Ten Redondo responders honored at South Bay Medal of Valor Awards
Ten of Redondo Beach’s first responders, nine from the Redondo Beach Police Department and one from the Fire Department’s Harbor Patrol, were honored on Thursday at the 43rd Annual South Bay Medal of Valor Awards Luncheon, held at the Torrance Marriott.
Harbor Patrol Officer David Poirier was awarded his second Medal of Valor award in two years for his efforts rescuing three people who were swept into the ocean from the Redondo Breakwall last February.
The incident occurred late on Feb. 27, 2016. Poirier, a rescue swimmer, pulled two people out of the water amid crashing waves, rescued a third who had made his way to the rocks, and helped bring the fourth, pronounced dead at the scene, onto a Harbor Patrol rescue boat.
“The fact that [Poirier] has received this award for the second year in a row speaks highly to his value to the community and to the Harbor Patrol,” said RBFD Chief Robert Metzger. “This award is all about honoring someone who has distinguished themselves sin extraordinary circumstances, and that’s what Dave is all about. We’re extremely proud of him, and the community is well-served by individuals like him who are equally committed.”
Redondo Beach Police Department’s nine honorees were led by a Medal of Valor Award for Officer Patrick Shrum, and include six Distinguished Service Awards and two Lifesaving Awards.
Shrum was awarded the Medal of Valor for a showdown at a domestic violence incident on Feb. 5, 2017. Two calls were made to police that evening, one from children at the residence and the second from the suspect’s wife, who warned dispatchers that her husband had armed himself with a handgun.
Shrum was the first officer on the scene that night, and he had an uncomfortable feeling going into the incident.
“I had a bizarre feeling — when the hair on the back of your neck sticks up,” Shrum said. “Not only did I have to protect myself, but I had a ride-along with me at the time, so I was fearing for his safety too, and protecting him.”
Shrum chose to deploy his rifle for the incident and, as he said, it worked out.
The suspect pulled a handgun from his pocket and began raising it toward Shrum. Shrum fired, hitting the suspect in the hand and disarming him, then took cover while assisting officers arrived to take the suspect into custody.
“It was definitely a tragic incident, but I was just doing my job,” Shrum said.
Officers Salvador Garcia, Ryan Harrison, Brian Weiss, Derek There and then-Lt. Joe Hoffman were honored for a harrowing arrest of a wanted felon who had recently assaulted two Redondo Beach investigators.
The five officer team, members of the departments Directed Enforcement Unit, acted on a tip to arrest the suspect at a Lawndale-area motel on Aug. 2. Upon seeing the officers setting up for the arrest, the suspect jumped into an SUV and attempted to escape by ramming the officers’ vehicles. Hoffman was injured when his vehicle blocked the suspect’s attempted escape. The suspect was stopped by a gunshot to the chest from the arresting officers, which enabled officers to arrest him and take him into custody.
Sgt. Jackson was honored for his arrest of a woman who was causing a disturbance at the South Bay Galleria on July 13. As Jackson escorted the suspect down the escalator and out of the mall, the woman pulled out a folding knife and swung at him multiple times, scratching his neck. He was able to take the woman to the ground and subdue her, only then realizing she had a knife in her hand. She was then taken into custody when backup officers arrived.
Officers Jarrod Evelo and Timothy McFarland were given the Lifesaving Award for an Aug. 28 response to a cyclist having a heart attack at the intersection of Diamond Street and Catalina Avenue.
The two officers administered CPR on the man, who was not breathing and didn’t have a pulse upon their arrival, until paramedics arrived to transport the man to Harbor General Hospital, where he made a full recovery. The patient, a military veteran, has stayed in contact with the two officers since the incident, according to police.
RBPD Chief Keith Kauffman wore a proud smile after the ceremony had ended. It was, he noted, the first time an RBPD officer had been awarded a Medal of Valor since 2006. It was also the most honorees Redondo has ever had in one year.
“The best part of my job is being able to do this and be with the officers recognized for their heroic actions,” Kauffman said. “It’s a testament to what they do every day, and it’s phenomenal to see our city leaders who came out today.”
