LAPD Officer Represents Department and Country in Sumo Wrestling
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OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE VOLUME LI NO. 8 WWW.LAPDONLINE.ORG ® AUGUST 2005 LAPD Officer Represents Department and Country in Sumo Wrestling n a department as large and culturally satisfy his competitive needs through sumo diverse as the LAPD, it is easy to find wrestling. The Association teaches, trains, I people who break the mold of educates, and promotes this ancient art to its perception and transcend cultural members and the public. It is through the boundaries; people who possess talents that Association that he is able to compete at the far exceed that of common expectations; national and international level. WILLIAM J. BRATTON people as hard working off-duty as they are In 2004, Officer Collins represented the CHIEF OF POLICE on-duty. Officer Troy Collins of Planning Department in the U.S. Sumo Open where CHIEF’S MESSAGE and Research Division is one of those he won a bronze medal in both the or a law enforcement people. middleweight and openweight classes, agency to be successful, Officer Collins, a seven-year veteran of becoming only the second competitor to Frespected and well the Department, exemplifies the meaning of medal in two weight classes in the event’s thought of by the communities athlete. Through years of competing in history. It is this feat which helped him earn it serves, it must be one that is sports such as football, track and field, the 2004 LAPD Athlete of the Year Award. disciplined, measured, and Greco-Roman wrestling, and swimming, Later this year, Officer Collins will represent controlled. In last month’s Officer Collins has gained a love for the country in the 2005 World Sumo article I spoke about the competition and challenge. It is this love Championships in Osaka, Japan. ongoing reorganization of that led him to the ancient martial art of In addition to competing, Officer Professional Standards sumo. Collins gives back to the Bureau, my discipline As a member of the philosophy, and the use of California Sumo Continued on page 6 disciplinary settlements. This Association, month, I want to talk about Officer being measured and controlled Collins is in our decision making, able to especially when dealing with issues of force. There are generally three reasons why a good officer would make a poor decision. The first is the misunderstanding of a policy, the second is inadequate training, and the third is the lack of, or misuse of, the proper tools. Learning from our mistakes allows us to Continued on page 2 VOLUME LI NO. 8 WWW.LAPDONLINE.ORG ® AUGUST 2005 Chief’s Message Continued from page 1 William J. Bratton continually modify our procedures, community leaders as the Department Chief of Police training and tactics to ensure that they seeks to innovate in this area. Assistant are always contemporary and to the Chief Sharon Papa is overseeing the Mary E. Grady best of our ability, reflect the “best efforts of the work group, which is being Public Information Director Commanding Officer practices.” coordinated by Captain Greg Meyer of Public Information Office Earlier this year I directed Training Training Division. Steven E. Reifel Division to conduct a comprehensive Speaking to the issue of training, the Managing Editor review of our Department’s policy, 2006 fiscal year budget, that began on Lori Blackwell training, equipment, tactics, and review July 1, has allowed us to order enough Copy Editor processes for use of force issues. firearm training simulators to have one Gustavo Cuadra Training Division was directed to find permanently available at each Editorial Support the “best practices” from around the geographic Area so officers can sharpen Cornel Panov world to ensure that the LAPD is their decision-making skills with realistic Photographer always among the leaders in law “shoot, don’t shoot” scenarios. Jim Ungari enforcement when dealing with use of Regarding equipping officers with the Design, Typeset, & Layout force issues. Our goal is to get the job best tools and equipment, we have done lawfully when taking violent made many changes and are looking at suspects into custody, while reducing making more. Already in place is the The monthly news publication serving the risks of death and injury to officers new Glock firearm, and soon to be in sworn and civilian employees, and those and suspects alike. practical use, the recently approved interested in the activities of the Los Angeles Police Department, is published In February, eight outside use of Stop Stick tire deflation device and by the Public Information Office , Public force experts from around the country Department flashlight. We are currently Communications Section, Public examined our Department’s use of Relations Unit. The Los Angeles Police looking at new taser technology and Department does not endorse or warrant force practices and policy. On March evaluating these less-lethal devices that any products, services or companies 9, thanks to a grant provided by the are now cheaper and small enough to fit mentioned within these pages. Los Angeles Police Foundation, the