In honor of National Volunteer Week, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department recognizes and appreciates all our volunteers for their many hours of service. The Department and the County of Los Angeles, thank you all for your efforts and services, especially during this COVID-19 Pandemic. The LASD Volunteer motto is “Serve Others, Do Good.”
Our LASD Volunteers assist full duty deputy personnel by serving their communities during major or critical incidents as well as day to day activities. From civilian volunteers to reserve deputy sheriffs, the Reserve Forces Detail’s Volunteer Services Unit is comprised of competent and trained volunteers who wish to fulfill their dream of becoming a peace officer or be a part of the law enforcement family.
Operationally, the Volunteer Services Unit supports Reserve Deputies, Civilian Volunteers, Civilian Emergency Response Team (CERT), the LASD Search & Rescue Teams, the Mounted Posse/Mounted Search & Rescue teams, and Volunteer Search Dogs.
As community members, our volunteers live in the areas they serve. They assist our communities, increase public relations, and help provide a better understanding of the Department. Truly, LASD volunteers who serve the public are, without a doubt, priceless.
These dedicated men and women donate anywhere between 80,000 to 100,000 hours of their time per quarter to ensure the people of Los Angeles County are safe. In 2019 alone, our 3,505 volunteers donated over 417,030 hours of service to the various communities the Department serves — a cost savings of approximately 9.4 million dollars to county residents.
Earth Day 2020https://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/042120.1301_Earthday_collage_2.jpg900900SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
On this 50th anniversary of Earth Day, let us continue to do our part to help Mother Earth by keeping our lands, our oceans, rivers and lakes, and our air clean.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department does its part by recycling, composting food waste, and looking toward ways we can conserve natural resources. The Pitches Detention Center has been recycling cardboard for the last 20 years. Eight years ago, the Department established a recycling center on-site that increased the jail’s waste diversion rate to approximately 2 million pounds a year. This recycling center sorts plastic, paper, mattress foam, and various other materials, ensuring that most of this waste is reused, and does not end up in a landfill.
To expand the recycling program’s impact on waste throughout the Department, cardboard balers were installed at Twin Towers Correctional Facility and Men’s Central Jail Last year. These machines help the LASD divert 24 tons of cardboard, monthly, to recycling centers. A cardboard baler will soon be installed at Century Regional Detention Facility to ensure we continue to recycle what we can.
Most of the food waste and compostable material generated by the jail facilities also goes to good use. Food waste is currently being diverted from Twin Towers Correctional Facility and transported to Pitchess Detention Center for composting. For about five years now, this composted material has given the LASD the ability to divert approximately 4 tons a week from the landfill to our inmate vocational gardening and farming programs.
As we look to the future, the LASD continues its innovative programs to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Our Sustainability Team is looking at ways we can utilize solar technology to power our custody and patrol facilities. There are plans to install water reclamation systems in our north county jail system, saving approximately 15 million gallons of water a year.
While you are at home during COVID-19, you, too, could help keep our planet clean. Develop a recycling plan and find ways to improve your waste diversion rate. You can find ways to conserve water, and if you have the room, learn how to compost.
If you want to learn how you can help, please visit any of the following county resources:
Volunteers produce masks for inmateshttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/post_covid19_volunteers.jpg846468SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped with the production and making of masks for LASD employees and inmates.
When Commander Diana Gealta from the Custody Division asked her church members for help sewing enough masks to supply all of the LASD employees inside the jails and all of the inmates, they did not hesitate and went to work! The original goal was about 2,000 but the volunteers went above the call for help and in just over a week were able to produce over 7,000 cloth masks! These extra cloth masks will support operations and many inmates will be able to go home with at least one mask!
“I feel as if through this project, our heavenly Father is showing that he loves us and shows us we are all his children,” were the words of one of the dozens of volunteers from the Women’s Relief Society members from the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints.
lasd Welfare checks for elderly or at risk personshttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Welfare-check.jpg900900SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
lasd Welfare checks for elderly or at risk persons
Are you concerned about a home bound family member, neighbor or friend who is either elderly or at risk during the face of this pandemic and you live in the Los Angeles County County Sheriff’s Department jurisdiction? We can help you by conducting a welfare check. A “welfare check” is the term The Sheriff’s Department has for conducting a safety and wellness check of a person if you have not heard from or seen in a reasonable amount of time.
