On June 27, 2013, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Captain Stephen Smith officially accepted the 2012 Peace Officer Standard and Training Award for Organizational Achievement. Being assigned the Commander of Parks Bureau, Captain Smith looked for ways to improve services and safety at all Los Angeles County Parks.
Based on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children statistics, 25 percent of all stranger abductions occur in a park or wooded area; and based on these statistics, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department implemented a new training program called RadKIDS (Resist Aggression Defensibly).
In addition to the RadKIDS Program, another countywide training program was implemented regarding the recognition of sexual predators. Approximately 1,650 parents, lifeguards, and Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation Staff have been trained in recognizing sexual predators. Two hundred deputy sheriffs and personnel assigned to Parks Bureau have also been trained on this subject.
The Commander of Parks Bureau, Captain Stephen M. Smith said, “Ensuring the public’s safety at all County Parks is our priority and utmost concern. These programs were a major undertaking financially and logistically, but I felt the safety of children made it essential that we provide this training.” The strength in these programs is based on the fact that it is a three strand cord that involving the public, the Parks and Recreation Department employees, and the Sheriff’s Department all working together to keep our kids safe.
For these reasons, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – Parks Bureau was selected by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training as the recipient of the 2012 POST Excellence in Training Award for Organizational Achievement. The Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) was established by the Legislature in 1959 to set minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Departments Parks Bureau is dedicated to providing a safe and drug free environment at all Los Angeles County Parks.
Providing Public Safety for Parks
www.Parks.lasd.org
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