Full Notification

Chief Roberta Abner of LASD inducted into Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics Richard LaMunyon Hall of Fame

Long Beach, CA – The Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics (LETR) has awarded the 2013 Richard LaMunyon LETR for Special Olympics Hall of Fame award to Chief Roberta Abner, of the LA County Sheriff's Department, at the annual international LETR Conference in Orlando, FL which was held November 7-9.

Chief Abner was inducted into the Richard LaMunyon Hall of Fame on November 9, 2013 at the Law Enforcement Torch Run International Conference held in Orlando, Florida.

For 16 years, Chief Abner has embraced the opportunity to support Special Olympics athletes. She has served on the Torch Run Council and was named Southern California Torch Run Director in 2003. Her induction into the Hall of Fame recognizes her sustained leadership and contribution to the Torch Run and Special Olympics at the local, national, and international level.

Chief Abner is one of the highest ranking women in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department of 9,000 + deputies. She has held various assignments in the department and currently oversees the Internal Investigations division. She is an avid runner and also has brought her family into the LETR movement by including them in volunteer opportunities and events, both fundraising and competition.

This international award, named for the founder of the LETR, is the most prestigious award given in the LETR community worldwide. The award recognizes outstanding individuals who have demonstrated a sustained and significant contribution to Special Olympics and the LETR at the local, national and international levels.

During the Hall of Fame Dinner at the conference, Roberta accepted the award and shared "this award was the direct result of the passion and enthusiasm of law enforcement officers throughout Southern California who support Special Olympic athletes. Our strong partnership with Special Olympics has enabled us to increase the amount of dollars raised to support the athletes and create awareness in the eyes of the public. I am proud to accept this award on behalf of all the law enforcement officers who give so much of themselves to change the lives of those in our communities with intellectual disabilities. They are truly making a difference."
She received a standing ovation from the nearly 1,000 attendees, including law enforcement and Special Olympics staff, who attended the event.

"SOSC's success with the Law Enforcement Torch Run can be directly attributed to Roberta's leadership. She has been an invaluable member of the Board of Directors' Executive Committee for the last several years and is held in high esteem by her colleagues. Thanks to Roberta's leadership, SOSC is recognized as one of LETR's premier programs in the nation."

About Special Olympics
Through work in sports, health, education and community building, Special Olympics addresses inactivity, injustice, intolerance and social isolation by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities which leads to a more inclusive society. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few hundred athletes to more than 4.2 million athletes in 170 countries—nearly 15,000 athletes alone here in Southern California. With the support of nearly 15,000 volunteers here in Southern California, Special Olympics is able to deliver 12 Olympic-type sports and more than 100 competitions throughout the year. Visit Special Olympics at sosc.org for more information.

About LETR
Celebrating its 32nd Anniversary in 2013, the Law Enforcement Torch Run® (LETR) for Special Olympics is the movement's largest grass-roots fundraiser and public awareness vehicle, encompassing a variety of events including Torch Runs, Polar Plunge® events and Tip a Cop™ fundraisers. More than 97,000 volunteers around the world, including more than 1,100 officers in Southern California, participate in LETR activities to champion acceptance and inclusion. Law enforcement officers work together on behalf of Special Olympics athletes to celebrate the human spirit, showcase the capabilities of people with disabilities, and to come together in a unified manner to make a positive impact on all people. The LETR is now present in all 50 U.S. states, 12 Canadian provinces and 46 nations around the world. Through law enforcement’s association with Special Olympics and its community and fundraising activities, the LETR raised more than US$46 million for Special Olympics Programs around the world in 2012, with nearly $1.5 million here in Southern California, and has raised more than US$461 million since its inception in 1981.

###
Public Information Officer Nicole Nishida
(323) 810-1973
@lasdnicole
Sheriff's Headquarters Bureau - Newsroom
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department
323-267-4800
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.lasd.org

Follow us at:
Text and Emails, LASD HQ: http://www.Nixle.com
http://nixle.com/lasd----hq-newsroom-shb-los-angeles-county-sheriff/
Twitter: @LASDHQ http://twitter.com/LASDHQ
Twitter: @LASDtalk https://twitter.com/LASDTalk
Twitter: @LASDvideos https://twitter.com/LASDvideos
Twitter: @LASDespanol https://twitter.com/LASDespanol
Facebook LASD HQ: http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment
Instagram LASD Photos: http://instagram.com/LASDHQ
Pinterest LASD Photos : http://pinterest.com/lacountysheriff/
YouTube LASD Videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/LACountySheriff/videos?view=0
Alert LA County: Telephone emergency mass notification system http://www.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/alertla
SNAP LA County: Specific Needs Disaster Voluntary Registry http://snap.lacounty.gov/
Text & Email, Register for LASD Nixle messages: To receive more detailed, up-to-date information via E-MAIL and/or TEXT directly from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), sign up for "Nixle" alerts at http://www.Nixle.com and register for "LASD – Headquarters Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff" AND your local LASD station area. Or, to receive URGENT TEXT ALERTS ONLY, text your zip code to 888777. Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on your calling plan.
LA Crime Stoppers: Partner to prevent or report crime by contacting your local Sheriff’s station. Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org
Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff