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To be awarded the Medal of Valor, an officer shall have performed an
act displaying extreme courage while consciously facing imminent peril.
It is awarded by the Police Commissioners and is presented by the Chief
of Police, in the name of the Los Angeles Police Department at the
annual Medal of Valor awards ceremony.
On June 1, 2008, during a busy Sunday evening, Officer Eric
Hammerschmitt and his partner were driving southbound on the San Diego
freeway. As they passed the Sherman Way exit, they saw a traffic
accident involving four cars. Knowing they needed to act quickly, the
officers activated their emergency lights to get through the traffic
which had come to a complete stop.
As they got closer, there was a loud explosion, and a large fireball engulfed one of the vehicles.
Inside were two people, a father and his fifteen year old daughter were
trapped inside of the burning car, injured and in a state of shock.
Several good Samaritans had pulled over and were using fire
extinguishers to try and put the fire out.
Without hesitation Officer Hammerschmitt took one of the fire
extinguishers, pointed the nozzle inside of the passenger compartment
and began to fight the fire. Officer Hammerschmitt faced the burning
inferno without any protective gear. At one point he tried to open the
car door with his bare hands. When that didn’t work, he used his
portable asp to break the window.
The inside of the car was filled with black smoke, and the driver was
on fire. The smoke was so thick the officers and the good Samaritans
were not able to see the driver’s daughter in the passenger’s seat.
Officer Hammerschmitt tried to pull the driver out of the car but the
seat belt was fastened. Officer Hammerschmitt and his partner yelled
to the man to unfasten his seat belt and climb out of the car. Officer
Hammerschmitt with the help of a Good Samaritan then pulled the driver
out of the car. The driver’s clothing was burning, and a woman used
her shawl to douse the flames. Once he was pulled out, the driver
pleaded to the rescuers to save his daughter who was still trapped
inside of the burning car.
Officer Hammerschmitt once again ran to the car. Using two fire
extinguishers the rescuers doused the fire with as much fire retardant
as possible, but unfortunately the daughter was fully engulfed in
fire. But that didn’t stop Officer Hammerschmitt. He tried to fight
the flames to get into the car to rescue her, but it was too late.
Officer Hammerschmitt had to be pulled away from the car in order to
avoid further unnecessary injury.
Despite the heroic efforts of Officer Hammerschmitt the daughter died
at the scene of the accident from burns to her body. Her father was
taken to a local hospital, but a day later he also died.
Officer Hammerschmitt is commended for his heroic actions, courage, and
for sacrificing his own safety in an effort to save a human life, the
most generous and courageous offering one can make. His selfless and
valiant actions embody the highest traditions of the Los Angeles Police
Department. For his outstanding efforts, the Medal for Valor is
rightfully awarded to:
Officer Eric Hammerschmitt
As Police Officers sworn to protect and serve, it is a common belief
that one is never really “off duty.” When emergencies arise and a
police officer is present, it serves as a call to action. It is this
unique circumstance which sets this profession apart from all others
and helped make heroes out of our next two Medal of Valor recipients.
In the late afternoon hours on December 22, 2007, Officer Steven Beumer
of Hollywood Division was on his way to work from his home in the San
Fernando Valley. While driving along the 118 freeway, he noticed a
sedan racing down the freeway at an increasing rate of speed. Just
then, without warning, a pick-up truck changed lanes directly into the
sedan’s path. Unable to react in time, the sedan struck the pick-up
truck causing it to hit a concrete overpass support, flip upside down
and burst into flames.
Officer Beumer, instinctively and without hesitation, pulled to the
side of the freeway directly across from where the sedan lay burning.
At the same time, Officer Alonso Menchaca of Mission Area Gang
Enforcement Detail was also on the freeway and had seen the accident.
He pulled over as well and both officers ran across the freeway to help
the trapped driver.
The sedan’s engine compartment was engulfed in flames; thick black
smoke was pouring from the engine and spreading into the passenger
compartment. Officer Beumer crouched down next to the rear window,
peered through the smoke and crushed car and saw a man, lying
unconscious between the front and rear compartments. Both officers
tried to get the driver to respond, but he didn’t.
