[*A portion of this meeting is without audio* 1. CALL TO ORDER] [00:00:27] PRESENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CROSBY IS ABSENT. COUNCIL MEMBER CARDER. PRESENT. MAYOR PRO TEM DAVIS. PRESENT. AND MAYOR HEPBURN. PRESENT. [3. Badge Pinning Ceremony for Newly Hired Police Officers] MAYOR. YES. OH, THAT WOULD HELP. I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE FIRST. CHIEF PAZ, CAPTAIN FLORES. ALL THE STAFF THAT'S HERE, ALL THE POLICE OFFICERS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS. IT'S JUST WONDERFUL THAT WE CAN ALL BE HERE. AND IT'S JUST WONDERFUL THAT WE'RE CELEBRATING FOUR OFFICERS THAT ARE COMING TO THIS WONDERFUL POLICE DEPARTMENT IN LA VERNE. OUR RESIDENTS ARE BLESSED TO HAVE SUCH A GREAT POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SUCH GREAT STAFF, AND THESE FOUR NEW MEMBERS ARE GOING TO MAKE IT EVEN BETTER. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. SO WITH NO FURTHER ADO, JULLIAN SILVA. IF YOU COULD COME UP, PLEASE. HOW ARE YOU? WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIO ON MR. SILVA HERE. JULLIAN WAS BORN AND THANK YOU, BY THE WAY, J.R., FOR MAKING THIS FONT A LITTLE BIGGER SO I CAN READ IT WITHOUT MY GLASSES. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT I CAN'T READ WITH THESE MASKS ON WITH UPSTEAM. JULLIAN WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA, AND IS THE OLDEST OF TWO CHILDREN. IN 2012, HE GRADUATED FROM CAJON HIGH SCHOOL WITH HIGH HONORS AND WENT ON TO ENLIST IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS. IN THE SUMMER OF 2012. HE BEGAN HIS SERVICE AS A COMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIAN WITH THE MARINES. OVER THE NEXT SIX YEARS HE ROSE TO THE RANK OF CORPORAL WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ATTENDING COLLEGE CLASSES AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY OF SAN BERNARDINO. IN 2018, HE GRADUATED WITH HIS BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE. SHORTLY AFTER OBTAINING HIS DEGREE, HE CHOSE TO SEPARATE FROM THE MARINE CORPS AND BEGAN WORKING FOR THE CITY OF COLTON STREETS DEPARTMENT. DURING HIS TIME WITH THE CITY OF COLTON, HE SUPERVISED THE WORK RELEASE PROGRAM, SUPERVISING OUT OF CUSTODY INMATES. IN FEBRUARY OF 2020, HE ACCEPT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE A CAREER AS A POLICE OFFICER WITH THE CITY OF LA VERNE. HE ATTENDED RIO HONDO POLICE ACADEMY, WHERE WAS FACED WITH MANY CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC. HE GRADUATED AS PRESIDENT OF RIO HONDO POLICE ACADEMY CLASS OF 2010. IN NOVEMBER OF CLASS 210 OF NOVEMBER OF CLASS OF 2020, HIS MOTHER WILL BE PINNING HIS BADGE. [APPLAUSE] PLEASE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS? SURE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY. I'VE BEEN WITH LA VERNE AS AN OFFICER FOR A YEAR NOW AND IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND I HOPE TO ENJOY A LONG, PROSPEROUS CAREER HERE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOUR FAMILY? ACCOMPANIED HERE TODAY BY MY MOM, MARTY, MY BROTHER CHRISTIAN AND MY GRANDMA, DARLENE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] EDUARDO BURGOS, PLEASE COME ON UP. SCHOOL AND PLAYED BOTH FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL. HE WAS A POLICE EXPLORER WITH THE ONTARIO POLICE DEPARTMENT. [00:05:01] EDUARDO'S DREAM OF WORKING AS A SWORN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER BECAME A REALITY ON AUGUST 22ND, 2019, WHEN HE BEGAN HIS CAREER WITH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. AFTER WORKING AS A CUSTODY DEPUTY FOR TWO YEARS, HE WAS HIRED TO WORK AS A POLICE OFFICER TO SERVE AND PROTECT THE COMMUNITY OF LA VERNE. EDUARDO'S HAPPY AND EXCITED TO BE WORKING WITH THE CITY OF LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND IS THANKFUL TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED HIM THROUGHOUT THE JOURNEY, AS WELL AS THE CITY OF LA VERNE FOR GIVING HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND PROTECT HIS RESIDENTS. EDUARDO IS A FATHER OF TWO CHILDREN. ON HIS OFF TIME, HE ENJOYS SPENDING TIME WITH HIS FAMILY AND COACHING HIS SON'S FOOTBALL TEAM. HIS FIANCÉ WILL BE PINNING HIS BADGE. [APPLAUSE] YEAH, THANKS, DAD. AND INTRODUCE YOUR FAMILY. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND BEING HERE WITH ALL OF US ON THIS SPECIAL OCCASION. I COULDN'T BE ANY HAPPIER TO BE SERVING THE COMMUNITY HERE IN LA VERNE. VERY EXCITED. THIS IS FOR ME, ONE OF THE BIGGEST DREAMS. I'M ACCOMPANIED BY MY MOTHER, MARIA, MY MOTHER IN LAW, MARY, MY FIANCÉ, GISELLE MY LITTLE BOY, JONATHAN, THAT YOU GUYS ALL HEARD. MY SISTER, CINDY AND MY OTHER SON, BRANDON. THANK YOU ALL. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DANIEL SALAMANCA WAS BORN IN WHITTIER IN 1993. HE ATTENDED SCHOOL IN THE CLAREMONT SCHOOL DISTRICT FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN DANIEL WAS IN SIXTH GRADE, TWO POLICE OFFICERS SPOKE DURING CAREER DAY AND THAT WAS THE DAY HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO BE A POLICE OFFICER. AFTER GRADUATING FROM CLAREMONT HIGH SCHOOL, HE ATTENDED MOUNT SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE, WHERE HE COMPLETED THE ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. DANIEL GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN COMMUNICATION IN 2020. HE HAS HAD A HIGH REGARD FOR THE CITY OF LA VERNE SINCE VISITING WITH HIS SISTER BACK IN 2004, WHEN SHE ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE. DANIEL RECOGNIZED THAT THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE HIS CAREER GOALS OF BECOMING A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER WHEN HE HEARD THAT THE CITY OF LA VERNE WAS HIRING FOR A POLICE OFFICER. HE WAS HIRED BY THE LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 2021 AND ATTENDED RIO HONDO POLICE ACADEMY GRADUATED ON AUGUST 11, 2021, JUST RECENTLY. CONGRATULATIONS. DANIEL LOOKS FORWARD TO HAVING A LONG CAREER WITH THE LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TO HONORABLY SERVE AND REPRESENT THE CITY. HIS SISTER WILL BE PINNING HIS BADGE. [APPLAUSE] OVER OH, THIS IS NORMAL STUFF GO AHEAD, GET IN THE PICTURE, PLEASE? YOU CAN TAKE YOUR MASK OFF TOO. TAKE YOUR MASK OFF. THERE YOU GO. GO AHEAD. [APPLAUSE] GOOD EVENING, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS EVENT, I'D LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL, THE MAYOR AND THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND, OF COURSE, THE RESIDENTS OF LA VERNE. THIS HAS BEEN A DREAM MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I'M JUST HOPEFUL AND I'M GOING TO TRY MY HARDEST TO MAKE THE CITY PROUD AND DEDICATE MY LIFE TO BEING A GOOD POLICE OFFICER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M ACCOMPANIED BY MY MOTHER, MY FATHER AND MY BROTHER TODAY. [00:10:01] THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] ALLISON GELLER. ALLISON WAS BORN IN WEST COVINA IN 1996. SHE GREW UP IN SAN DIMAS AND SPENT MOST OF HER GRADE SCHOOL YEARS IN LA VERNE. AT THE AGE OF SEVEN ALLISON WAS BLESSED TO BE ADOPTED INTO A FAMILY THAT CARED ABOUT GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH THEIR COMPASSION AND LOVE FOR OTHERS IT SHOWED HER THE TRUE MEANING OF HELPING PEOPLE AND GIVING BACK TO OTHERS. EVERY STEP SHE HAS TAKEN IN HER LIFE HAS LED HER TO BECOMING A POLICE OFFICER THROUGH WORK EXPERIENCE, LIFE EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION. ALLISON GRADUATED FROM CAL STATE L.A. WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND A MINOR IN BIOLOGY. ALLISON'S HAD MULTIPLE JOBS IN HER LIFE, ALL OF WHICH INVOLVE CUSTOMER SERVICE. SHE BEGAN HER CAREER IN THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AT LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT TWO YEARS AGO AS A POLICE CADET AS SHE FINISHED UP WITH COLLEGE IN 2020 THERE WAS NO BETTER TIME TO APPLY FOR THE POLICE OFFICER POSITION WITH LA VERNE. ALLISON FEELS FORTUNATE AND VERY EXCITED TO BE OFFICIALLY STARTING HER CAREER AS A POLICE OFFICER WITH THE LA VERNE POLICE DEPARTMENT. HER MOTHER WILL BE PINNING HER BADGE. [APPLAUSE] PAZ CHIEF PAZ. