Snow Trip 2009 view gallery of pictures by clicking here

     The Los Angeles Police Department SWAT Unit will be running from Baker to Vegas on March 14-15, 2009 with their tactical vest, boots and utilities.   They will be honoring fallen SWAT Officer Randal “Randy” Simmons and The Glory Kids.   All proceeds will be donated to The Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation.   If you would like to assist in helping to continue Randy’s passion, dream and legacy of supporting kids in under served communities please feel free to send donations to:The Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation21213-B Hawthorne Bl., #5422Torrance, Ca.  90503Credit Card donation may be made through Paypal at http://www.randalsimmons.org

Death of LAPD’s Randal Simmons one year ago left void in his community and home.By Larry Altman, Staff WriterPosted: 02/05/2009 11:06:07 PM PST

Lisa Simmons holds a photo of her husband, Randal, the first LAPD SWAT officer killed in the line of duty. Saturday is the anniversary of the death of the officer, who was known for his community service across the South Bay. (Scott Varley / Staff Photographer)

Sick with a cold, Lisa Simmons awakened sometime after midnight and saw that her husband was not lying next to her.

Figuring he was downstairs, she got up, went to the bathroom, returned to bed and turned on the television.”I had no idea he had left the house,” Lisa Simmons said.

A short time later, the phone rang. A Los Angeles police official told her to be ready to be picked up. Something had happened to her husband, Randal Simmons.

This surprised his wife.”I said, `He’s here. He’s downstairs,’ ” Simmons recalled during an interview this week at her Rancho Palos Verdes home. “I didn’t hear him leave.”

Her 51-year-old husband, a 20-year veteran of the special weapons team, had been shot during a gunbattle with a man who had killed his father and two brothers.

Saturday marks the anniversary of his death on Feb. 7, 2008.”I miss him. I miss him very much,” Lisa Simmons said. “Things just aren’t the same.”

Simmons’ husband of 17 1/2 years excelled at his job. Although his wife knew something could happen to him every time he went to work, she didn’t worry. He was too prepared. He was too meticulous. He was the leader.

So when LAPD officers drove her to a helicopter that had landed in Harbor City to take her to Northridge Hospital Medical Center, she figured her husband was alive, just seriously injured.

No one would tell her anything.

Death never crossed her mind, but as they flew across the city, she considered how the house could be remodeled to handle paralysis or some similar injury.”

I knew that something was wrong,” she said. “I asked one of the police officers, `I just need to know whether I need to call my pastor.’ He said, `Call your pastor.”‘

Simmons died about 12:30 a.m. in a gunbattle with 20-year-old Edwin Rivera, a troubled high school dropout angry over his mother’s death.

Rivera called police about three hours earlier, telling a 911 operator he had killed three family members. He taunted, “Come get me.”

Simmons was called to respond. He slipped out without telling his wife he was leaving.

That was unusual. He usually kissed her goodbye. She believes he might have done so that night, but didn’t want to awaken her because she was sick.

Simmons’ SWAT team entered Rivera’s house about 12:30 a.m. A gunbattle erupted. Bullets hit Simmons and fellow Officer James Veenstra. Veenstra survived, but was seriously hurt.

Rivera retreated, triggering an 11-hour standoff. When he emerged from the house, a police sniper killed him.

Inside, his brothers and father lay shot to death.

Lisa Simmons arrived at the hospital too late. Her husband was dead.”

I sell a lot of life insurance,” said Lisa Simmons, a Hawthorne insurance agent. “Never did I even think it would actually happen to me. He was to retire in two years.”

Simmons was the first SWAT officer to die in the line of duty in LAPD history.

Quickly hailed a hero, he became an icon as soon as his life’s interests and concerns for disadvantaged children became known to the world.”He was such a good man,” his 44-year-old wife said. “Everybody misses him.”

Even as he raised his own teenage son, Matthew, 16, and daughter, Gabrielle, 14, Simmons spent each weekend ministering to disadvantaged and troubled teens in Carson and Los Angeles.  Along with members of Glory Christian Fellowship International Church of Carson, he drove into housing projects to provide inspiration in the lives of many young people.

He also coached football in El Segundo, bringing in teens from other areas of Los Angeles to play.”That was his heart,” his wife said. “There are so many people out there who are in need.”

Hundreds of those children rode buses to his funeral, taking seats among more than 10,000 mourners, including Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief William Bratton.”

I was shocked. Randy was so low-key,” Lisa Simmons said. “For him to have that type of funeral was amazing.”

During the past year, well-wishers from all over the world framed dozens of Simmons’ photographs and presented plaques, commendations and other awards to his wife.

Some are displayed, but many remain stacked in a room waiting for a space on a wall or shelf.  There are flags flown over Baghdad, dolls and crystal, framed uniforms from his days as a Washington State football player, pictures of him speaking to children.

An El Segundo Eagles football uniform signed by his players as they rode the bus to his funeral adorns one wall.A blue angel wearing a police badge particularly touched Lisa Simmons.”When I received it, I could not stop crying,” she said. “He was an ordinary man who did extraordinary things.”

Working to continue her husband’s legacy, Lisa Simmons has established the Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation. The foundation’s primary goals are to “empower the community by providing support in the areas of economic development, education, health and wellness and global outreach.”

At Christmas, the foundation provided toys to 1,000 children at “The Great Toy Giveaway” at Glory Christian church.The organization has provided a scholarship to the Dorsey High School Law and Police Academy Program, recruited “Glory Kids” to participate in a police academy program, provided Easter baskets and held an Easter egg hunt at the Hacienda Village housing development in Watts, given away clothes and held a swim party for children.”

There are so many people out there who are in need,” Lisa Simmons said.