The fire that had begun in the engine was now aggressively burning
inside, including the dashboard. The smell of burning oil, metal and
upholstery filled the air, making it tough for Officers Beumer and
Menchaca to breathe. With both car doors inoperable due to the
extensive damage from the accident, Officers Beumer and Menchaca began
to kick and knee the sedan’s window’s repeatedly with no success. The
driver was stuck inside the car, unconscious, and seriously injured.
Smoke was filling the compartment creating a caustic cloud that would
soon suffocate the unconscious driver unless something drastic was
done.
Officer Beumer began searching the ground for anything he could use to
shatter the vehicle’s window. By this time several good Samaritans had
stopped to help the officers free the trapped driver. Calls could be
heard for crowbars, fire extinguishers, hammers, anything that would
help the situation. Officer Beumer found a piece of metal from the
crash debris, and along with the others, began hitting a partially open
rear passenger window. Within seconds, the rear window shattered and
smoke and noxious fumes poured out from inside the car, forcing
everyone back.
Officer Beumer instinctively laid on the ground and without the
slightest concern for his own personal safety, crawled inside the rear
of the car, grabbed the unconscious driver and tried to pull him to
safety. Several other motorists joined Officer Beumer in the effort to
rescue the driver, but he was trapped between the front seats which
were mangled around him.
The fire was becoming much worse. The flames, heat and smoke forced
Officer Beumer, whose own clothing was now on fire, out of the car. By
this time, Officer Menchaca had found a fire extinguisher and was using
it to put out the flames in the engine compartment and on the
dashboard. Officer Beumer tried again to rescue driver who was now
semi-conscious and was screaming in pain because his hair, back and
legs were burning from the fire.
A second person found another fire extinguisher and sprayed the inside
of the car…slowing the flames that were burning the trapped driver.
Officer’s Beumer and Menchaca reached back inside the car and together
were finally able to pull him from the flames through the driver’s side
door. They, along with a California Highway Patrol Officer who had now
arrived on the scene, placed the driver out of harm’s way with not a
moment to spare. As Officers Beumer and Menchaca looked back, the
entire vehicle exploded in flames.
Both Officer’s Beumer and Menchaca’s actions were heroic and worthy of
commendation. Both officers placed their lives in danger, sacrificing
their own personal safety and wellbeing. CHP Officer JC Lesnet later
said had it not been for the actions of Officers Beumer and Menchaca,
the driver of the sedan would have died.
Officer Steven Beumer and Officer Alonso Menchaca are recognized for
their selfless courage and bravery. Their actions epitomize and
exemplify the highest traditions of heroism and maintain the standard
of excellence which is the Los Angeles Police Department. For this the
Medal for Valor is awarded to:
Officer Steven Beumer
Officer Alonso Menchaca
On February 6, 2008, patrol officers from West Valley Division
responded to an “open 911 line” radio call in Winnetka. When they
arrived to the home, the officers tried to contact the people inside.
They quickly realized they were dealing with a very dangerous
situation. One of the men inside had shot several of his family
members. Officers tried in vain, over and over again, to contact the
suspect to get him to peacefully resolve the situation.
Believing the suspect was armed; the Metropolitan Division Special
Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team were called and responded just before
midnight. Here is what they knew…additional information indicated
there were possibly six victims inside the house, some of whom were in
critical need of immediate medical aid and rescue. SWAT personnel
determined the situation required emergency deployment into the house
to rescue at least one downed victim who was critically injured, and
believed to be alive.
Fully aware of the extreme danger involved from their years of
experience confronting armed and violent suspects, Officer Randal
Simmons and Officer James Veenstra quickly and decisively formulated a
tactical rescue plan. They would use SWAT Officers to rescue the
victims inside the home while West Valley Officers maintained
containment of the residence.
The rescue team consisted of the following SWAT officers in the order they entered the house:
Officer David Keortge
Officer Thomas Chinappi
Officer James Veenstra
Officer German Hurtado
Officer Randal Simmons
Officer Floyd Curry
Officer Anthony Samuelson
Officer Michael Barker
Sergeant Charles Buttitta
Officer Stephen Scallon
Acting as a cover team, Officer Michael Odle and Officer George Ryan
created a distraction by breaking a front window of the home as the
SWAT team went it. The suspect then fired three shots through the
window. One of the rounds struck Officer Odle’s rifle causing
fragments of the bullet to strike him in the face.