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL FOUR OFFICERS. THESE GUYS ARE A GREAT BUNCH OF GUYS. THEY'RE MOTIVATED, THEY'RE OUT THERE EVERY DAY LOOKING OUT FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LA VERNE. AND I APPRECIATE THAT VERY MUCH AND I KNOW THE COMMUNITY DOES AS WELL. BUT ALI AND JULLIAN, WHEN THEY STARTED THE ACADEMY, THIS IS WHEN COVID STARTED. WHAT IS A SIX MONTH ACADEMY TOOK YOU GUYS WHAT LIKE ALMOST A YEAR TO COMPLETE. [LAUGHTER] BECAUSE THEY KEPT PUTTING THEM ON QUARANTINE. SOMEBODY IN THE CLASS WOULD GET COVID OR, YOU KNOW, A NEW LAW WOULD COME UP AND THEY COULDN'T GO TO CLASS. SO THEY KEPT EXTENDING AND EXTENDING AND EXTENDING. AND THAT'S A LONG SIX MONTH ACADEMY TURNED OUT ALMOST A YEAR, BUT THEY GOT THROUGH IT. I WANT ALI TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER LIFE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING ONE. SHE IS THE EXAMPLE OF SOMEBODY WHO EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, SHE HAD A ROUGH START. THROUGH HER MOTIVATION AND PERSEVERANCE, SHE ACHIEVED WHAT SHE WANTED TO ACHIEVE IN LIFE AND IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO ACHIEVE OTHER THINGS. I CAN TELL SHE'S A SMART COOKIE, SO I WANT HER TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HERSELF AND SHARE WITH YOU GUYS. [APPLAUSE] FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND THE OPPORTUNITY. I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY. I WOULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY, MY COLLEAGUES, MY COWORKERS AND ESPECIALLY MY FAMILY. I'M ACCOMPANIED BY MY MOM AND MY SISTER TODAY. GROWING UP IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE, I WAS ABLE TO SEE WHAT A POSITIVE IMPACT LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS ON PEOPLE'S LIVES. AND EVER SINCE THEN, I'VE WANTED TO PURSUE THE CAREER OF BEING A POLICE OFFICER TO GIVE BACK TO OTHERS. I WAS GRATEFUL OR FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ADOPTED INTO A FAMILY LIKE THE MAYOR WAS SAYING IN MY BIOGRAPHY. ADOPTED INTO A FAMILY THAT CARES SO MUCH ABOUT GIVING BACK TO OTHERS. AND EVER SINCE THEN, I'VE JUST HAD THE PASSION TO DO THAT AS WELL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] MY MOTHER, JENNIFER, AND MY SISTER, MADELEINE SORRY. [APPLAUSE] IS CHIEF NIGG? HE'S OVER THERE. THERE YOU GO. THIS IS OUR NEW FIRE CHIEF, CHRIS NIGG, AND THEN ALSO BATTALION CHIEF MR. GREENWAY. SO THIS IS FANTASTIC. I MEAN, COVID JUST SHUT US ALL DOWN, AND THIS IS JUST SO NICE TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THIS. WE HAVE OUR WINDOWS OPEN. WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM EVEN THOUGH WE'RE WEARING A MASK, WHICH ONE OF THESE DAYS HOPEFULLY WE'LL STOP DOING THAT, BUT NOT FOR NOW. BUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW YOU GUYS REALLY WANT TO STAY FOR THE MEETING AFTERWARDS BECAUSE [00:15:05] THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF GOING ON IT'S SO INTERESTING. BUT WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU GUYS A BREAK. YOU GUYS CAN TAKE OFF AND GO YOUR MERRY WAY, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. THANKS FAMILIES FOR COMING OUT. THANK YOU POLICE DEPARTMENT AGAIN, THIS IS AWESOME FOUR BRAND NEW PEOPLE TO SERVE US IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS IS JUST AMAZING. SO ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THE CITY, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE STAFF THAT'S HERE. WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE] WHAT'S THAT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.