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Speaker – Capt. Craig Heredia of the LAPD
PP and PE Steve Day introduced our speaker, who is the current Captain of the West L.A. Division of the LAPD.
The Captain started his career with the LAPD in 1995 and has seen duty in juvenile narcotics, street tasks forces, ATF task force, homicide, watch commander, gang impact team, and more. In 2022 he was promoted to Captain. In July, the Captain will have 20 years on the job. He admits he has wanted to be a police officer since he was 5 years old and admired the uniform his uncle wore as a police officer. It left a lasting impression on him. At age 16 he became a police explorer in Westchester. At age 18 he became a police intern. At 21 he decided to pursue law enforcement after high school. Craig met his wife 24 years ago and has been financially buried married ever since. The Heredia family has three kids, ages 21, 18 and 15.
The Captain has been in the West L.A. division since January 2022. “I have been working in this area, (and) I have never felt so appreciated in my entire life.” The Captain went on to explain some of the restrictions that handcuff (a metaphor) his officers.
He first cited Proposition 47, from 2014 – Safe School and Neighborhood Initiative which included downgrading certain crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. Bad guys know that they can steal things if the amount is worth under $950/day, and they will never be charged with a felony. This proposition also lowers the threshold for narcotic-related crimes. Prop 57 – did some of the same changes. AB109 – Prison Realignment – California state prisons are full and over-crowded. The state moved some of them to county jails. County jails are now completely full of hardened criminals. These are community initiatives and voter related. The Captain told us “Be mindful of who you vote for and what you are voting for.”
The homeless problem is not only a law enforcement problem; it effects all parts of society. “Everybody needs to do their part for public safety.” He encourages all of us to understand we have a role to play in developing children to live the right kind of moral life. He and his wife look upon their job as parents as “not raising children so much as raising future adults.” Community care is coming together when everyone does their part to make this world a better place including parents.
Phil Gabriel talked about sketching a serial number on your catalytic converters, do not leave phones and purses and computers in your car on a seat and strongly suggested taking a class offered by the LAPD that shows you what they do.
The contact information for Senior Lead Officer James Allen [email protected] (213) 952-8396 or (310) 477-0741 (I have two mobile numbers). Officer Allen is our community liaison to the West L.A. division. Captain Heredia’s contact information is (213) 278-7377 (cell) or email at [email protected]
Shout out to PP Peter More for leading the pledge, PP Michael Newman for his Thought of the Day recognizing First responders and police officers and, PP Ed Gauld for reminding us why there will never be a WVRC choir!!
Guests included Mr. Roy George, commissioner with the San Bernardino County Human Resources commission.
Special thank you to Teya McCockran for all she has done to help WVRC this year and, to PP Marsha Hunt for going to Ukraine, delivering 50 prosthetic hands for us in hospitals and working with Rotaries around the world to help others. We are very proud of PP Marsha and all the great work she is doing.
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