In December, the foundation held a fundraiser at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, where a cobblestone bridge was named for Simmons.

On Saturday, a Leimert Park restaurant owned by Simmons’ family will designate a portion of the proceeds to the foundation.

Lisa Simmons will spend the day in the restaurant, following a family gathering to tell stories and pray at her husband’s grave at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City.”

We want to encourage each other with the word of God,” she said.

She and her children, meanwhile, are continuing to cope with their loss. They’re “just now starting to find our new normal.” The teens, whom she called her priority, attend Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance.

One day, Lisa Simmons said, she will learn why her husband died so young.”

I just know there is a reason,” she said. “It will be revealed to me when I get to heaven.”

WANT TO GO?

What: Fundraiser for the Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation.

When: Noon to 9 p.m. Saturday

Where: New Orleans Vieux Carre restaurant at 4317 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles.

larry.altman@dailybreeze.com

Proceeds will go to the Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation.

February 7, 2009, marks the one year anniversary of LAPD SWAT Officer Randy Simmons death.  The Family of Officer Randal “Randy” Simmons is inviting the Los Angeles Community in celebrating his life and legacy at the Family’s Restaurant New Orleans Vieux Carre located at 4317 Degnan Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca.  90008 (Leimert Park Area).  Part of the proceeds for that day will be donated to The Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation created by his family and friends to continue supporting children in the inner city.

Randal D. Simmons became the first LAPD SWAT Police officer to be tragically killed in the line of duty.  He was only 51 years old.  His death shocked the city of Los Angeles.  H e was known as one of the best of the best because of his experience, tactical knowledge, his healthy and strong stature, but most of all because of his dedication and commitment to public service.  His life of service and good works spoke volumes to the world.

Over 10,000 people attended his memorial service.  Police officers from as far away as London and Canada traveled to Los Angeles to pay homage to their fellow comrade whom they revered. His funeral procession became a parade of sorts as the streets of Los Angeles were lined for miles with pedestrians and children, business owners and every uniformed city employee imaginable waved, saluted and held signs and banners thanking Randy as his led him to his final resting place.  His life had a profound impact on our community and was deeply loved by those in need. 

Randy was  a devoted husband and father, a dedicated police officer, a committed servant of the community, a minister, a mentor, a loyal friend and a faithful man of God.  He worked tirelessly to help improve the lives of others. He spent countless hours interacting with inner-city children and building trust and long-lasting relationships with their families.  The children often referred to him as their “godfather” or “uncle”.  Randy believed that if enough people volunteered just a little of their time to help the less fortunate and disadvantaged, we could stop the cycle of violence and poverty that plagues them and change their behavior, attitudes and outlook on life. His life will forever be a testament of that love, hope, commitment and faith.

Randy is no longer with us, but he will be remembered for many years to come because of the impact he had in our communities and the legacy he has left behind. In an effort to continue to fulfill Randy’s passion and dream of a better tomorrow for children throughout the world, The Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation has committed to continue to build on his legacy.  The primary goals of the foundation are to empower the community by providing support in the areas of Economic Development, Education, Health and Wellness and Global Outreach.

LAST UPDATE: 02-05-2009 00:01 written by Sentinel News service

 Thank you for all the love and support everyone showed at the Legacy of Love fundraiser.  Please click here to view the Legacy of Love gallery.

LOS ANGELES — A proposal to name a Reseda park after the first Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officer to die in the line of duty was approved Wednesday by a City Council committee.

Officer Randy Simmons died Feb. 7 during a standoff with a young man who killed his father and two brothers inside a Winnetka home. The 20-year-old was shot and killed by officers.

The Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee approved the recommendation to rename West Valley Park after Simmons and sent the proposal to the full council for approval.

Councilman Dennis Zine, an LAPD reserve officer, introduced the motion.

“Officer Simmons always loved children, he was a SWAT officer with a huge heart, and it is appropriate that a children’s play area in West Valley Park was just named in his honor,” Zine’s motion says.

“The selfless devotion to community which Officer Simmons maintained for many years is deserving of even greater recognition. It is appropriate that in addition to the children’s play area, the entire West Valley Park be also named in his memory.”

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Vote-Passed-for-Renaming-Park-After-Slain-SWAT-Officer.html

For Immediate Release

On Sunday, December 7, 2008 the Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation will launch the 1st Annual “Legacy of Love” Holiday Fundraiser and Celebration in honor of Randy. The will be held at The Trump National Golf Club in Ranch Palos Verdes, California. Proceeds from this event will benefit disadvantaged families during the holiday season, as well as, the Foundation to ensure its success in the upcoming year.

Officer Randal D. Simmons, affectionately known as Randy, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on February 7, 2008. was a devoted husband and father, a dedicated police officer, a committed servant of the community, a minister, a mentor, a loyal friend and a faithful man of God. He worked tirelessly to help improve the lives of others. He spent countless hours interacting with inner-city children and building trust and long-lasting relationships with their families. The children often referred to him as their godfather or uncle. Randy believed that if enough people volunteered just a little of their time to help the less fortunate and disadvantaged, we could stop the cycle of violence and poverty that plagued them and change their behavior, attitudes and outlook on life. His life will forever be a testimony of love, hope, commitment and faith.

Randy is no longer with us, but he will be remembered for many years to come because of the impact he had in our communities and the legacy he has left behind. In an effort to continue to fulfill Randy’s passion and dream of a better tomorrow for children throughout the world, the Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation was established. Our primary goals are to empower the community by providing support in the areas of Economic Development, Education, Health and Wellness and Global Outreach.