If you believe a loved one may be at risk or know someone who may not have the resources to get their essential needs such as groceries, medical prescriptions or mental assistance please locate the information for your nearest Sheriff’s Station.
When you call the station, a dispatcher will enter a call for service and deputies on patrol will drive to your loved ones home and attempt to make contact.
Examples of high-risk persons include the elderly community or those who suffer from blood disorders, chronic liver disease, compromised immune system, current or recent pregnancy, metabolic disorder, heart disease, lung disease, or neurological conditions. Remember we are all in this together this service has always been provided to the communities we serve, however it is even more vital today. It can save lives and offer peace of mind for the requestor.
We are all in this together, and LA isn’t LA without all of us. Stay Safer at home, and do your part to flatten the curve.
Children Internet Safetyhttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/032520.1000_Soc_KidsSafety-Covid.jpg900900SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
Please discuss internet safety with your children.
With recent school closures due to #COVID19 many children are using the internet and have recently created email accounts or social media profiles to communicate with their friends or complete school work & programs.
Tips from LASD
?TALK about Internet safety with children of ALL ages when they engage in online activity.
?Review & approve games and apps before they are downloaded… especially video, voice, and messaging apps.
?Make sure privacy settings are set to the strictest level possible for online gaming systems and electronic devices. You can use parental controls or ask children to scan their device as needed.
? Monitor your children’s use of the Internet; keep electronic devices in an open, common room of the house. You can add parental controls & google “vault” or popular “hiding apps”
✅Check your children’s profiles and what they post online. Make sure they are not posting age, address, phone numbers etc.
?Explain to your children that images aka selfies posted online will be permanently on the Internet.
❌Make sure children know that anyone who asks a child to engage in sexually explicit activity online should be reported to a parent, guardian, or other trusted adult and law enforcement.
?Remember that victims should not be afraid to tell law enforcement if they are being sexually exploited. It is not a crime for a child to send sexually explicit images to someone if they are compelled or coerced to do so.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department continues to honor Women’s History Month by highlighting strong and courageous women while celebrating their accomplishments. Today we recognize #LASD Special Operations Division, Transit Services Bureau, Detective Karen Velasquez.
“All my life I have been into Physical Fitness and Nutrition. After graduating from Cal State San Bernardino with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science, my interest in Law Enforcement started after I read an article about a female Deputy Sheriff. She was very small in stature like myself and it inspired me to apply for a position as a Deputy Sheriff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. “
Detective Velasquez has experienced a multitude of great assignments since graduating from the LASD Academy in 2000. Her Career started as a Module Deputy who oversaw male Felons at the Men’s Central Jail. That experience helped as she transitioned into a Patrol Deputy assignment at Cerritos Sheriff’s Station in 2007.
Detective Velasquez’s desire to become an Investigator stems from her selfless need to help people who are unable to help themselves. Detective Bureau Supervisor, Sgt. Edward O’Neil says, “Detective Velasquez is highly self-motivated in her desire to be the best detective she can be. On top of being kind and outgoing, her Leadership abilities can always be counted upon as a mentor to our newer Deputies.
In reflecting upon the strong role models in her own life, Detective Velasquez is most inspired by her Husband and Daughter. Her husband is also a Sworn Deputy Sheriff who has helped reinforce the notion that through fortitude and perseverance; anything she sets her mind to is possible.
“Women’s History Month is a time for all women to collectively come together,” said Detective Velasquez. “It’s a time to reflect upon how our collective cohesiveness positively impacts everyone around us in the workplace, and also to the victims we compassionately help daily.”
Update to LASD Community Programs – East L.A. Stationhttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/covid19-general.jpeg747749SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
In a continuous effort to maintain ourselves and our community’s health and safety, we are strongly encouraging #socialdistancing.
We have canceled most of our community oriented program, one of them being the Youth Activity League (YAL). As of March 9, 2020, the YAL program will be canceled until further notice. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause, but we have determined given the current times it is the best course of action.
