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.”
“Pursuant to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation, we are making efforts to ensure the health and welfare of all those who live, work, and visit the County jails and patrol stations.
At the recommendation of the Los Angeles County Correctional Health Services, all public visits have been cancelled as part of the County’s COVID-19 (Coronavirus) prevention efforts starting from Friday, March 13, 2020. Only attorney and professional visits will be allowed during this period. The inmate visiting at all Los Angeles County Jail facilities and the patrol stations’ jails will remain suspended until further notice.
As this Department values visitation as an essential part of rehabilitation, we will remain committed to providing public visiting once these unique circumstances allow for in the nearby future. We are committed to supporting you and loved ones in our care during this time of uncertainty. If you have any questions or concerns regarding visitation, please contact the Inmate Video Visitation System Help Desk at IVVSPublicHelpDesk@lasd.org or call (213) 680-IVVS (4887), Monday through Friday, 7:00am – 2:00pm.”
SEVERAL LASD EMPLOYEES CAME IN CONTACT WITH PEOPLE WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. WHAT’S THE LATEST?
WHAT IS BEING DONE TO CUT THE JAIL POPULATION TO COMBAT THE SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS?
WHAT ABOUT PANIC-BUYING? HOW IS THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT WORKING TO KEEP THINGS UNDER CONTROL AT LOCAL GROCERY STORES?
HOW MANY INMATES WERE IN TODAY’S (TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2020) COUNT?
HOW MANY INMATES WERE CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19?
HOW MANY INMATES ARE IN ISOLATION HOUSING AND AT WHICH FACILITIES?
Below are the LASD educational programs that are continuing. Some of our programs have been cancelled at the direction of our educational providers
CTE stands for Career Technical Education.
South – CTE, Life Skills, and College of the Canyons continuing– no high school classes
NCCF – CTE, Life Skills and College of the Canyons continuing – no high school classes
North – Life Skills continuing– no high school
MCJ – CTE only – no high school
CRDF – Gender Responsive classes continuing – no high school
TTCF – no classes
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.
Residents are reminded to follow protective protocols prescribed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as found here: https://bit.ly/3d6fDAQ and here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html
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.
Downloadable Content:
Talking Points
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).
Congratulations Academy Class 445!
There are unscrupulous persons out there who are taking advantage of the Coronavirus nationwide circumstances. Please prepare & protect yourself and your family, but don’t panic. The Department is aware there are a few scams out there, please read the information below to avoid becoming a victim. At this time, our Department is not aware of any local cases. We are, however, monitoring COVID-19 and making sure the public is aware of these scams.
DO NOT click on phishing emails, links, or attachments you don’t recognize; hackers maybe be able to access your personal information if you click, open, or log in to a fake page. You may receive emails from fraudulent accounts impersonating official websites or Doctors. For example, an email will come from @CDC-GOV.ORG vs. the official email sender of @CDC.GOV. Make sure you hover over the link to verify the URL & domain name (Uniform Resource Locator).
IGNORE fraudulent online offers claiming they are selling COVID-19 knockoff products, cures or treatments. At this time, per CDC, there is no vaccine for Coronavirus. There are scammers claiming they are selling the “N95” respirator face masks vs. regular surgical masks, or hand sanitizer that is 60% alcohol. Please purchase from businesses you trust.
BE AWARE of fraudulent fundraising campaigns or donation requests for cash, gift cards, and credit cards. There are scammers seeking contributions via emails or going door to door. At this time, CDC is not sending persons door to door for cash or soliciting donations through bitcoin or PayPal.
PRICE GOUGING California Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued a price gouging alert due to State of Emergency.
To get information, resources, and updates from official Departments, please visit www.CDC.gov or https://www.cdph.ca.gov . For local Los Angeles County information please visit the local webpage at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/. If you believe you have been scammed, contact your bank and/or credit card company immediately and report it to your local law enforcement. If you think there is a situation where a business may be charging excessively, please file a complaint through the website at https://www.oag.ca.gov/ or call 800-952-5225.
Today we would like to recognize #LASD Assistant Sheriff Limon, thank you for your hard work and dedication to our Department. #womenshistorymonth
Assistant Sheriff (A/S) Limon graduated from the Academy in 1989 and began her LASD career as a Line Deputy at Sybil Brand Institute for Women. In 1991, she transferred to Transportation Bureau where she was assigned as a bus driver.
In 1995, A/S Limon transferred to Norwalk Station (NWK). During her tenure at NWK, she worked as a Patrol Deputy, Field Training Officer and a member of the COPS team. In 1999, A/S Limon promoted to Detective at Major Crimes Bureau, where she worked the Major Crimes Vice & Gaming Unit.
