Issue Date: 07/29/2011

Contact: Sgt. Belinda L. Nettles

LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS POLICE OFFICERS RECEIVE COMMENDATIONS AND MEDALS AT AWARDS CEREMONY

(Los Angeles, California – July 29, 2011)  Fourteen Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Police Division officers were recognized for courageous acts of heroism and bravery during the division’s second bi-annual awards ceremony held at the Flight Path Learning Center adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Los Angeles Airport Police Sergeants Ronald Hall and Ralph Valencia received Commendations for Dedication to Duty.  Officer Mark Corral received the Alfred E. Turner Humanitarian Service Medal, awarded for the first time by the division and presented by retired Airport Police Sergeant Alfred E. Turner.  Officers Rodolfo Bojorguez, Clayton Kadekawa, Alexis Chan, Danny Tung, Robert Fortenberry and Joshua Ulatowski received Lifesaving Medals for saving air travelers lives using automated external defibrillators located inside the passenger terminals.  Officers Burt Davis, Francis Smith, Shawn Smith and Sergeant Ernest Cruz received the Police Star for taking into custody a man who stated he was a terrorist with a bomb while holding a backpack in front of a terminal at LAX.  Detective Lauren Peaks received the Police Cross for saving the life of an attempted suicide jumper from a bridge near the airport entrance.

“It is a privilege to present commendations and pin medals on the men and women who go above and beyond the call of duty to meet the highest standards of Airport Police’s daily mission,” said Los Angeles World Airports Police Chief George R. Centeno.

Also attending the ceremony were Los Angeles City Councilman Bill Rosendahl of the 11th District that includes LAX; Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners President Michael Lawson and Commissioner Fernando Torres-Gil.  LAWA Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey; Airport Police Assistant Chiefs Brian Walker, Ethel McGuire and Michael Hyams.

Los Angeles Airport Police Division is the fourth largest law enforcement agency in Los Angeles County with more than 1,200 law enforcement, security and staff personnel.  Airport Police is a division of Los Angeles World Airports, the city department that owns and operates three airports: Los Angeles International (LAX), LA/Ontario International (ONT) and Van Nuys (VNY) general aviation.