Last week I had the opportunity to ride with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department out of Lost Hills. I was assigned to Deputy Rod Howard. Deputy Howard is a professional who impressed me with his efficiency and concern for the safety of fellow officers and citizens. We handled numerous calls during my eight-hour shift , including three Code-3s (lights and siren). I was amazed at how quickly we were able to cover distances to arrive at possible crime scenes. I was on the edge of my seat, and very impressed at by how dedicated the police are in putting their own lives in danger to save other lives.
Our first Code-3 involved the rescue of a young man at a local skate park who had a seizure. The second call involved a man weaving all over the road, who turned out not to be drunk but extremely tired. The third call was a possible break-in where young girls thought they heard someone upstairs. All three calls were responded to swiftly and with great care. On the “break-in” call, five back-up cars arrived promptly and the area was immediately locked down for investigation.
When not on emergency calls, Deputy Howard stopped different cars with people holding cell phones to their ears or not wearing seat belts. Additionally, random license plate checks were run to make sure there were no outstanding warrants and that vehicles had current registrations.
After my eight-hour ride with deputy Howard, I feel even more secure and confident for my safety and that of the community, and I am grateful to the great men and women in our local sheriff’s department who put themselves in jeopardy to insure our well-being every day.
William P. Raffin