East L.A. Sheriff’s Station Adapting to “Coronavirus”https://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/covid19-general.jpeg747749SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station Adapting to “Coronavirus”
Español abajo
Much like the entire world, the East Los Angeles Station
is adapting to the challenges presented as a result of the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic. It is paramount that during these harsh
conditions, we strengthen the lines of communications with the
communities we serve. To this end, please know we have NOT curtailed
our deployment and will continue to respond to ALL law enforcement
related activities in our community. This crisis is rapidly evolving,
and the Sheriff’s Department is adapting in real time and working
together with all of our partners in an effort to maintain the field
staffing levels. We want it to be perfectly clear that our communities
are our priority, and we will carry on our public safety mission.
We have begun the process of preparing this station for various
scenarios by equipping our staff with personal protective gear and
keeping them informed. Our station personnel has been fully briefed on
the Coronavirus symptoms and potential issues which might arise as we
continue to respond to calls for service. We are committed to taking
the necessary precautions when dealing with the public. As previously
mentioned, we will continue to respond to all calls and will assess the
deployment of personnel on a day-to-day basis.
It is our mission and goal to continue to provide the highest level of
service, while preserving the safety and health of our communities.
Based on logical precautions, we have modified some procedures to limit
exposure of the public and our employees by limiting unnecessary public
contact. Keeping in mind the health and safety of our communities, we
are adhering to the following necessary precautions:
For limited non-emergency crime reporting, we may accept and document some crime reports via telephone rather than in person.
Our station lobby will remain open for limited purposes, however,
we encourage residents to call ahead at (323) 264-4151 in order to
determine if we can serve your needs without requiring a visit to our
station lobby.
For the remainder of March and with the exception of mandatory
and/or emergent situations, we are limiting the station’s lobby traffic
in order to protect the health of the public and our station personnel.
The following restrictions do NOT apply to lobby traffic:
Regularly scheduled child-custody exchanges
Individuals who are required by law to check in with law enforcement for compliance to terms of release.
Situations in which a law enforcement presence is needed to immediately protect life, safety and/or property.
Mandatory visits for payment of fees or collection of property.
If you request a call for service to report criminal activity, to file a
report, to obtain a copy of a report, and/or have questions of a law
enforcement matter, please call our station at (323) 264-4151. If you are experiencing an emergency please call 9-1-1.
When placing your call for service, if you are experiencing flu-like or
Coronavirus symptoms, such as cough, fever and/or shortness of breath,
please notify the operator when placing the call for service. This will
allow our first responders to take any needed personal safety
precautions prior to our arrival, and further enhance your safety and
health.
Limited police reports can be made online by visiting our LASD website at http://shq.lasdnews.net/shq/SORTS/sorts_intro.aspx.
If applicable, we encourage our residents to take advantage of this
service. The following reports can be made with our online service:
Lost or stolen cell phones valued at $950 or less
Lost or stolen property valued at $950 or less
Vandalism, excluding graffiti, where damage is valued under $400
Theft of items from an unlocked vehicle valued at $950 or less
Theft of items from an open or unsecured area valued at $950 or less
Supplemental Loss Form to document items taken in a burglary or similar theft (must already have a LASD report number
While we apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause, your
East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station personnel are committed to the
safety and well-being of our citizens and dedicated to maintaining the
superior service everyone has come to expect from our personnel. Help us
protect ourselves, so we can protect you!
Español
Al igual que en todo el mundo, la Estación Este de Los Angeles se está
adaptando a los desafíos presentados como resultado de la pandemia de
Coronavirus (COVID-19). Es primordial que durante estas duras
condiciones, fortalezcamos las líneas de comunicación con las
comunidades a las que servimos. Esta crisis está evolucionando
rápidamente, y el Departamento del Sheriff se está adaptando en tiempo
real y trabajando junto con todos nuestros socios en un esfuerzo por
mantener los niveles de personal sobre el terreno. Queremos que quede
perfectamente claro que nuestras comunidades son nuestra prioridad, y
continuaremos con nuestra misión de seguridad pública.
Hemos comenzado el proceso de preparación de esta estación para diversos
escenarios equipando a nuestro personal con equipo de protección
personal y manteniéndolos informados. Nuestro personal de la estación ha
sido completamente informado sobre los síntomas del coronavirus y los
posibles problemas que podrían surgir a medida que continuamos
respondiendo a las llamadas de servicio. Nos comprometemos a tomar las
precauciones necesarias al tratar con el público. Como se mencionó
anteriormente, seguiremos respondiendo a todas las llamadas y
evaluaremos el despliegue de personal en el día a día.
