[Press Release] Meet the Next Generation of LSSD Leadership

[Amelia Clark]

WWW.LSSD.SAGOV.US Los Santos County Sheriff's Department News Release July 9th, 2024 "A TRADITION OF SERVICE" Sheriff Bobby Kirk

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Meet the Next Generation of LSSD Leadership-

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  For years now, the Los Santos Sheriff's Department has been entrusted with the safety of Los Santos County and the State of San Andreas as a whole. Each and every day, our Deputies work as a team, using advanced law enforcement techniques through multiple Bureaus and Divisions in furtherance of our commitment to this mission. One of the most crucial elements of this team is the Deputies who have gone above and beyond to support their fellow Deputies and have obtained Supervisory ranks within the Department. Our Supervisors act as the first line of communication and direction for our Staff, ensuring they have the resources they need to best serve the Great State of San Andreas. In recent months, the Department has seen significant changes to the membership of our Leadership Team, which includes the addition of several new Supervisors, whom we'd like to formally introduce to the community today.
  
  Throughout their careers, these Deputies have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to the guiding principles of the LSSD and Public Safety as a whole and were handpicked by our Command Staff to refine their skills in our Supervisor Training Program, all in preparation to become the next generation of LSSD Leadership. In February, Sergeant Leif Helgarson and Investigator II Hugo Hernandez, and in April, Sergeant Scott Pierce, Sergeant Sayaka Yukimura, and Investigator II Messiah Young joined the Supervisor Team.
  
  
  
  In order to provide some insight for the public into these Deputies, the Sheriff's Information Division reached out to each of them to ask about their journeys, leadership styles, goals, and overall take on their new roles. You can find their responses to each of these questions below:
  
  Can you share a bit about your journey within the sheriff's department leading up to this promotion?
  Responses

  I joined the department around 10 months ago, eager and ready to help the county. I found my first division within HED and enjoyed the responsibilities it gave me and the knowledge gained from it. As I spent more time here I joined more divisions and gained more experience and realized I wanted to to challenge myself even further while serving my coworkers. So when the opportunity presented itself I applied for SiT.

  I joined the Sheriff's Department on the 28th of September, 2022, meaning I have been apart of this department for well over a year now! I started off my career as how any deputy would within patrol operations and swiftly moved my way up to Master Deputy. During that time I joined the Detention and Parole Bureau where I would seek out inmates within the Department of Corrections who showed promise for rehabilitation and reformation. After the unfortunate closure of the Detention and Parole Bureau I moved on to join the Sheriff's Investigations Bureau. Although it was a difficult change, I was able to find my place within this new division. After showing a lot of dedication and hard work within the bureau, I became a full investigator. Months later there was an opening for the Supervisor Training program and I had no hesitation when it came to applying. When I got accepted I put all of my effort into the trainings that were provided for me. Finally after an in-depth discussion by command, I was promoted to supervisor.

  To tell a little bit about my journey through the Sheriff's Department I originally joined the department on November 6th, 2023, working my way through the ranks of field staff learning new things every day through my colleagues and being a part of the department in general. Since the day I joined the Sheriff's Department, I knew right then and there this was my new home and I was going to carry my burning passion and determination for it as far as I could. I achieved the rank of Deputy Sheriff III and steadfastly joined the Special Enforcement Detail, this is where I chose to focus lots of my effort and focus on this division as I saw large and long-term goals for this division. Throughout my time in the Department, from watching supervisors, to command and executive staff I knew that being able to lead and oversee the daily operations of our deputies within the Sheriff's Department was something I was heavily drawn to. This gave me the burning inspiration to work towards the Supervisor Training Program and to achieve my goal of becoming a supervisor which I am currently still working towards.

  I was most active in Countywide Operations, specifically in the Special Enforcement along side the Air Support Division, holding senior ranks in both. I took pride in being on the vanguard in Law Enforcement and that taught me the leadership skills I needed in the field. I also worked heavily on the Administrative side, both in the Recruitment & Employment Divison, alongside the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

  The Los Santos County Sheriff's Department has the finest supervisory team in all of San Andreas, and I've had the pleasure of learning from the best in law enforcement.

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  What is your leadership style, and how do you think it will benefit the Department and the San Andreas community?
  Responses

  I like to think that I have a very relaxed leadership style that encourages people to be themselves and enjoy their job but at the same time keep them on task. I think that a happy deputy is a benefit to everyone as people do their best work when they have a work environment they feel comfortable in.

  My leadership style emphasizes collaboration, empowerment, and accountability. I believe in fostering a team environment where everyone feels valued and contributes effectively. By leading by example and prioritizing communication, I aim to inspire high performance and accountability within the sheriff's department. This approach will strengthen teamwork and innovation while building trust and collaboration within the San Andreas community, ultimately leading to safer and more vibrant neighborhoods.