Mindful that the team was being fired upon, the SWAT members continued into the house to perform a rescue.
As they went through the front door, Officer Veenstra, Officer Keortge,
Officer Chinappi, Officer Hurtado, Officer Curry, Officer Barker,
Officer Samuelson, Officer Odle, Officer Ryan, Sergeant Buttitta, and
Officer Scallon were met with an onslaught of gun fire from the
suspect. Officers Chinappi, Curry and Barker returned fire and forced
the suspect further into the residence.
As the suspect fired on the SWAT Team, Officer Simmons and Officer
Veenstra exposed themselves to immediate peril and were struck by the
suspect’s gunfire.
Engaged in a fierce gun battle and fighting for their lives, Officers
Curry, Keortge Barker and Chinappi drove the suspect even further into
the home providing cover so that Officer Samuelson and Officer Odle
could move Officer Simmons to the front of the house. Sgt. Buttitta
and Officer Scallon rescued Officer Veenstra from the living room and
carried him to the front yard.
Using a limited window of opportunity, West Valley Police Officer
Bonnie Lehigh entered the home and provided cover for her fellow
officers within the house.
Returning back into the home, Officer Odle and Sgt. Buttitta located
one of the victims, the suspect’s father who was lying wounded on the
bathroom floor. Unknown of his medical condition, they swiftly moved
him out of the bathroom and to the front door. As Officer Leigh
continued to provide cover and without any hesitation, Officer Mireles
from West Valley Division picked up the victim and moved him to
awaiting Fire Department emergency medical personnel.
The two critically injured officers were rushed to Northridge Medical
Center where Officer Veenstra needed extensive life saving surgery for
a gunshot wound to the face. Tragically, Officer Randal Simmons did
not survive his gunshot wound.
For several more hours, the violent gun battle between the officers and
the suspect continued. The suspect was eventually killed as officers
battled to end the threat to themselves, those in the home and the
neighborhood.
The sacrifice made by Officer Veenstra and the ultimate sacrifice made
by Officer Simmons clearly demonstrates their selfless devotion to duty.
Each of the officers that entered the home heroically and bravely put
themselves in harm’s way and faced a violent armed suspect who had
murdered three members of his own family.
In the ultimate act of professionalism to the people of the City of Los
Angeles, these 14 officers chose to rush into extreme danger to rescue
victims in desperate need of help.
Each Officer is recognized for their bravery, courage, teamwork, and
willingness to place themselves in harm’s way to protect those inside
the home, those in the neighborhood and their brothers and sisters in
law enforcement.
For gallantry and courage in action at the risk of their own lives,
these men and women went above and beyond the call of duty. These
officers have earned the gratitude and respect of every officer in the
Department and are given the Department’s highest honor. The Medal for
Valor is bestowed upon:
Officer David Keortge
Officer Thomas Chinappi
Officer German Hurtado
Officer Floyd Curry
Officer Anthony Samuelson
Officer Michael Barker
Sergeant Charles Buttitta
Officer Stephen Scallon
Officer Michael Odle
Officer George Ryan
Officer Mark Mireles - Most likely not attending the MOV ceremony)
Officer Bonnie Lehigh
Officer James Veenstra (RETIRED - Most likely not attending the MOV ceremony)
Officer Randal Simmons
At
around 11:20 p.m., a man walked into a Union 76 gas station located in
the LAPD’s West Los Angeles Area. The man was carrying a handgun,
confronted a male employee and demanded money. The suspect took the
money from the cash register and ordered the employee to open the
cashbox in the counter area. The clerk opened the cash box and the
suspect struck the clerk in the back of the head with his handgun. The
suspect took the money from the cashbox and ordered the employee to
open the safe. The clerk pointed to the sign on the wall, which
indicated that cashiers do not have the combination to the safe. The
suspect then grabbed a plastic bag from the counter and removed four
boxes of Swisher Sweet Blunts. He put them in the plastic bag. 
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