes, stray dogs and distracted motorists. My partner yelled out “CLEAR RIGHT!” in between his updates with our dispatch and his coordination with our police helicopter above. All the while he kept verbally reminding me of the suspect’s descriptors and updated location. I imagined the intersection’s landscape, pre-planned my tactical approach to the scene and burned a mental image of the suspect’s possible description into my psyche.

As we arrived at the scene the helicopter above directed us to his exact location. South west corner, no Samurai sword in sight. We spotted him immediately. Tall guy. Thin. About 45 years old. Scruffy, greying beard. Talking to himself and apparently to God as well. My partner yelled orders for him to turn around and put his hands on his head. The suspect still had on his camouflage jacket, but he decided to remove his pants completely before we arrived. He continued to talk to himself, agitated and furious he then put his hand into his jacket. We drew our guns anticipating a weapon. Instead the man removed his jacket and continued his rage in his birthday suit. At this point we were confident he did not have any swords on him. We had a second police unit with us. And plenty of less lethal munition at the ready. Efforts to verbally calm him down failed. He yelled threats on our lives and screamed that God would forgive him.

By now there were six officers on scene. Roughly 10-seconds had passed. Cars still sped by the busy intersection as we formulated a plan. Usually one officer is dedicated to less lethal force such as the Taser or beanbag shotgun. One officer is dedicated lethal force if necessary. One officer is dedicated to communications over our police radio. And the remaining officers go hands on to handcuff the suspect. That way all bases are covered. But before we were able to complete the assignments the suspect sprinted towards the street where vehicles were still speeding by. We instinctively swarmed the suspect! We were able to stop his sprint into traffic successfully avoiding motorists getting hurt, avoiding the suspect getting hurt and avoiding having to run into traffic ourselves. As we all caught up to him, an anonymous voice yelled out “Don’t hurt him he’s mentally retarded!”

Next thing we knew one officer immediately took a knuckle sandwich to his teeth. The suspect’s sweaty body made it next to impossible to control his arms. He flailed those lanky arms wildly, two more swings finding their mark on officer’s faces. He rear- kicked in my direction missing my groin by inches. He bucked and fought. A 50,000 volt Taser blast to his back only infuriated him even more. It didn’t cause massive pain or cause his body to contract uncontrollably like it did to me in the academy. Oh no. Instead he ripped out the metal prongs that clung onto his bare skin. This is not an infrequent occurrence and usually caused by a suspect being under the influence of some sort of narcotic. The close quarter fight did not allow for OC-spray (pepper spray) or a baton to be deployed. I hit him with all my strength. Two times on his rib cage and two times on his temple. I heard him grunt as I punched him. But it did not seem to phase him. Another officer, 6-foot 4-inch/280 lbs of muscle, jammed a well placed knee into the suspect’s gut. Only then did his hands stay in one place (his belly) long enough for us to gain control of his arms. We handcuffed him but he was not finished yet. Even while handcuffed his rear-kick struck an officer on the chest. Pain compliance techniques were applied to him even while he was handcuffed. It was the only way to ensure other officers did not get hurt any further. It was the only way to ensure he did not get up and run into traffic. It was the only way.

About ten punches later, two unsuccessful Taser blasts, countless pressure point attempts and one gigantic UFC style knee to the solar-plex, six officers lay on a bloody and naked handcuffed man. He finally took a break. We used that small window of opportunity to tie his legs and carry him into the police car.

We were finally able to lick our wounds and catch our breath. We were oblivious to the small crowds that had gathered while the incident transpired. The sea of smartphones pointing in our direction was incredible! The same voice yelled out “It takes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 officers to beat up a retarded man??? This is brutality!” Another voice yelled, “Cowards!” Yet another yelled, “Ten officers against one skinny guy! That badge must make you feel really tough!” I overheard a conversation in Spanish about the atrocity of police abuse and how she now had the undisputed evidence recorded in her iPhone. We were surrounded by sneers and by people shaking their heads in disapproval. My sergeant was on his way to interview witnesses and hopefully quell some of the negative perspectives of the on lookers. But sadly I knew most would not bother to listen.

What my colleagues and I saw as a small victory, was viewed by the witnessing community members as an abusive, heavy handed, power hungry police force. The more I thought about it the more I did not understand why the community did not see what I saw. I took a step back and pictured the scene from an outsider’s point of view:

Six officers versus one skinny man. Punches to his body and face. The sound of a Taser’s electrical current. Blood spewing from a naked man’s face. His twisted arms in unnatural positions even after he was handcuffed. Feet tied like an animal. Carried by a slew of officers and thrown into the backseat of a police car without even tending to his wounds........Wow. What savages we must have looked like.

