Who Are the Nation’s “Top Cops?” The LAPPL Has Some Ideas

We’re often critical of law enforcement here at WLA, but while we believe that such criticism is important in a healthy society, so is credit.

Hence the following:

Each spring, the National Association of Police Organizations gives out what it calls its Top Cops Awards.

To have a chance of receiving one of the awards, which will be handed out to ten outstanding officers on May 12, 2009, in Washington, D.C., one must be nominated by one’s fellow officers. (An independent awards committee then makes the final selections from the hundreds of nominations.)

The LA Police Protective League announced Monday that its members were putting forth the names of 17 officers from two different incidents to be considered for the national award.

Fifteen of the officers nominated were those involved in the terrible—and still painful—Winnetka hostage standoff that took the life of SWAT officer Randall Simmons.

Another two officers nominated were those who responded to a call in which suspects opened up on them with an AK-47.

I’ve reprinted nearly the entire LAPPL press release below because, in addition to honoring the officers, it makes for interesting reading.

Congratulations and appreciation to all the officers nominated, and to the fine men and women of the LAPD and the LASD who protect and serve us every day.

Read more after the jump:

SWAT Officer Randal D. Simmons Incident

On February 7, 2008, an incident occurred in the West San Fernando Valley in a normally peaceful neighborhood that would claim the life of one dedicated LAPD SWAT officer, three murder victims, injure several others and result in an outpouring of support for the LAPD by the community in its wake.

The tragic events unfolded when officers received an unknown trouble call at a residence in the San Fernando Valley. Officers Foxhaven and Avalos approached the door of the house and a man’s voice within stated that he had just killed three people and that the officers should come in and kill him. Unknown to officers at the time, a fourth victim, the suspect’s wife, had hidden in the bedroom closet. The officers notified communications and requested more units. More units arrived and set up a perimeter and evacuated neighbors. A series of phone calls were made with the suspect who again insisted that officers should shoot him. Other calls went unanswered, and in some calls movement could be heard in the background.

SWAT was notified. As the officers arrived, they were briefed on the situation. Because it was believed that victims inside the home could still be alive, it was determined that immediate entry was required. A public address (PA) system was used to try to talk the suspect out, but there was no response.

Based on information that the rear of the location had fortified doors, SWAT planned on a front forced entry, with Officer James Veestra as the team leader and Sergeant Chuck Buttitta as the supervisor. On cue, the SWAT stick went to the front door. Officers Mike Odle and George Ryan were assigned to the front window. Ryan performed a rake-and-break while Odle provided cover. Simultaneously, a breach shotgun was used by Officer Veenstra to force open the door. A flash bang device was tossed in to distract the suspect. Officers Veenstra, David Keortge, Tom Chinappi, German Hurtado, Floyd Curry, Anthony Samuelson and Mike Barker entered the residence. A wall immediately inside the front door impeded vision of the interior and everything was extremely dark.

The suspect was partially hidden behind a doorway and opened fire on the officers with a semi-automatic handgun. Officers Veenstra and Simmons were immediately hit and went down; both officers had been hit in the face. Officer Ogle’s weapon was hit and he received minor wounds to the face and hand. Officers Curry, Chinappi and Barker returned fire and the suspect retreated to an interior bedroom. Officers immediately extracted Veenstra and Simmons while others set up outside the bedroom. Three dead bodies were discovered in the immediate area – the suspect had shot and killed his father and two of his brothers. Officer Steve Scallon and Sgt. Buttitta had by this time also entered the residence and assisted in clearing rooms.

Against their own regulations, rescue ambulances responded to the front of the residence and transported the fallen officers to the hospital. Officer Simmons was pronounced shortly thereafter. The suspect called out to the officers that he had a gun and they should come in and kill him.

Because it appeared that all of the victims in the house were deceased and the SWAT officers were exposed to the suspect’s gunfire inside the residence, it was decided that the situation had transitioned to a barricaded suspect scenario. Officers withdrew from the interior of the residence and set up a perimeter until SWAT equipment and more personnel arrived. Two armored vehicles arrived and the original entry team was relieved by the freshly arrived officers.

