Officers and employees with the Los Alamitos Police Department were honored for their efforts on March 12, at the 32nd Annual City of Los Alamitos Police Appreciation Luncheon at the Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse.
Officers and employees with the Los Alamitos Police Department were honored for their efforts on March 12, at the 32nd Annual City of Los Alamitos Police Appreciation Luncheon at the Eagle’s Nest Clubhouse.
Daniel Brandt was recognized as this year’s Officer of the Year, while records specialist Lisa Scott was recognized as the Employee of the Year. Sergeant Chris Karrer and Corporal Paul Barbieri were given the Medal of Courage Award, while Corporal Stacy Smith was given the Medal of Merrit, for their efforts in the line of duty.
The annual event is organized by the Los Alamitos Area Chamber of Commerce with the help of local business sponsorship. The guest speaker was Chief Steven Sentman, with the Orange County Probation Department, who spoke of the collaboration between probation and local law enforcement. He also noted the collaboration between Los Alamitos Police and other area agencies, such as Seal Beach, Cypress and La Palma.
“I truly appreciate the opportunity to come here,” Sentman said.
The presentation was turned over to Los Alamitos Police Chief Todd Mattern, who introduced the award recipients. Corporal Stacy Smith has been with the Los Alamitos Police Department since 2012, after starting with Irvine in 2008. She is a former elementary school teacher.
On Oct. 29, 2013, Smith was dispatched to a call of a pregnant woman in labor at the Precious Life Shelter in Los Alamitos. Smith arrived at the shelter in 90 seconds, to find the baby’s head already crowning. She advised employees to gather blankets and within 90 seconds of arrival, Smith had helped deliver the baby and get him to begin breathing and crying.
“Stacy immediately took control of the situation,” Mattern said.
Smith would later add that when she listened to a voice recorder she carries with her to review contacts, she hadn’t remembered everything clearly.
“I heard myself telling the mother, ‘it’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok,’” Smith said. “I think I was just trying to convince myself that I was ok.”
In August of 2013, Officer Brandt was assigned as the Resource Officer at Los Alamitos High School. His efforts in having a positive impact on the lives of the students earned him the Officer of the Year Award.
Brandt is a graduate of Los Alamitos High, and prior to becoming an officer, worked with the city’s recreation department as a coach, youth camp director and after-school parks program supervisor.
“Dan brings a passion for our communities youth,” Mattern said.
As the officer assigned to the school, Brandt has the opportunity to help students while also offering an immediate first line of defense in the event of a threat. He is also a drug recognition expert, which allows him to identify students who may have a substance abuse problem and offer early intervention.
Records Specialist Scott is also a long time Los Alamitos resident, having grown up in the city since the age of two. She worked for Los Alamitos Police, beginning in 1987, as a dispatcher, before moving to West Cities Police Communications in 1997 and later with Long Beach Airport Police. But when the opportunity arose to return to Los Alamitos in 2012, Scott was eager to return and finish her career where it started.
Her experience was vital during the transition and retirement of two long time records specialists within the department.
“She was able to hit the ground running and her transition back to Los Al was seamless,” Mattern said.
Sergeant Karrer and Corporal Paul Barbieri were given the Medal of Courage for their role in apprehending a serial bank robber who had hit the same Los Alamitos bank four times. As a detective, Karrer had been a part of the investigation of the robberies, but the suspect had been elusive in leaving no indication as to his getaway plans, so there were no descriptions of any vehicle or accomplices, just some grainy security video.
“We really didn’t have much to go on,” Mattern said.
But Karrer had some ideas and when an April 15, 2013 call came in that the bank had again being robbed, reportedly by the same suspect, Karrer placed himself in a logical getaway path and spotted a person speeding toward the 605 freeway, who fit the description. When he pursued the vehicle, the suspect tried to speed away, but went over the embankment and got stuck in the ivy.
He fled on foot, with Karrer giving chase. Karrer tackled the suspect and began fighting with him. Barbieri arrived on backup and deployed his taser to subdue the suspect. He was arrested and recently found guilty and sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Karrer has been with Los Al Police since 2001 and among his duties, he is the supervising investigator for the Serious Traffic Accident Response (STAR) Team. He is also a member of the department’s technology team. Barbieri has been with Los Al PD since 2000 and has held assignments as Field Training Officer, Explorer Advisor, Bicycle Patrol, Mobile Command Post and STAR.