Nuestra misión y objetivo es continuar proporcionando el más alto nivel
de servicio, preservando al mismo tiempo la seguridad y la salud de
nuestras comunidades. Basándonos en precauciones lógicas, hemos
modificado algunos procedimientos para limitar la exposición del público
y nuestros empleados al limitar el contacto público innecesario.
Teniendo en cuenta la salud y la seguridad de nuestras comunidades, nos
adherimos a las siguientes precauciones necesarias:
Para informes limitados de delitos que no sean de emergencia,
podemos aceptar y documentar algunos informes de delitos por teléfono en
lugar de en persona.
Nuestro vestíbulo de la estación permanecerá abierto para
propósitos limitados, sin embargo, alentamos a los residentes a llamar
con anticipación al (323) 264-4151 para determinar si podemos satisfacer
sus necesidades sin necesidad de una visita al vestíbulo de nuestra
estación.
Para el resto de marzo y con excepción de las situaciones
obligatorias y/o emergentes, estamos limitando el tráfico del vestíbulo
de la estación con el fin de proteger la salud del público y nuestros
personal de la estación.
Las siguientes restricciones no se aplican al tráfico del vestíbulo:
Intercambios de custodia de niños programados regularmente
Individuos que están obligados por ley a verificar con las fuerzas
del orden público el cumplimiento de los términos de la liberación.
Situaciones en las que es necesaria una presencia aplicación de la
ley de protección a la vida de inmediato, la seguridad y / o propiedad.
Visitas obligatorias para el pago de tarifas o cobro de bienes.
Si solicita una llamada de servicio para denunciar actividades
delictivas, presentar un informe, obtener una copia de un informe y / o
si tiene preguntas sobre un asunto de aplicación de la ley, llame a
nuestra estación al (323) 264-4151. Si tiene una emergencia, llame al
9-1-1. Al realizar una llamada de servicio, si experimenta síntomas
similares a los de la gripe o el coronavirus, como tos, fiebre y / o
falta de aire, notifique al operador cuando realice la llamada de
servicio. Esto permitirá a nuestros socorristas tomar las precauciones
de seguridad personal necesarias antes de nuestra llegada y mejorar aún
más su seguridad y salud.
Los informes policiales limitados se pueden hacer en línea visitando nuestro sitio web LASD en http://shq.lasdnews.net/shq/SORTS/sorts_intro.aspx.
Si corresponde, alentamos a nuestros residentes a aprovechar este
servicio. Los siguientes informes se pueden hacer con nuestro servicio
en línea:
Celulares perdidos o robados valorados en $ 950 o menos
Propiedad perdida o robada valorada en $ 950 o menos
Vandalismo, excluyendo graffiti, donde el daño está valorado en menos de $ 400
Robo de artículos de un vehículo desbloqueado valorado en $ 950 o menos
Robo de artículos de un área abierta o no segura valorada en $ 950 o menos
Formulario de pérdida suplementaria para documentar artículos
tomados en un robo o robo similar (ya debe tener un número de informe
LASD)
Nos disculpamos de antemano por cualquier inconveniente que esto pueda
causar, el personal de la estación del Sheriff de East Los Angeles está
comprometido con la seguridad y el bienestar de nuestros ciudadanos y
está dedicado a mantener el servicio superior que todos esperan de
nuestro personal. ¡Ayúdanos a protegernos para que podamos protegerte!
COVID-19 Sheriff
Reassures Residents; “Let’s Be Prepared, Not Scared”
During a
press conference on Monday, March 16, 2020, at the Hall of Justice, Sheriff
Alex Villanueva stated his reassurance that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Department is working hard to ensure law enforcement services in the areas we
serve remain uninterrupted by the coronavirus.
The
County Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) remains open at a Level I status, fully-staffed
with knowledgeable experts from other L.A. County departments. Our Department continues to collaborate with
local agencies, monitor world events and provide the most up-to-date
information to the public.
Through
innovative and creative measures, Sheriff Villanueva was adamant about keeping
staff levels up and the inmate population count down. Staff vacations were cancelled through the
end of April to ensure more personnel are on-hand, and those working non-essential
assignments can be temporarily moved to custody or patrol assignments to offset
and augment manpower shortages. This
decision is particularly helpful for coverage, as a small number of personnel
were self-quarantined over the weekend.