I recently became involved in a heated debate with my eldest brother at a Mexican restaurant in Highland park. He could not understand the level of violence used in the recent Fullerton PD incident where a mentally unstable man died as a result of his injuries from a confrontation with police. I realized it was next to impossible to convince him that serious injury or death, while rare, is always a possibility and does not mean that the officers involved had bad intentions or were out of policy when conducting their duties. I also realized that my brother’s point of view was an example of most of people’s opinion in that crowd of smartphones during my fight with the naked man.

I believe that in order to help bridge a closer gap between the community and the police department when it comes to this issue, there needs to be an understanding of three equally important points.

1.Understanding our department’s use of force policy
2.Understanding our department’s training in dealing with the mentally disabled &
3.Understanding the fact that police action is always a reactive measure

My objective here is not to spit out boring definitions of our use of force policy but to hopefully shine some light on our policy through real life examples of the fluidity of different scenarios.

Any brute can use force to overcome a person’s actions. But the delicate science of reacting to a suspect’s aggressive attacks APPROPRIATELY is one that requires knowledge of policy, law and plenty of real life experience in dealing with violent suspects on the streets. It also requires quick split second decision making when reacting to an aggressive suspect. As an officer I have to react and stay only one step above a suspect’s violent acts. If I go two steps above I can be out of policy or even in violation of the law, which can equate to losing my job or being arrested myself! If I stay on the same level of violence with a suspect, I risk being hurt. If I go one level under the suspect’s violence, that means I am dead policeman. The next time you see me I will be in a casket at a beautiful police funeral, next to my crying mother who is being handed an American flag by Chief Beck. There are thin lines between appropriate force and criminal behavior. The windows of opportunity to stop a persons violent actions are extremely small. And it can mean the difference between going home safely, or risking serious injury or death for all parties involved.

So for example if a suspect raises his fists to fight me, I do not fight force with equal force. I will not put my fists up and square off for a fair fight. I will raise my defense to one level above the suspect’s actions. My OC-spray, my Taser, or my baton. Being one level above the suspect’s actions does not mean I am an abusive, heavy handed officer. It means I am fighting smart and looking to win and go home alive. I am looking to win against an unfortunate physical conflict against a mentally disabled person which can potentially put innocent men, women and children in harms way. If that suspect produces a knife, my options open up for lethal force. It makes no sense at all to take my knife out and fight the suspect like a Michael Jackson “Beat It” video! Now, if the suspect throws the knife down and approaches me with fists clenched, I have to quickly holster my firearm and stay only one step above his actions. If he retrieves another knife, I have to adjust my level of force. If he again throws the knife down and goes to his knees with his hands behind his head, I have to drop my level of force considerably. If I approach and he turns on me and tries to wrestle me, I need to quickly react and stay one level above his actions. As officers we play by the rules of our use of force policy and the laws of our land. We fight against people who do not have any rules. That makes our tasks much more difficult as we balance physical dangers and career survival decisions.

The second point I believe is important for the general public to understand is our training in dealing with the mentally disabled and the realities of applying that training in real life field situations. There are no doubt several mental health concerns that officers come in contact with on a day to day basis. Schizophrenia, Autism, Delusional, Bipolar Depression and the list goes on. There are also temporary mental health concerns that we confront on a daily basis. Some of these include Diabetic Shock, Alcohol Intoxication, narcotic highs from methamphetamine, acid, PCP and many others. In the police academy we are trained on how to deal with these different mental states. We are trained in how our own behavior as a police officer can set them off, what behavior is best to calm the situation and other options and resources that can be attained in the field. Those are just a few things we are taught. We have a field response team with a psychologist that responds to many of our mental illness radio calls. We learn from each encounter. We learn from examples around the country and allow those examples to influence our policy, mindset and tactics in order to better deal with the mentally disabled. Continuous improvement is a fundamental quality we strive to achieve. Police departments around the country comprehend the sensitivity of these issues. They understand how horrible it looks when force is used by police to take a mentally disabled person into custody. Most police departments support their officers, knowing fully that police work can be ugly at times.

In the field, time is needed to decipher if a person has a mental health disorder or is intoxicated. Unfortunately, having the luxury of time when an incident unfolds is not guaranteed. Even more unfortunate is how the importance of deciphering between these two mental conditions (mental disorder vs. intoxication) greatly decreases at the moment of a physical altercation. These truisms of violent street encounters with people who are not in the right state of mind are important for the citizens to comprehend. To add to the fundamental differences of opinion between the police and the community, the extremely important part for the community to comprehend and accept is that at the moment a fight ensues, the person’s mental illness is automatically a non-factor. It might seem calloused and cold, but when a person attacks a police officer or any citizen for that matter, it does not matter at all if the suspect suffers from a mental illness or not. It transforms from preparedness and caution to survival.