If you have any questions or would like to sponsor or attend this event, please contact Lisa Greene at (310) 462-8814 (events@randalsimmons.org) or Denise Beaudoin at (212) 654-8428 (cdbeaudoin@gmail.com). Deadline for sponsoring this event is November 1, 2008. www.randalsimmons.org

###

A park’s play area is named for the LAPD officer who was shot to death during a February raid in the area. It is hoped to rename the entire park after him.

By Jean-Paul Renaud, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
1:39 PM PDT, July 26, 2008

Several hundred police police officers, San Fernando Valley residents and dignitaries gathered this morning at West Valley Park in Reseda to rename the children’s play area in honor slain SWAT Officer Randal D. Simmons, who was killed in the line of duty and has been hailed as hero for his police work and community service.

Councilman Dennis Zine, who unveiled a plaque as the fallen officer’s wife and children looked on, is behind a movement to rename the entire park in honor of Simmons, who was shot to death during a SWAT raid in February at a Winnetka house.

“He loved kids, he always loved children, he was a SWAT guy with a huge heart,” Zine said. “This was a perfect connection.”

The plaque describes Simmons as a “leading light to his friends and family. He will be sorely missed by all.”

Besides his police work, Simmons volunteered on the streets of inner-city neighborhoods where he ministered to children on weekends as part of a church group he founded called Glory Kids Ministries, which steers children away from gangs and toward Christianity.

“It was just a way to show continuing respect for Randy and his unique part in helping kids,” Zine said. “That’s why the park was a perfect location.”

Zine said he will introduce a motion Tuesday at the Los Angeles City Council to rename the park.

jp.renaud@latimes.com

Watch the video by clicking the link below

abc7 News Video

Los Angeles, July 16 2008 - Memorial billboards posted in honor of LAPD Officer Randal Simmons will be installed this week around Southern California.

The 20 billboards for the slain officer thank the community for their many expressions of caring and support. “Our family wanted to find a visible way to express our sincere appreciation for the outpouring of love, support and prayers that we have received from everyone around the world. The cards, flowers and words of condolences are too numerous to count,” said Lisa Simmons, wife of Randal Simmons

The first billboard went up today in Los Angeles at Florence Avenue, just west of 5^th Avenue, on Clear Channel Outdoor location #2533.

“Partnering with the Los Angeles Police Protective League, we wanted to recognize Officer Simmons’ service to Los Angeles and to the nation with these billboards,” said Layne Lawson, Public Affairs Director for Clear Channel Outdoor. The posting of the billboards was donated by Clear Channel Outdoor.

Officer Simmons was shot and killed as he and other members of the Los Angeles SWAT Team made entry into a home on February 7, 2008. The team had been deployed to the home after a suspect inside called 911 and claimed to have murdered three family members. As the team entered, the suspect opened fire, striking Officer Simmons and a second officer. The suspect was later shot and killed by another member of the SWAT team as the standoff continued.

Officer Simmons had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 27 years. He is survived by his wife Lisa, two children, parents, and two sisters.

Her kind of comfort food

BY LEILONI DE GRUY, Staff Writer 19.JUN.08
By opening the restaurant that was his dream, the widow of slain officer Randal Simmons finds another way to carry on his legacy. The grand opening of Leimert Park’s newest restaurant, New Orleans Vieux Carré Creole Cuisine, was originally scheduled for early February. But those plans took a tragic turn when its co-owner, Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officer Randal “Randy” Simmons, was killed in the line of duty.

Now, more than four months later, the restaurant is preparing for its Saturday debut as Simmons’ wife, Lisa, revisits that fateful day, sharing how she picked up the pieces, raises two children and runs a business — all while trying to fulfill her husband’s legacy.

“One of the very first memories that I have of you is waking up in the middle of the night when I was about six or seven and seeing you kneeling at the foot of my bed praying over me. My very last memory of you was leading our family in prayer on the night that you passed away,” says Simmons, as she thinks back on their daughter Gabrielle’s words.

On that fateful night, Simmons and her daughter suffered from a terrible cold. A spiritual man, Randy gathered the family for prayer. Around 10 o’clock, Simmons says she headed to bed. “Then I woke up at 12 o’clock and I just jumped up, it was weird, I jumped up and I was patting the bed and I was feeling for him, thinking, ‘Where is he?’”

So often, she said, he would get up in the middle of the night to go downstairs and pray. It had not crossed her mind that he left to go on assignment, because she, a light sleeper, would wake him up when the call came in and in the event he received the call before her, he would wake her before he left and would leave by kissing her good-bye. That night was different, she hadn’t heard the call nor did she feel his sign of affection.

“There was no doubt in my mind that he was at home somewhere in the house but when the phone rang I thought it was him calling to say that he had to leave quickly for a call up.”

It wasn’t Randy, it was the Los Angeles Police Department. They informed her that he had been shot and that squad cars would be there shortly to pick her up. Still she did not know the extent of his injuries, Randy had been shot before in the leg and had his teeth knocked out after running into a fence while in pursuit of a criminal.

“I ran downstairs, I ran into every room in my house to see if someone was playing a joke and then I realized it was serious. No sooner than I went to change my clothes, they were knocking on my door … they told me we were going to fly there by helicopter over to Northridge Hospital and I felt that if it wasn’t that serious, I could have driven. … Still, I thought he might have been in surgery but then they told me that I should contact my pastor.”

When Lisa arrived at the hospital, several people, officers and family, were waiting for her. Entering the elevator, no one made eye contact nor did they make a sound, she recalled. Instead of heading up, where patient care is, they headed down to the basement, where the morgue is stationed. It was this moment, that she finally knew he was gone.

“I just lost it … I felt like my soul had been ripped out,” she said.

Following his death, Simmons reflected on signs leading up to the event. Eerily, she now believes that Randy subconsciously knew his time was coming to an end and that God was preparing her to deal with it.