comfortably on an officer’s belt. Department hosted a one-day use of In reference to Consent Decree The BEAT deadline for force “best practices” workshop. The issues, we have entered the fifth year of material submission is the 4th of each month workshop brought the outside experts that process. As required, we have for the following together with subject matter experts been performing integrity audits or month’s publication. from Training Division, Metropolitan “stings” to monitor our progress in Division, and the Protective League certain key areas involving interaction Submit your materials to: Los Angeles Police Department along with members of the with the public. The good news is that Public Communications Section Department’s command staff, the City we are making a good deal of progress, 150 N. Los Angeles Street Attorney’s Office, the Inspector especially in the area regarding the Los Angeles, CA 90012 General, and others. In April, the intake of public complaints. During the Room 731 LAPD Use of Force “Best Practices” first quarter of 2003, our compliance Mail Stop 400 Strategic Planning Work Group was Phone (213) 485-3281 rate for the public complaint intake was Fax (213) 485-1220 created. This group consists of a at an unacceptable 43 percent. Based variety of officers of various ranks from on the results of the integrity audits This publication is available on line inside the Department, and will soon completed for the first three months of at www.LAPDOnline.org. Copyright © 2005 by Los Angeles Police Department include outside consultants and this year, the Department achieved a 2 Continued on page 6 VOLUME LI NO. 8 WWW.LAPDONLINE.ORG ® AUGUST 2005 Deputy Chief and Police Administrator Appointments RICHARD ROUPOLI PROMOTED TO RHONDA SIMS-LEWIS SELECTED AS DEPUTY CHIEF AS COMMANDING OFFICER, COMMANDING OFFICER, ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS-WEST BUREAU AND TECHNICAL SERVICES BUREAU ichard Roupoli, a honda Sims- 29-year veteran of Lewis, Assistant Rthe Department, RGeneral Manager promoted to the rank of of the City of Los Angeles Deputy Chief on July 3, Personnel Department, 2005, becoming the has been selected as the Commanding Officer of Commanding Officer of Operations-West Bureau. the Administrative and Born and raised in Los Technical Services Angeles, he joined the Bureau. As commanding Department in September officer, she will oversee a 1975 and has steadily wide variety of risen through the ranks as administrative and support an officer, detective, functions for the Deputy Chief sergeant, lieutenant, Police Administrator Department including Richard Roupoli captain, and commander. Rhonda Sims-Lewis Facilities Management Deputy Chief Roupoli has worked a variety of Division, Fiscal Operations Division, Property Division, assignments including Harbor Patrol Division, Harbor Motor Transport Division, Scientific Investigation Division, Operations Support Division, Internal Affairs Group, and Personnel Group. She will command more than 1,200 Organized Crime and Vice Division, Metropolitan Division, sworn and civilian employees. Sims-Lewis assumed her and Operations-South Bureau. In his last assignment as position on July 11, 2005. She replaces Laura Johnson commander before promoting to deputy chief, he was the who retired in July after 35 years with the City of Los Assistant Commanding Officer of Special Operations Angeles. Bureau, where he assisted in managing the Special No stranger to the Police Department, Sims-Lewis was Operations Support Division, Metropolitan Division, and formerly with Internal Affairs Division serving as the first Air Support Division. “Civilian Advocate,” conducting both sworn Board of Deputy Chief Roupoli holds a bachelor’s degree in Rights and civilian Civil Service hearings. She also served Criminal Justice from California State University, Los as the Assistant Commanding Officer of Fiscal Operations Angeles. He is a member of several professional and Division, responsible for coordinating and preparing the community organizations, and has served as the Secretary- Department’s annual budget. Treasurer for the Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit, an In addition to her work experience at the Police international law enforcement intelligence network. Department and the Personnel Department, Sims-Lewis As the Commanding Officer of Operations-West has worked for a variety of other City departments Bureau, Deputy Chief Roupoli will be responsible for police including the Community Development Department, the services for a 124-square mile territory with a population of Department of General Services, and the City approximately 840,400 residents. The bureau oversees Administrative Office. Hollywood, Wilshire, Pacific and West Los Angeles police She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a stations, as well as the West Traffic Division. J master’s degree in Business Administration, both from the University of California, Irvine. J # # # # 3 VOLUME LI NO. 8 WWW.LAPDONLINE.ORG ® AUGUST 2005 Mayor Announces Police Commission Appointments Appointees Will Need to be Approved by City Council ew Los Angeles Mayor League since August 1969.