Lastly, in order to diminish some of the hatred community members might have against police officers, I believe it’s important for the non police mentality to understand one key factor: A police officer’s violent acts are always a reactive measure against someone else’s initial violent act. It is never initiated by officer’s themselves. Officers must find the safest way to handcuff a potentially violent mentally disturbed person. That is not an easy task, and sometimes that task escalates into a fight (from my experience, most of the time officers succeed in safely and calmly handcuffing these individuals).

Most normal people are not exposed to violence on a day to day basis. So understanding that an unfolding incident is a scary, extremely violent and brutal scene is not second nature for the public. Yes there are fists breaking noses. Yes there is one person very outnumbered by many police. Yes there are aluminum batons breaking bones. Yes there are bullets searing through human flesh. Sometimes a person’s schizophrenia makes them believe that officers are evil spirits here to take them to hell. Sometimes PCP can make a person’s pain threshold extremely high. It is a crazy cruel maddened world out there. Thats the reality of life. In the scope of inner city violence, officers deal with that violence head on so you and your family don’t have to, yet we get unfairly scrutinized when using that force.

Taking into account our use of force policy, our training with dealing with the mentally disabled and the realistic act of violence itself being a reactionary instinct by police rather than an offensive measure, I hope can give the public a better understanding of the complexities of dealing with violent encounters with the mentally disabled.

I was not at the Fullerton PD incident. With my expertise and training in dealing with these violent encounters I can say that it is possible for one of these scenarios to lead to a person’s death. The fact that most of these events end peacefully is a reflection of great police work by law enforcement officers across the nation. Even with my expertise and knowledge in these type of situations, I can not make a blind determination of any actions by the Fullerton PD officers. If the officers involved had bad intentions to hurt the individual, then they deserve to be punished to the law’s fullest extent. My intent here is not to pass judgement. I only want to make clear how such violent encounters CAN result in serious injury or death even when the correct decisions are made.

Keep those smartphones handy, LA...because you never know! Until my next blog, dawg!

PIECE LOVE & WHISKEY

Total Line-of-Duty Deaths for 2011: 173 Souls (13% increase from 2010)
Fallen Officer Since Last Blog: 100 Souls
Fallen Officers for 2012: 10 Souls

Sergeant Abimael Castro-Berrocales

Puerto Rico Police Department, PR

End of Watch: Sunday, January 1, 2012
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 20 years

Cause of Death: Gunfire, shot twice in the face by unknown assailant during traffic stop
Survived by: Wife and 3 sons

Park Ranger Margaret Anderson

United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service, US

End of Watch: Sunday, January 1, 2012

Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 11 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire, shot with a rifle at a roadblock during a 90-minute gun battle
Survived by: Husband and 2 young children

Agent Jared Francom

Ogden Police Department, UT

End of Watch: Thursday, January 5, 2012

Age: n/a
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire, shot while conducting a drug-related search warrant
Survived by: Wife and 2 young children

Deputy Sheriff William Coleman

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, AZ

End of Watch: Sunday, January 8, 2012

Age: 50
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire, shot below the vest by a rifle during a burglary radio call
Survived by: Wife and several children


Detective Andrew F. Faggio

New Haven Police Department, CT

End of Watch: Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Age: 46
Tour of Duty: 14 years
Cause of Death: Automobile accident while responding to a stakeout assignment
Survived by: Wife and 2 children

Correctional Officer Clarence Tariq Hammond, III

Michigan Department of Corrections, MI

End of Watch: Saturday, January 14, 2012

Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Cause of Death: Gunfire, shot in a botched robbery attempt, while arriving home in uniform
Survived by: 2 young sons

Deputy Sheriff Randall L. Benoit

Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, LA

End of Watch: Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 18 years
Cause of Death: Automobile accident, head-on
Survived by: n/a

Agent Francis Crespo-Mandry

Puerto Rico Police Department, PR

End of Watch: Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Age: 55
Tour of Duty: 24 years
Cause of Death:Gufire, shot during a gas station robbery
Survived by: Wife and two children. He is also survived by four brothers, two who serve with the same agency, and one sister.

Sergeant Barbara Ester

Arkansas Department of Correction, AR

End of Watch: Friday, January 20, 2012

Age: 47
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Cause of Death: Stabbed, stabbed twice in stomach by inmate hiding contraband
Survived by: Husband who also serves with the same department

Officer Garret Davis
Honolulu Police Deptartment, HI
End of Watch: Saturday, January 21, 2012
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Cause of Death: Car accident, rear ended while stopping his police car behind a stalled vehicle on the left shoulder.
Survived by: n/a

(February's Blog #9 teaser: Occupy LA)