Randy, according to Simmons, would always say that if he got shot in the head and passed as a result, he would be content because his relationship with God was so strong. “Ironically, that’s how he died, he was shot in the face … the bullet went through and severed his spine.”

On Feb. 7, Randy and his partner, James Veenstra, received a call from the station informing them that a man who they believed to be mentally ill shot three of his family members. Randy and his partner rushed in to the San Fernando Valley home, where they were both met with gunfire. Veenstra survived, though he underwent several cosmetic surgeries. Randy did not.

In over 27 years, no SWAT officer had been killed in the line of duty, until that day. “It could have happened to anybody, but it had to be him … I just remember Gabrielle saying ‘No, no, not my dad.’”

The day before Randy’s death, Simmons was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when an infomercial came on. One line kept playing in her mind, “time is a silent thief.” She was so rattled by it that she voiced her concerns to her mother and Randy.

“It was true, it was like he had been taken like a thief in the night,” she says of not hearing him leave their home that night.

Then, days later, Simmons walked into her room and noticed their son, Matthew, 16, sitting down with a letter and tears streaming from his face. The letter had been written by Randy prior to his death and in it were all the guidelines he would need to continue his football career, from plays to footwork.

As much as Simmons wanted to break down, she knew she had to be strong for their children; Randy’s main concern had always been their welfare.

So, she decided to pick up the pieces and move on with the support of the LAPD, people he has helped through outreach, her church, and children, otherwise, “I’d be up on the third floor [of a mental hospital] somewhere, talking to myself.”

Just weeks after the funeral, Simmons opened the doors to Vieux Carré. She says, “It’s what he would have wanted; he would have wanted me to keep going.”

Some of her first customers and still frequent customers are police officers and family friends.

On June 22, however, she plans to give the restaurant its proper introduction with a grand opening. Simmons says to expect authentic Creole dishes and live entertainment. The street where the restaurant is located, Degnan Boulevard, will be blocked off for the event from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

With roots in New Orleans, Simmons is one of several co-owners of the restaurant, the others include her sisters Sharon Sumlin and Melinda Harleaux and their husbands, Wilfred Sumlin and Dwayne Harleaux, the restaurant’s head chef and a New Orleans native. Her mother Veronica Hunter manages the restaurant while she, her sisters and Sumlin maintain other careers.

Randy, who was also a co-owner, may not be present for the grand opening, but Simmons plans to continue his legacy. Part of the proceeds will go to the Randal D. Simmons Outreach Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on quality of life, world outreach, education, and health and wellness.

“My husband was a very passionate man. … He would see an old lady with no shoes on and say ‘Lisa, pull up to that Payless real quick’ and I wouldn’t know what for, then he would run in and get some shoes and say I want to give that lady some shoes. That was just his heart.”

- Photo by Gary McCarthy

Click to View Full Size

Sheriff Baca Honors Fallen Officers
Thursday, 29 May 2008

Three names added to fallen sheriff’s memorial wall

Sheriff Lee Baca presided over the 39th Annual Los Angeles County Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony on Wednesday, May 28, to commemorate the lives of those peace officers who died in the line of duty while serving the residents of Los Angeles County.

Attending the memorial ceremony were numerous federal, state, and local dignitaries, in addition to family members, friends, and co-workers of the fallen officers. Held in the beautiful Memorial Park at the Sheriff’s Training Academy and Regional Services (STARS) Center in Whittier, the ceremony included musical performances by members of law enforcement and the release of white doves on behalf of the fallen officers.

Regrettably, the following memorial plaques were added to the Memorial Wall:

Deputy Raul V. Gama, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Major Crimes Bureau, died on May 1, 2007.
Officer Randal D. Simmons, Los Angeles Police Department, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, died on February 7, 2008.

In addition, historical research determined that the following peace officer, previously killed in the line of duty, was deserving of his place on the Memorial Wall:
Deputy City Marshal Perman C. Calderwood, Los Angeles City Municipal Court, died on December 22, 1930.

Bronze plaques with the names of all three officers now join the other 469 law enforcement officers whose names are inscribed on the Memorial Wall to honor their dedication to duty and the ultimate sacrifice they made.

As part of the ceremony, Sheriff Baca accepted a torch delivered by members of various law enforcement agencies following a three-day Memorial Torch Relay Run totaling 339 miles. The relay run commenced at the Sherman Block Sheriff’s Headquarters Building and traveled to each mainland Sheriff’s Station. The Memorial Flame at the Los Angeles County Peace Officers’ Memorial Wall was ignited in tribute to the fallen officers.

In concluding the memorial ceremony, the Sheriff added, “We recognize the heroism of those who have died, and we have gathered to reinforce our individual memories of those who have been lost and to show their families and friends that their deep sense of loss is shared.”

Motor4toys Charitable Foundation Presents:

The S.W.A.T. Support Charity Car Show and Memorial Drive.

The purpose of this event will be to Honor and Support Los Angeles Police Department S.W.A.T. Members:

Randal Simmons and James Veenstra and their families.

100% of the proceeds go to the Families!

Calling all cars: Exotics, Hot Rods, Muscle Cars, Tuners, Rat-Rods, Bikes, Imports, Race Cars….PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THIS EVENT!

To participate in the 13 mile Memorial Drive and the car show we are suggesting a $20.00 dollar donation. We will have a full L.A.P.D. Motorcade, Full L.A.P.D. support.