The
Sheriff raised the aggregate bail amount for booking inmates raised from $25,000
to $50,000, which allows more people to receive citations, rather than get
booked into custody. This reduces the
number of people entering our jail facilities, therefore lowering chances of
the virus being introduced into that environment. Out of the 16,459 inmates in today’s morning
count, there were zero confirmed cases of coronavirus. Nine inmates are in isolation housing, 21
inmates are in quarantine at Men’s Central Jail, and five inmates are in
quarantine at Twin Towers Correctional Facility.
Personal
protective equipment was issued to field personnel. Inventory of these supplies was bulked-up,
with a likely request to follow for the release of Service and Supply funds, to
address the ongoing need for more items, such as masks, gloves, goggles, and
sanitizer. Patrol station and custody
facility unit commanders were directed to sanitize their stations and jails as
a preventative measure. Personnel are
reminded to be cognizant of hand-washing, don personal protective equipment,
covering sneezes, not touching their faces, and practice social distancing
while off-duty.
Despite
all county buildings being ordered to close their doors to the public, Sheriff
Villanueva directed all patrol stations to keep their lobbies open. He encouraged the use of online reporting for
non-emergent, qualifying incidents, as outlined here: http://shq.lasdnews.net/shq/SORTS/sorts_intro.aspx
or calling your local patrol station. He
also asked that those who must visit a patrol station for services, such as
regularly-scheduled child custody exchanges or compliance check-ins, to notify
deputies if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms, fever or respiratory
illness so they can take precautionary measures.
As
events occur, information regarding public safety and other services will be
provided by our agency and updated on several platforms. Please monitor our social media sites,
@LASDHQ on Twitter, @LosAngelesCountySheriffDepartment on Facebook, and our https://lasd.org/
website for up-to-date information.
Stay connected, remain
composed and we will get through this together.
Academy class 445 graduationhttps://lasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/vbv.jpg640480SIB StaffSIB Staffhttps://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/179d7335802e3daded4330485a5562ec1de93760eb3e7e694ec84645300a95c0?s=96&d=blank&r=g
On Friday March 13, 2020, a
total of the 81 polished recruits lined up at the STARS Center Gymnasium, in
what would be their final platoon formation as academy classmates. After
22 weeks of rigorous academy training, the recruits pressed through an equally
intense and meticulous formal class inspection by law enforcement executives
just before the ceremony.
The ceremony was a formal transformation of academy recruits
into sworn peace officers. Sheriff Alex Villanueva presided over the graduation ceremony, and delivered
encouraging remarks to the 17 female and 64 male graduates and their guests.
Sheriff Alex Villanueva was joined on stage by Chief George Mueller, California
Department of Insurance; Assistant Chief Ronald Iizuka, Culver City Police
Department; Chief Mark Fronterotta, Inglewood Police Department; Deputy Chief
Timothy Anderson, Los Angeles School Police Department; Region 7 Manager
Matthew O’Deane, California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training,
in presenting the 81 graduates with their Peace Officer Standards and Training
certificates. The graduates were then officially sworn in as California
Peace Officers
In a special segment of the ceremony, Nathaniel T. Hocking,
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, was named as the class Honor
Recruit. This award is earned by the recruit who achieved the highest
numerical average based upon leadership qualities, academics, marksmanship, and
physical performance throughout the training period. Michael
Guzman, California Department of Insurance, was honored as Academic
Recruit. This award is earned by the recruit who achieved the highest
academic scores.
Each class of recruits processed through the Los Angeles
County Sheriff’s Department STARS Center Training Academy, brings together a
collection of unique aspects, qualities and experiences. Academy Class #445 is
a largely international collection of backgrounds, reflective of the vast array
of cultures found within Los Angeles County.
Of the 81 graduating recruits, 10 were born outside the United States in
the countries of Guatemala, India, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, and Serbia; 9 recruits
lived abroad in the countries of Germany, Guatemala, India, Iraq, Japan, New
Zealand (33 years), Peru (34 years), and Serbia (26 years); and 50 recruits
speak a language other than English, including Arabic, Bosnian, Croatian,
Hindi, Gujarati, Serbian, and Spanish.
These graduates bring with them a large source of higher
education (32), service experience in the armed forces (12), and backgrounds in
law enforcement (10), and many come from families with a tradition of serving
in law enforcement (28).