In 2001, A/S Limon was promoted to Sergeant. She served as a Line Sergeant at both North County Correctional Facility and Inmate Reception Center until moving to Pico Rivera Station in 2003 as a Field Sergeant and Watch Sergeant. In 2008, she moved to Emergency Operations Bureau as a Sergeant for the Tactical Planning Unit.
In 2010, A/S Limon promoted to Lieutenant and transferred to Men’s Central Jail as the Watch Commander and Risk Management Lieutenant. A/S Limon transferred to Court Services Division where she served as an Area Lieutenant and Operations Lieutenant for Court Services East Bureau and an Area Lieutenant for Central Bureau. In 2015, A/S Limon returned to NWK station. While assigned there, A/S Limon served as a Watch Commander and the Whittier Service Area Lieutenant.
In December 2018, she was selected by Sheriff Alex Villanueva and promoted to the rank of Chief, where she was charged with overseeing Court Services Division. In early 2019 she promoted again, to the rank of Assistant Sheriff. In her current role, she oversees Countywide Operations, which includes Court Services, Special Operations, Countywide Services, Technology & Support Division, and Detective Division.
A/S Limon has received numerous awards and commendations over her career for her dedication to the Department and hard work displayed in the communities of Los Angeles County.
A/S Limon has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Whittier College and a Master’s Degree in Emergency Services Management from California State University, Long Beach.
As 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread throughout the world and new cases are being reported throughout the United States, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Custody Services Division (LASD) has been working diligently with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services – Correctional Health Services (CHS) and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) to prepare.
Although we do not currently have any inmates in our custody who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, LASD and CHS continue to follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to assess and monitor inmates in our custody, as well as newly arriving inmates, for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and will arrange for quarantine as necessary.
If an inmate meets the criteria of a suspected coronavirus patient, the inmate will be placed in isolation and staff will follow proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) guidelines. A surgical mask will be placed on the inmate patient who will be isolated in separate housing, away from general population housing. If that inmate is confirmed to have COVID-19, they will be re-housed in the medical ward of the jail. Proper PPE procedures for Department members and staff include safety eye goggles, an N-95 mask, disposable gloves, and a disposable gown.
Currently, Inmates who are scheduled to be released from custody will not be impacted; however, if the county jail system begins to see cases of COVID-19 within its housing locations, those housed in quarantined areas will go through a release protocol monitored by the Department of Public Health. The Department of Public Health will additionally monitor them after their release from custody.
The Department is working with the Superior Court of California-County of Los Angeles on a plan to minimize the impact on court proceedings for those who are quarantined if such need occurs. Inmates will still have access to contact their attorneys.
Monitoring and potential quarantine procedures will remain in place until CHS and DPH officials determine it is safe to return to normal operations.
To identify if your loved one is housed in a quarantined area, please visit the www.lasd.org and schedule a visit with your loved one. If a pop-up message is displayed that your loved one is in an affected area, he/she is under observation (quarantine) until further notice.
—— Information about COVID-19 ——
According to the Department of Public Health, COVID-19 is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. The virus is spread through respiratory droplets produced through coughing and sneezing, close personal contact with an infected person, and on rare occasions from infected objects or surfaces.
For more information on COVID-19, please visit: http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/#
Sheriff’s Statement on Declared Local Health Emergency
Earlier today the Board of Supervisors declared a local public health emergency in the County of Los Angeles, in response to the novel coronavirus. Although this declaration is precautionary, I want to assure the residents of this great county your Sheriff’s Department is prepared to keep residents safe.
The Sheriff’s Operation Center is staffed 24 hours a day with personnel continuously and vigilantly monitoring the needs for resources across Los Angeles County. Our Emergency Operations Bureau is co-located and in constant communication with the County of Los Angeles Office of Emergency Management to ensure we are ready for a county-wide response, if needed.
We are collaborating with personnel from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Correctional Health Services unit, to ensure adequate resources are available to respond to any potential outbreak, not only for the public, but for those incarcerated in our jail system, as well.
I want to assure the public we will do everything in our power to keep our residents safe. But it doesn’t just stop there; I urge you to take precautionary measures, to help ensure your own safety.
The Department of Public Health recommends the following to protect ourselves against respiratory illnesses:
As the Department of Public Health mentioned, please continue to offer welcoming environments for ALL members of our community. Neither the California State Public Health Department nor Los Angeles County Public Health recommend that any regularly-scheduled events be canceled due to novel corona virus. There is no community spread of the novel corona virus in the United States at this time, and the risk to the general public remains low.