At the event:
S.W.A.T. Team
L.A.P.D. Helicopter and auctioning 2 Helicopter ride alongs
L.A.P.D. Amphibious Team with Boat
L.A.P.D. Canine Units
L.A.P.D. Equestrian Team

Sponsored by:
www.drivenworld.com
World Famous Village Coffee Roaster
YOUR NAME HERE, WE NEED SPONSORS

When: April 27th

Where: Pierce College- Enter on the Victory and Mason Entrance, then go to the donation/registration tables.

Time: 7am-1pm- If you are going to participate in the Memorial Drive, you MUST sign a waiver and please be fill your tanks. This will be a MEMORIAL DRIVE, YOU MUST OBSERVE ALL RULES OF THE ROAD! (Waiver will be available on the www.motor4toys.com site later this week.)

The Drive will be leaving at 8:30 am sharp with support from a FULL L.A.P.D. MOTORCADE!

For more information, updates and to chat about this event,
Please go to www.drivenworld.com
Register and click this link: http://drivenworld.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=182

By Dennis McCarthy, Columnist

Article Last Updated: 04/09/2008 11:24:43 PM PDT

Los Angeles’ big three sat under an arch of decorative balloons at Reseda High School on Wednesday morning reading numbers they couldn’t quite believe.

Had to be some kind of mistake, the mayor, police chief and school superintendent agreed. Nobody gets these kinds of numbers today.

A 100 percent graduation rate, with 97 percent of the 168 students standing in front of them headed for college.

Forget it. Can’t be done. Not in public schools where the dropout rate continues to rise.

Well, it is being done, and for the third year in a row at the Reseda High Police Academy Magnet.

“This is one of those programs you want to model and put in a bottle,” LAUSD Superintendent David Brewer III said as a dozen proud mothers stood off to the side, beaming at their children.

Their husbands would have been there, too, they said. But they had to work.

“Nothing in life is ever 100 percent, but you guys are 100 percent,” said LAPD Chief William Bratton. “You are this city’s success story.”

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa walked through rows of students, shaking their hands and calling them an inspiration.

“This city is proud of you,” the mayor said, wishing Roberta Weintraub - former LAUSD school board president, who was ill Wednesday - could be there to see what her idea of nurturing home-grown, future LAPD officers in magnet schools had produced.

A 100 percent high school graduation rate of boys and girls who think hard work, discipline and respect are something to strive for, not avoid.”My mother wanted to be a police officer when she was young, but she couldn’t,” said 17-year-old cadet Nicole Jovel. “She became a nurse instead. I’m going to be a police officer, an LAPD detective some day.”

None of these kids was pushed into this program. It wasn’t their parents’ or teachers’ idea, they say. It’s something they’ve wanted since they were students together at Mulholland Middle School - Reseda High’s feeder school, which has a police magnet program.

They say they’re proud being the kids on campus wearing a cadet uniform one day a week for drills, proud of having their own special academic and physical exercise curriculum to prepare them for a career in law enforcement, which about 75 percent of them achieve.

Sure, some of the other kids on campus give them a little lip sometimes when they walk by, but not many.

“Some kids are disrespectful, but the majority are respectful,” Nicole said. “All of us have friends who wish they had joined with us when they were younger, but now they’re too old as juniors and seniors.”

There are police academy magnet programs at five high schools in Los Angeles, including Monroe High in North Hills. More than half the students are girls.

“Girl power,” said Lisa Simmons, widow of LAPD SWAT Officer Randal Simmons, who was shot and killed in February during a standoff in Winnetka.

She made a special trip to the school to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the program and to meet these kids who wanted to follow in her husband’s footsteps in this city.

“Randy was the best of the best, and we expect you to be the best of the best,” she said to heavy applause. “Go out into our community and make us proud.”

That’s exactly what they plan to do, the kids say - when they get old enough. All of the graduating seniors are still too young to become police officers.

“You have to be at least 20<MD+,%30,%55,%70>1/<MD-,%0,%55,%70>2 to join the department, and most of us are only 17,” said Hector Lobos, a cadet sergeant. “I’m going to CSUN, and after I graduate I plan on becoming an LAPD officer.”

L.A.’s big three smiled. The numbers didn’t lie. Some things in life are 100 percent.

Dennis McCarthy’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. dennis.mccarthy@dailynews.com, 818-713-3749

March 25, 2008The Police Commission unanimously signed off Tuesday on a plan to name the LAPD’s new SWAT headquarters for Officer Randy Simmons, who last month became the department’s first SWAT officer to die in the line of duty.

The Metropolitan Division and SWAT are expected to move into the old Rampart Division station, located at 2710 W. Temple St., within the next six months.

The naming proposal must still be approved by the Los Angeles City Council.

Simmons, 51, was shot and killed Feb. 7 in a standoff with a young man who killed his father and two brothers inside a Winnetka home before he was shot by police.

There are currently no LAPD facilities named after individuals who were not chiefs of the department.

Anaheim Ducks to honor SWAT’s Simmons

From wire reports

Article Launched: 03/26/2008 06:51:57 AM PDT

Randall Simmons

ANAHEIM - The Anaheim Ducks will pay tribute to slain Los Angeles Police Department SWAT Officer Randal Simmons and his partner James Veenstra at tonight’s game at Honda Center against the Los Angeles Kings.

A moment of silence will be held for Simmons and a video presentation celebrating his life and service will be shown. Veenstra will drop the ceremonial first puck.

Several season ticket holders donated their tickets and Golden State Foods donated its suite so Simmons and Veenstra’s fellow officers could attend the sold-out game, according to Alex Gilchrist, the Ducks’ director of media & communications.

More than two dozen officers are expected to be in attendance to pay tribute to Simmons, the first SWAT officer to die in the line of duty, Gilchrist said.

Officer Rob Melchior, a SWAT member, helped organize the tribute.

