HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - May 7, 2008 D-01aAGENDA ITEM 4bo'ldhw
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CITY OF LODI
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
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AGENDA TITLE: Police Citizen's Service Award Presentation
MEETING DATE: May 7,2008
PREPARED BY: David J. Main, Chief of Police
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Chief David Main will present Citizen's Service Awards to three
individuals, David Rivas, Ruth Ann Ruiz -Gomez, and Lucia Montour.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Citizen Service Medals will be awarded to citizens who
perform an exceptional service to the Department, its
employees, or to the community.
On April 23, 2007, officers were dispatched to a gas station on Cherokee Lane on a man with a
knife call. When they arrived, they found an intoxicated 41 year old male holding a 12" butcher
knife and yelling at people in the lot. They eventually used a taser to subdue him.
The subsequent investigation revealed the subject caused a disturbance inside the store earlier
in the evening. David Rivas and his wife were shopping in the store and heard the suspect
harassing the employees. Rivas argued with the suspect and eventually convinced him to
leave. The suspect returned a few minutes later holding a butcher knife. Rivas was inside the
store at the time. The suspect charged towards the store moving the knife up and down in a
stabbing motion. Rivas ran to the front door and held it shut as the suspect tried to force his way
into the store. The suspect struggled to open the door and yelled that he was going to kill the
people in the store.
Rivas quickly pushed the door open and forced the suspect back into the lot. He ran outside
and tried to distract him. He was trying to get the suspect away from the employees and his
wife. The suspect charged at him and told him he was going to kill him. The suspect chased
Rivas around the gas pumps while swinging the knife in a stabbing motion. Rivas slipped and
fell to the ground.
Ruth Ann Ruiz -Gomez saw Rivas on the ground and ran out to help him. She grabbed a floor
mat from outside the store and began hitting the suspect with it. Lucia Montour heard the yelling
and came to see what was happening. She ran over and took a squeegee and began hitting the
suspect with it to keep him from stabbing Rivas. Ruiz -Gomez tried to grab the suspect's knife
from him but he moved outside her reach. The suspect began chasing Rivas again but the
officers arrived and took the suspect into custody.
APPROVED:
Mair mg, City Manager
Police Citizen's Service Award Presentation
May 7,2008
Page Two
The Awards Committee is made up of five sworn officers and four support staff employees.
Individuals are nominated by their peers, supervisors, other employees, and the public. Sworn
officers, employees and volunteers are eligible for the awards. The awards committee conducts
investigation into each nomination. These investigations may include interviews with the
nominees, their co-workers, their supervisors, the public, and anyone else who might provide
information regarding the nomination. The awards committee votes by secret ballot and the
results are forwarded to an executive committee (two individuals who are not associated with the
committee) for final review.
Please note all other police awards were presented at a departmental luncheon held
February 27, 2008.
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A
FUNDING AVAILABLE: N/A