Newsletter

Celebrating Excellence: California JPIA Affiliates Honored for Outstanding Service

The California JPIA is proud to celebrate two remarkable achievements that highlight the dedication, innovation, and leadership within our member agencies and partners.

Gene Ramirez Receives the Joe Rosen Lifetime Achievement Award
Congratulations goes to Gene P. Ramirez on receiving the prestigious Joe Rosen Lifetime Achievement Award from the Police Association of Los Angeles County (POALAC). This honor recognizes Ramirez’s decades-long commitment to law enforcement, public safety, and the advancement of professional policing standards.

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As a founding member of Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester, Ramirez has built a career as one of California’s foremost legal experts in police liability, use of force, SWAT operations, canine programs, and training. His background includes service as a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County, a reserve police officer, and extensive work advising public agencies on policies, procedures, and complex litigation.

Ramirez has long served as defense counsel to California JPIA member agencies, providing legal guidance and representation. His expertise has helped member police departments navigate critical challenges, reduce risk, and improve operational effectiveness. Beyond his legal practice, Ramirez is a respected educator and national presenter, training thousands of officers and supervisors across the United States and Canada. His lifetime of service has earned recognition from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, the U.S. Secret Service, and multiple honors from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Monrovia Police Department Honored for Excellence in Community Policing

The Authority also congratulates the City of Monrovia and the Monrovia Police Department for receiving the Centurion Award for Excellence in Community Policing-Team from the Police Officers Association of Los Angeles County. This recognition highlights the department’s innovative approach to serving the community through its Community Activists Policing (CAP) Bureau.

The CAP model—implemented in 1994—is built on the philosophy that reducing crime requires transforming the underlying conditions that allow it to grow. The program emphasizes cooperative, problem-solving relationships between law enforcement, public agencies, community partners, and residents. Monrovia’s CAP Bureau works closely with the San Gabriel Valley CARE team, an interdisciplinary group of mental health clinicians and substance abuse counselors, providing an alternative response to emergency situations.

Over the past five years, Monrovia has seen a significant increase in calls for service related to mental health crises, substance abuse, homelessness, and overdose deaths. Recognizing that law enforcement alone cannot fully meet these complex needs, the Monrovia Police Department has proactively expanded partnerships with service providers, nonprofit organizations, and community groups to deliver meaningful interventions and connect individuals to life-saving resources.

The CAP Bureau team, including Lieutenant Richard Schneider, Sergeant Damien Bartholomy, Community Policing Officer Thomas Montes, School Resource Officer Jazmin Holguin, Mental Health Clinician Lisa Gutierrez, and Substance Abuse Counselor Tara Jolola, exemplifies the spirit of community-centered policing.

 

This award represents a model for how local agencies can approach public safety with collaboration, care, and purpose.

Congratulations to Gene Ramirez, the City of Monrovia, and the Monrovia Police Department for these well-deserved honors. Their achievements reflect the values and mission of California JPIA—supporting excellence, safety, and service in our communities.

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