“It is important for the public to know the sacrifices we make as police officers and Randy made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Melchior, a longtime Ducks fan. “Our whole team has been severely affected by this tragedy.”

Simmons, 51, was shot and killed Feb. 7 in a standoff with a young man who had killed his father and two brothers inside a Winnetka home. The man was killed by other officers.

Veenstra was struck in the face by a bullet.

“The men and women of law enforcement spend countless hours on the job each day to assure the safety of our communities,” said Tim Ryan, the Ducks’ executive vice president and chief operating officer and president and chief executive officer of Honda Cent

“It will be our pleasure to recognize specifically the efforts of officers Veenstra and Simmons this Wednesday night.”

The Police Commission unanimously approved a proposal yesterday to name the LAPD’s new SWAT headquarters for Simmons.

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The Los Angeles Police Foundation and TalkRadio 790
KABC announced today the establishment of the Officer Randal Simmons Memorial
Scholarship Fund in honor of the fallen SWAT officer.
The scholarships will be awarded to graduating seniors of the Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet School Program who are planning careers in law enforcement.    “The Los Angeles Police Foundation is pleased to have KABC as our partner,” said Karen Wagener, president of the Los Angeles Police Foundation.    “It is a privilege to honor the memory of Randy Simmons with scholarships that will enable young people to follow in his footsteps as police officers, serving our great community. We encourage your listeners to give generously.”

Donations made be made online at www.KABC.com. Checks may also be made payable to the Los Angeles Police Foundation and mailed to TalkRadio 790 KABC Community Relations, P.O. Box 790, Los Angeles, CA 90016.    Simmons died Feb. 7 during a standoff in Winnetka. He is the first LAPD SWAT officer to die in the line of duty.

Today, the staff of LAPD’s Southwest Division, presented Capt. James Craig, Commanding Officer, Southwest Area. (best man at Randy Simmons wedding) a special plaque honoring the memory of Randy Simmons and their friendship.

LAPD Centurions Retire #17 Randy Simmons Jersey - Click to view video

The LAPD Centurion Football Team Dedicates the 2008 Season, Our 30th Year of “playing football for kids”,to Fallen Alumni Officer III+I Randal Simmons:

As the LAPD Centurions prepare for their 30 th season of playing football for kids they morn the recent death of Centurion Alumni, Police Officer III+I Randal Simmons. Officer Simmons played for the Centurions for over 10 years in the 1980s and early 1990s. The Centurions are dedicating the 2008 season to Officer Simmons. The team will be wearing his number, “17”, on their helmets and striving to win the Championship title in his name.

SWAT Officers Running in memory of Randy Simmons

A group of about 30 SWAT officers from the Los Angeles Police Department were running as part of a memorial dedicated to Officer Randal Simmons, who died in the line of duty last month.

Some of the officers ran the race as a relay, carrying a torch that was handed off every three miles until it was finally passed to Simmons’ teenage son, Matthew, who carried the flame from mile 25 to the finish line.

“It was an honor and a privilege to run for my father,” Matthew said. “I’m sure he’s looking down and is pleased.”

View Video coverage

SWAT team passes the torch for fallen comrade

By Jill Painter Staff Writer _ Los Angeles Protective League

With about 30 LAPD SWAT members around him, Matt Simmons took a torch and ran the final mile of the Los Angeles Marathon.

Matt is a sprinter, not a distance runner, but he was pushed through the streets of downtown by cheers, inspirational messages like “keep your head up” and well wishes.

He ran the final leg of a relay celebrating his dad’s life with 30 men he calls uncles.

Matt is the 15-year-old son of LAPD officer Randal Simmons, who was shot and killed by a gunman in Winnetka last month.

Simmons’ colleagues honored him by lighting the torch at the start of the marathon and passing it between the hands of 30 members of the SWAT team, culminating with Matt.

“It meant a lot to honor him,” Matt said. “It was a privilege. I’m sure my father would’ve been very happy.”

Randall, 51, once did the L.A. Marathon by pushing a quadriplegic in a wheelchair all 26.2 miles. He didn’t like to run much, Matt said, but he did it to stay healthy.

Matt, a sophomore at Bishop Montgomery High in Torrance, spent the morning at a football combine at the HomeDepot Center before he anchored the marathon relay.

Randal’s wife, Lisa, and daughter, Gabrielle, were at the finish line. Afterward, Gabrielle held a framed shadow box with a picture of Simmons and a medal for completing the marathon.

“I know a lot of people cared,” Gabrielle said.

Members of the Simmons family, friends and relay runners wore white T-shirts which had a picture of him on the back.

Every mile, a new officer took the torch to honor Simmons. Simmons’ mother, Constance, called her son her “Gentle Giant,” a nickname she gave him after his death. His wife said he’s become an icon. To others, he was friend, mentor and LAPD partner.

SWAT team officer James Hart lit the torch and started the race in front of photographers at the start line. He was awed by the reception from people lining the streets and honking their horns.

“It was very emotional,” Hart said. “When we made our way downtown, the accolades were overwhelming. We appreciate the citizens and good people of this city.”

SWAT officer James Veenstra, who was shot in the jaw by the same gunman that killed Simmons, thanked everyone for cards, encouragement and prayers.

His wife, LAPD captain Michelle Veenstra, stood by his side as he made a statement.

“The healing process couldn’t happen without it,” Veenstra said. “I’ll try to send out thank yous, but I’ll probably miss some folks. To those who bolstered us up in a hard time, we appreciate it, and we’re indebted to them.”

