December 1, 2022
SFPOA
What would you possibly have to do to have a $1 million dollar felony warrant issued for your arrest?
Well, in this case the warrant was issued for 2 individuals, 1 male, 1 female, who beat a person within an inch of his life.
The male suspect caused major lacerations to the victim knocking him defenseless on the ground, at which time the female suspect continued the assault by kicking the victim in the head.
This tragic beating took place in the Mission and the two suspects were still at large until Officer Paloma Wheelock and Officer Yosel Segundo, with the help of Officer Rick Omran and Officer Eric Dyer, spotted them driving at 17th and Mission, the exact location where the assault took place. So they accommodated the 2 wanted subjects by placing both of them under arrest.
Meanwhile, the officers in the Southern District were just as busy after being dispatched to the area of San Bruno and Alameda in the early afternoon on a call of “shots fired”.
The following officers responded to the area Officer John Solomon, Officer Scott Butland, Officer Paloma Wheelock, Officer Brandon Disbrow, Officer Bianca Padilla, Officer Eric Ma, Officer Cassie Avila, Officer Robert Wheeler, Officer Rick Omran, and Officer Megan Monahan. The officers quickly located a witness who pointed out the suspect who had fired several rounds from his tent at a construction site while workers were nearby. He told the witness he fired his rifle because he was tired of all the noise the nearby construction workers were making . . .
The information provided assisted the officers who responded to the area where the suspect had taken cover allowing time for them to concentrate on the tent in question. The officers tried to establish a conversation with the suspect who, they soon discovered, spoke only Spanish. But Officer Paloma Wheelock was a Spanish interpreter so he took over contacting the suspect and was successful, soon having him comply with the directions he was given without further incident.
That’s about how far the suspect’s luck landed him because once the scene was processed the investigating officers found numerous rounds of ammunition, a .380 semi-automatic weapon that was fully loaded, and a bunch of narcotics he shouldn’t have had in his possession.
Oh, and the gun? The gun had been reported stolen out of Colorado. They actually put people in jail . . .
Sergeant Adam Plantinga was right on top of this one, submitting a Captain Commendation for all of the officers involved.
“The above-listed officers should be commended for their rapid response to an armed suspect and their ability to take him safely into custody using teamwork.
Well said! And Well Done!!
It’s two in the afternoon and numerous officers are responding to a residence on Madrid in the Ingleside where a woman was bleeding from a facial laceration caused, she alleged, by her ex-boyfriend. The suspect had also allegedly threatened her with a gun. This was a major undertaking to ensure the safety of all involved and the officers who participated in this marathon session did an outstanding job!!
They managed to locate the suspect, recover a fully-loaded, .380 semi automatic weapon and, most importantly, they all went home!
We later realized that the number of officers involved in this incident set a new record for the number of officers involved in any one caper so they deserve to be individually honored:
Congratulations to: Officer Michael Peralta, Officer Kenneth Camarra, Officer Jason Dungca, Officer Susie Der, Officer Jung Park, Officer Allen Zhao, Officer Arianna Daggett, Officer Thomas Mora, Officer Maria Peregrina, Officer Anthony Bautista, Officer Nathan Chew, Officer Luis Archilla, Officer Brian Carew, Officer Matt Seavey, Officer Robert Ramirez, Sergeant Michael Young, and Sergeant Wayman Young.
Tough to match the pursuit of several armed robbery suspects after they robbed one of the residents on Galewood Circle in The City. (We didn’t know where it was either…) But the victim was cleaning his car when the suspects drove up and pointed a gun at him and wanted his keys. The victim tried fighting back but eventually had no other option than to hand over what they wanted to save his life.
He did and then they took off. But that’s just the beginning. The suspects didn’t get away very far before units from TTF, Co B, and Co A swarmed the attendant freeway entrances closing the net of escape. It worked.
The officers closed in and caught up with the felons on the Bay Bridge but then the suspects took the exit ramp to Treasure Island at a high rate of speed and ditched the units in pursuit. The officers finally managed to locate them again and, after a brief foot chase, the two suspects (2 juveniles) were in custody with the gun they were using as a threat. And who were these outstanding officers who offered a textbook example in the art of pursuit?
Officer Edwin Lee, Officer Hans Gumpfer, Officer John Vidulich, Officer Paul Yamamoto, Officer Ismail Abu-Arafeh, Officer Ryan Gonzalez, Officer Paul Balza, Officer Jonathan Cairo, Officer Niko Ledesma, Officer Eric Lamb, Officer Stephen Riblett, Officer Kevin Endo, and Officer Victor Custodio.
Sergeant M. Connell also did an outstanding job submitting this arrest worthy of a Captain’s Commendation stating, “The officers should be commended for their outstanding work. From the swift initial response to the final foot pursuit and apprehension, they demonstrated outstanding communication, coordination, judgement, and diligence resulting in the arrest of both robbery suspects and the seizure of a firearm. This is particularly notable as the incident involved officers from four different District Stations who were able to coordinate their response seamlessly and effectively.”
Police officers in San Francisco may have to deal with each incident they come across on a different level. Some are easy but the majority are extremely demanding. They both take a toll — for instance . . .
Sergeant Horan of the Special Victim’s Unit issued a Missing Person Notification via Department mail. The notification read: ”Missing – Infant with wanted parents.”
The missing child was 7-months old and referred to as Baby Jane Doe.
Her parents were both wanted for violating a court order stemming from an open case with Child Protective Services. Baby Jane and her parents were last reported as homeless, living in a tent on Julian Alley in the Mission District. They had since disappeared without a trace.
A missing child notification strikes differently than that of a typical missing adult and there can be no doubt that officers across the City hoped they would be the one to find Baby Jane and bring her to safety.
City streets are an unforgiving place for the most hardened of adults. The increased risk for a defenseless infant requires no explanation.
20 days later Officer Andrew Clifford, Officer Joe Dal Porto, and Officer T. J. Anderson were on patrol in their sector car when they noticed a male asleep on the sidewalk with a baby stroller next to him at Polk and Eddy Streets. The officers remembered the missing person bulletin and recognized that the male sleeping on the sidewalk was none other than the parent of Baby Jane. The officers immediately checked the inside of the stroller and there was Baby Jane, awake and staring right back at them.
With careful attention to her well-being, the officers immediately requested a medical evaluation from Child Protective service (CPS) checking on her medical needs, if any, and Child Protective Service personnel were also able to arrange for immediate emergency foster care for her.
‘Baby Jane’ will never remember the circumstances she was in at the time or what the officers did or who they were but that’s what the job is all about. The officers will remember finding her and providing her with safe-keeping and that’s all that matters.
(Editor’s Note)
Acting Lieutenant Dan Kelly prepared an outstanding memorandum, one of the best ever received by Close Encounters in regards to this heartfelt story commending all of the officers involved. Time to eliminate the “acting”part of his title — he’s more than ready to go!