Repeated attempts were made to communicate with the suspect with no result. The suspect’s remaining brother was brought in and he pleaded over the PA for the suspect to surrender, again with no results.

Later that morning, the use of chemical agents was approved and SWAT initiated gas from four sides, including the introduction of concentrated gas by breaching a wall with one of the armored vehicles. To everyone’s surprise, the fourth victim (the suspect’s wife) chose this as an opportune time to leave her hiding place in the closet and exit the rear of the house. Officer Richard Alba, assigned as a sniper on an adjacent roof, observed her attempting to exit the residence and the suspect trying to stop her. In defense of her life, he fired one round at the suspect, who disappeared into the interior of the house. The victim ran to safety.

Approximately 30 minutes later, Officers Daniel Sanchez and Mark Nee observed movement in the bedroom window of the house. The suspect’s leg appeared in the window, in an apparent attempt to escape. The officers shouted orders to the suspect to surrender. In response, a gun appeared at the window pointed in the officer’s direction. Both officers fired and the suspect disappeared from the window. The officers believed the suspect had been hit.

Considerable efforts were made to obtain visual contact with the suspect. Finally, Remington “Eyeball” cameras were tossed into the bedroom. Officers could see the suspect moving around; then he appeared to be lying in wait. Flash bangs were tossed into the room and the suspect jumped up and ran out of the bedroom. Unfortunately, the flash bangs also started a fire. The residence, already filled with gas, was now filled with smoke as well. The suspect was seen through the windows approaching the rear door, but he did not exit. Instead he crouched and threatened officers in the rear yard with a weapon. Officers Alba and Officer Douglas Dingman fired, and the suspect went down. An arrest team went in and pulled him out of the burning building, where he was pronounced at the scene.

For their bravery and courage under fire, in extremely perilous and emotionally trying conditions, the Los Angeles Police Protective League is proud to nominate 15 officers from this incident for the NAPO Top Cops Awards. They are:

James Veenstra

David Keortge

Floyd Curry

Tom Chinappi

Mike Barker

Mike Odle

Richard Alba

Mark Nee

Daniel Sanchez

Douglas Dingman

Charles Buttitta

German Hurtado

George Ryan

Anthony Samuelson

Steve Scallon

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Attempted Murder of a Police Officer Incident

On February 21, 2008, Officer II Carlos Langarica and Officer II Joe Bain, both assigned to the Northeast Criminal Apprehension Team, were investigating an attempted murder incident and working gangs in plainclothes detail in an undercover vehicle through Drew Street, a well-known gang area. After hearing a police broadcast of a nearby drive-by shooting at Roseview Avenue and Aragon Avenue, the two began monitoring the shooting call. At Estara Avenue and Drew Street, they recognized a white Nissan that matched the description from the broadcast information. Soon after following the suspect vehicle at a short distance, it came to a halt. Suddenly, three gunmen – including one armed with an AK-47 rifle – quickly stepped out and opened fire on the officers. The other two suspects, armed with handguns, also took aim and began shooting straight at Langarica and Bain.

Bain immediately began returning fire through his open door. Langarica, following suit, rolled out of his driver’s side and began firing from a prone position. Before long, the police car was riddled with bullets. The suspect with the AK-47 was killed. A second suspect was wounded and a third escaped. K-9 and SWAT were called to the scene and following a lengthy search, found and arrested the third suspect. Neither Langarica nor Bain were injured.

A few days after the incident, a fourth suspect was located and taken into custody without incident. All suspects, with the exception of the one firing the AK-47, who was killed during the standoff, were booked on Murder and Attempt Murder on a police officer charges.

The Los Angeles Police Protective League is proud to nominate Officers Bain and Langarica for their bravery and attention to duty, which resulted in the removal of four dangerous criminals from the streets of Los Angeles, for the NAPO Top Cops Awards.

The conduct of these officers in both incidents is representative of the highest traditions of the Los Angeles Police Department.

“The officers nominated this year by the LAPPL are heroes in every sense of the word,” said LAPPL President Paul M. Weber. “These officers’ selflessness and courage under fire epitomize what it means to be a police officer. Modern-day heroes are a rare commodity, but they officers are as close as they come. On behalf the community, we thank them, and we are grateful to their families for supporting their decision to serve all of the community”