The LAPD Centurion Football Team Dedicates the 2008 Season, Our 30th Year of “playing football for kids”,to Fallen Alumni Officer III+I Randal Simmons:

As the LAPD Centurions prepare for their 30 th season of playing football for kids they morn the recent death of Centurion Alumni, Police Officer III+I Randal Simmons. Officer Simmons played for the Centurions for over 10 years in the 1980s and early 1990s. The Centurions are dedicating the 2008 season to Officer Simmons. The team will be wearing his number, “17”, on their helmets and striving to win the Championship title in his name.

On February 23, 2008, at 2:00 PM, in Colton, California the Centurions went up against the Inland Empire Enforcers. The Enforcers donated $2500 to the Simmon’s family from the proceeds of the game. Please join us at the Centurions’ first home game on March 8, 2008, where the proceeds will also be donated to the Simmon’s family. There will be a special half-time to honor Randy and his family with a ceremony to retire his jersey.

LAPD Centurion Website

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–March 1, 2001

On your mark, get set, go! Those are the words that echo through the ears of thousands of runners who complete the Los Angeles Marathon annually. To them, feeling the thrill of competition and the exhilaration of running across the finish line is unparalleled. Johnny Garcia, age 15, thought he would never know the feeling of running across a finish line, because he was born with cerebral palsy, a disorder that affects muscle control, resulting in poor coordination and balance or abnormal movement patterns.

After 18 surgeries at Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital on Johnny’s feet, legs, back, and ankle, he is able to walk with a walker and take part in activities previously thought impossible. Now, on March 4th, Johnny will be able to pursue his dream of participating in the Los Angeles Marathon, with the help of his friends on the LAPD SWAT Team, who will push him in a wheelchair during the race.

“I’m excited to be able to participate in the Marathon,” exclaimed Johnny Garcia. “And with LAPD SWAT Team helping me, it’s really unbelievable. I like those guys and maybe someday I can be on the SWAT Team,” he said. Johnny’s mother, Carmen Garcia, added, “Orthopaedic Hospital and the therapy department have been very good to Johnny. Everyone at the Hospital really cares about the patients.”

Twenty-six SWAT Team officers will take turns pushing Johnny in a special lightweight, sports wheelchair as they run 26.2 miles in the world’s fourth largest marathon. This experience allows youngsters, like Johnny, to participate in an event of such magnitude.

“We are truly grateful to the LAPD SWAT Team for being such strong supporters of Orthopaedic Hospital, and for giving Johnny this once in a lifetime opportunity to complete the LA Marathon,” said Eloise Helwig, President of Los Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation. “SWAT’s ongoing support of the Hospital is greatly appreciated, and it truly brightens the lives of our children who get to meet these real life heroes,” she added.

Many Orthopaedic Hospital pediatric and adult patients have serious medical conditions that prohibit them from running or walking. Orthopaedic Hospital has been dedicated to treating underinsured children with crippling disorders, without regard to their family’s ability to pay. For many years, LAPD SWAT has been supportive of Orthopaedic Hospital’s efforts and gives hope and inspiration to hospitalized children. A variety of events, including an annual Holiday parade and toy drive, as well as the Los Angeles Marathon, have further strengthened the bond between the two organizations.

“Helping Johnny achieve his wish of completing a marathon is something that motivates all of us, and provides us with a perspective on life,” said Lt. Mike Albanese of the LAPD SWAT Team. “It’s the children who are treated at Orthopaedic Hospital who are our real heroes,” he added.

Since 1967, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Weapons And Tactics Team (SWAT) has provided a ready response to situations that were beyond the capabilities of normally equipped and trained Department personnel. Since its inception, LAPD SWAT Team members have effected the safe rescue of numerous hostages, arrested scores of violent suspects and earned hundreds of commendations and citations, including several Medals of Valor, the Department’s highest award for heroism in the line of duty. Today, the LAPD SWAT Team is known worldwide as one of the foremost police tactical units in contemporary law enforcement.

Located in the heart of Los Angeles, Orthopaedic Hospital is a recognized world leader in research, teaching and patient care in orthopaedic medicine, resulting in an improved quality of life for children and adults with crippling diseases. For over 88 years, Orthopaedic Hospital has been helping children afflicted with crippling conditions receive the finest care in the world and lead healthy, active lives without regard to the family’s ability to pay. The Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation supports the Hospital through a variety of fund-raising activities, including the annual Paul Runyan Golf Tournament, which provides monetary support for the Hospital to help countless children. For more information about Orthopaedic Hospital Foundation, please visit the website at www.orthohospital.org, or call (213) 742-1500.

Wounded LAPD officer thanks public for support

The Associated Press

Article Launched: 03/02/2008 01:47:26 PM PST

LOS ANGELES—A police officer who was wounded last month in a San Fernando Valley shootout that killed his colleague is offering thanks for the support he and his family have received.James Veenstra spoke Sunday after about 30 officers ran a torch relay in the Los Angeles Marathon in memory of Randal Simmons, the city’s first SWAT officer slain in the line of duty.

Veenstra is recovering after being shot in the jaw. He and the officers wore shirts with a picture of Simmons that read “Pass the Torch.”

Veenstra says he’s grateful for the outpouring of sympathy he received after being injured in the line of duty.

The 51-year-old says “The healing process wouldn’t have begun without it.”

Outpouring of respect, donations continues for Simmons, his family
Slain SWAT officer prized as Fairfax grad

Angelenos on Saturday honored slain Los Angeles Police Department Officer Randal Simmons, with high schoolers from his alma mater dedicating a baseball season to him while others washed cars to raise money for his family.Fairfax High School’s baseball team dedicated its 2008 season to the officer in a midmorning ceremony. Simmons, a SWAT team member who was killed during a shootout with an armed man in Winnetka last month, graduated from the school in 1974.

With a smile, Lisa Simmons accepted a glass plaque in her late husband’s honor, telling the assembled baseball players, fans and families about his fondness for the campus.

