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LAPD officers honored for acts of heroism and sacrifice
Los Angeles Oct 20, 2022
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Authorities gathered Thursday to honor 14 Los Angeles Police Department officers, one of them posthumously, for acts of heroism and sacrifice.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore was scheduled to preside over the “Above & Beyond Awards” ceremony and luncheon at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
The ceremony was hosted by the Los Angeles Police Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides resources and support to the LAPD.
Officer Jose Anzora, 31, was injured while on duty on the evening of Jan. 31, 2021, and he died later at a hospital. Anzora and other officers from Newton Division were assisting with traffic control near a traffic accident on a dark street and were using the police car’s amber lights in addition to their flashlights to direct and slow down traffic.
“Most motorists followed the officers’ direction and slowed as they passed the car crash,” police said. “However one driver failed to slow down, swerved at a high rate of speed and struck one of the officers causing critical injuries. After a valiant fight for his life, Officer Jose Anzora, died from his injuries and will posthumously receive the distinguished Purple Heart Award,” police said.
Among those also being honored at the ceremony were officers who rescued the pilot of a single-engine plane that lost power shortly after takeoff from Whiteman Airport on the afternoon of Jan. 9 and crash-landed on railroad tracks.
“Officers from Foothill Division arrived to the intersection and immediately acted to rescue pilot Mark Jenkins, just seconds before a Metrolink train collided with his plane,” police said.
Jenkins, the sole occupant of the aircraft, was treated at a hospital for unspecified injuries. No other injuries were reported. Jenkins planned to attend the awards ceremony in support of the officers who saved his life, police said.
Other events for which officers were being honored:
— On May 28, 2021, Community Safety Partnership Bureau Officers were working at South Park when they were told that someone was drowning in the pool. The pool was filled with dirt and debris making it nearly impossible to see and locate the possible drowning victim. The officers, who did not know how to swim, jumped in the water to look for the drowning victim. They found the unconscious person, brought the person poolside and administered CPR.
— On March 16, 2021, a man under the influence of narcotics, armed with a rifle and an illegally manufactured pistol was shooting indiscriminately into the air before barricading himself inside a home. The LAPD’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team was called to the scene and the Crisis Negotiation Team spent hours trying to establish a dialogue with the suspect. During their many attempts to negotiate his surrender, the suspect shot one of the SWAT Officers multiple times. Bleeding profusely, the officer was pulled from the line of fire while the suspect continued his attack. Soon thereafter, the SWAT Officers stopped the suspect and any further danger to the community and the injured officer was transported to the hospital for medical treatment.
— On Jan. 9, 2021, an off-duty officer was at home when he heard a loud car crash. He went outside and saw a car with severe collision damage and flames erupting from underneath the hood. He rushed to help the driver out of the car and saw an unconscious driver trapped between the driver’s seat and the steering wheel. Despite the thick smoke and extreme temperature, the off-duty officer pulled the driver out of the burning car to safety.
— On July 27, 2018, Officers from Mission Division conducted a traffic stop. When the officers approached to talk with the driver, the driver aggressively opened the car door, pulled out a handgun, and shot one of the officers. The suspect turned and shot at the other officer who returned fire and stopped the deadly threat.