“This was my husband’s school. He loved Fairfax,” she said, clutching the plaque. “I know he’s looking down, smiling.”

The widow of the former cop, who doubled as a minister, said her husband would have told the kids to stay in school and stay off drugs.

“God wants you to have a good life,” she said. “That’s what you were designed for.”

She grinned and called out the school’s pregame battle cry: “Fairfax, you ready?”

The players responded: “You know!”

As they left the field to the sound of applause, Simmons’ 15-year-old son, Matthew, said his father had come back to visit Fairfax High School about a year ago.

“He said it’s beautiful now,” Matthew Simmons said. “He would be happy.”

At Reseda High School, about 80 kids in the Police Academy Magnet program braved
the cool, cloudy weather and hosed down hundreds of cars, collecting money that would go to help the family Simmons left behind.The magnet program puts students on track for careers in law enforcement. Several of the kids who were there washing and vacuuming cars - for $5 to $7 a pop - had attended Simmons’ funeral.

“I cried. It was a very gloomy day,” said Amanda Lillard, a 17-year-old senior. “When you hear that - someone risking their life to save another - you want to go. … His legacy will live on forever. He’s a hero.”

Simmons and his partner, Officer James Veenstra, were shot Feb. 7 during a gunbattle that ended an 11-hour standoff. It began after 20-year-old Edwin Garcia killed three family members and told police to “come get me.”

Simmons was the first LAPD Special Weapons and Tactics officer killed in the line of duty. Veenstra was seriously wounded but was released from the hospital to attend his partner’s funeral.

An LAPD sniper killed Garcia as he fled from his family’s house, which caught fire after police fired flash-bang grenades inside to smoke him out.

On Saturday, several other groups also put on fundraising events to benefit the officers. The San Fernando Valley Jaycees held a pizza benefit at California Pizza Kitchen.

Niko’s Pizzeria in San Pedro said it would donate 50 percent of the restaurant’s Saturday sales proceeds to Simmons’ widow and two children. Two weeks ago, owners of a Burger King near downtown Los Angeles raised $75,000 for the family.

And today, 30 LAPD officers will run in the Los Angeles Marathon in honor of Simmons.

“It’s comforting, having all the outpouring of love,” Lisa Simmons said. “We can’t mourn his death. We have to celebrate his 51 years of life.”

SWAT officers to run L.A. Marathon in tribute to Simmons
A team of 30 will conduct a torch relay during Sunday’s race to salute SWAT officer killed in Feb. 7 shootout.
March 1, 2008

A team of 30 SWAT officers will run a torch relay during Sunday’s Los Angeles Marathon in tribute to Randal Simmons, the SWAT officer killed Feb. 7 in a shootout in Winnetka.

Simmons’ 15-year-old son, Matt, will run the final 1.2 miles with the officers.

They hope to raise money to fund Matt’s education and that of his 12-year-old sister, Gabrielle, who will stand at the finish line with Simmons’ widow, Lisa.

“Every single road that we’re running on, Randy worked as a uniformed officer or he worked there as a SWAT officer,” Sgt. Charles Buttitta, Simmons’ supervisor, said Friday.

“So he provided protection for all the people that live on those roads, the businesses that operate on those roads. This is a way for us to honor that.”

Race organizers set a head start of 19 minutes 38 seconds for the elite women’s field. The first person across the finish line will earn a $100,000 bonus, with an additional $20,000 for the men’s and women’s divisions.

The rest of the field will start at 8:15 a.m. at Universal Studios, preceded by the wheelchair division start at 7:55. The bike tour will start at 5:45 at Figueroa Street, near the Coliseum.

Fundraising Dinner to Benefit LAPD SWAT Officers

Join the San Fernando Valley Jaycees at California Pizza Kitchen for a flavorsome fundraising event. On Saturday, March 1 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., proceeds from meals at California Pizza Kitchen at Topanga Plaza Mall - upon presentation of the coupon below - will benefit the families of LAPD SWAT Officers Randall Simmons and James Veenstra.

Officers Simmons was the first SWAT Officer killed in the line of duty, when he was with the SWAT team that responded to a hostage situation in the West Valley. Officer Veenstra was also shot and critically injured that day.

Saturday, March 1, 2008, 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
California Pizza Kitchen, Westfield Topanga Plaza, 6600 Topanga Cyn. Blvd., Canoga Park

Pizzeria To Hold Fundraiser For Family Of Slain SWAT Officer
Simmons, 51, Killed In Line Of Duty Earlier This Month
February 29, 2008

LOS ANGELES — A fundraiser was set to be held in San Pedro Saturday to benefit the family of slain SWAT Officer Randy Simmons, City News Service reported.Niko Tsouloufas, owner of Niko’s Pizzeria, 399 W. Sixth St., will donate 50 percent of the restaurant’s sales proceeds, collected from 10 a.m. to midnight, to the Los Angeles Police Department officer’s widow and two children.”Randy Simmons was truly an amazing person,” said city councilwoman Janice Hahn, who is scheduled to attend the event. “`He was an exemplary officer and a great husband and father. He was a member of our Harbor area community, but he touched lives all over the city. This fundraiser gives us the opportunity to thank his family for sharing him with us for all of these years.”

Two weeks ago the owners of a Burger King restaurant near downtown Los Angeles raised $75,000 for the family.Simmons, 51, became the first SWAT officer to die in the line of duty when he was killed in a Feb. 7 gun battle with a young man who killed his father and two brothers inside a Winnetka home before turning his sights on police. The 20-year-old man was shot and killed by officers.Copyright 2008 by KNBC.com and KNBC (NBC4 Los Angeles)