  My leadership style revolves around empathy, communication, mentorship, and leading to a good path. Moreover, I strongly believe in continuous learning and development. As a Supervisor in training, I am committed to providing guidance, and mentorship to help each member of the team reach their full potential. Investing time and thought in our deputies ultimately leads to a more skilled and confident workforce, which directly benefits the Department's overall performance and reputation within the San Andreas community.

  In general, I tend to be a straightforward and blunt person, both with praise and disciplinaries. I can sugar coat it if I need to, but I prefer to be able to tell it how it is, and work on how to improve, or how to keep up the great work.

  I take a very active approach to supervising. I like to stay in control of the situations we put ourselves or get pulled into - whatever gets the job done.

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  What are some of the goals you aim to achieve during your tenure as a supervisor?
  Responses

  I will be continuing my work to foster the Highway Enforcement Division (HED) into a division that is attractive to join and also does good work for the county.

  As a supervisor, I'm particularly excited to implement new and more advanced trainings within the Air Support division. As of right now I am currently working on a new handbook section which will hopefully help with enhancing pilots geographical knowledge when pursuing dangerous criminals.

  I have a few goals consisting of completing the Supervisor Training Program and utilizing the program to learn the best I possibly can to better myself as a deputy and a person. I also want to continue my goal of staying persistent and determined with my work and tasks within this Department as a supervisor.

  I hope to continue to be a positive force in the field, and continue to improve the relations between the department and the public.

  My focus is primarily SIB with leadership roles in the Recruitment and Employment Division. Our joint effort is to expand the services our department has to provide to keep the county safe.

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  What are the primary responsibilities in your new role as a supervisor?
  Responses

  To make sure that our deputies are doing their job in a manner that reflects well on the department and to protect and serve the county. God Bless Sheriff Kirk.

  My current primary responsibilites as a supervisor is to oversee the Robbery and Homicide casefiles within the Sheriffs Investigation Bureau and ensure they are being worked on. As the ACO of the Air Support Division I also make sure the division is running smoothly and pilot applicants are getting the training they need.

  After being accepted into the Supervisor Training Program and promoted to Corporal, I have been exposed to many more responsibilities and standards than before as a full GOB deputy. As a supervisor, I am tasked with overseeing day-to-day work and field work from deputies in our patrol areas. Enforcing our departmental protocol and procedures, making sure they are followed but also that if any questions or concerns arise those are handled at the same priority. As a supervisor, I also have responsibilities to carry out communication, resource management, as well as decision-making. The list goes on but above you will find some of the most important tasks and responsibilities.

  I am directly responsible for the units under me in the North Patrol Division, and supervise the day to day activites in the field of all Patrol Staff.

  To ensure the our field units can do their job as efficiently as possible. While my primary assignment within the Sheriff's Investigations Bureau is the Gangs and Narcotics Division, I also have been tasked with handling Vice under Major Crimes for the time being.

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  The LSSD has been blessed to have such amazing individuals step up to the plate and take on these new roles, but becoming a Supervisor is not as simple as just being picked. For a look into what training these individuals undergo and what our Command Staff looks for in a Supervisor, we reached out to Assistant Sheriff Ian Walter, who details for us how the Supervisor Training Program works:
  
  
  
  
  Assistant Sheriff Ian Walter
  When we are evaluating an application to the Supervisor Training Program (STP), we are looking for Deputies who have demonstrated themselves to be active in the field, giving great effort to both the Field Training and Advanced Training Divisions. We also seek Deputies who are able to conduct investigations in an unbiased manner, but also in a positive manner. Supervisors must be approachable, open minded, and unbiased.
  
  The STP program is approximately a month long rigorous training process. The Supervisor in Training, or SiT as we call them, will completed guided patrols with different supervisors in the department, and may also include patrols with members of command or executive staff. After each session, both the supervisor and SiT will complete a detailed report about the session. Once the SiT has completed all guided patrol requirements, the SiT will move on to their evaluative phase. Each evaluation is conducted by a member of progressive rank (i.e. supervisor -> command staff -> executive staff). After STP Command reviews the progress of the SiT, STP Command will determine whether the SiT is ready for the final examination. After the completion of the exam, STP Command will initiate a discussion with command and executive staff to deliberate on the SiTs progress in the program and whether the SiT will be promoted.
  
  Some of the biggest challenges faced by SiTs is the amount of work that goes into the STP. In addition to becoming a SiT, the STP has rigorous demands placed on the individual -- both administratively and field-work. The SiT must be able to demonstrate their ability to manage these additional, sometimes new responsibilities, all while managing their own progression in the program and the deadlines imposed upon them. We expect new supervisors to demonstrate the highest levels of performance, but also expect new supervisors to take full accountability for their learning and demonstrate their willingness to become a supervisor.
  
  We hope new supervisors will start their supervisory careers with the department fresh and versatile to the challenges that lie ahead. In a perfect world, we hope these supervisors will also become supervisors within divisions they may serve in and bring fresh and new ideas to these divisions as divisions have a great impact on the level of service we provide to our citizens. Additionally, we hope new supervisors will take it upon themselves to mentor newer Deputies to assist those Deputies in their own upbringing. There is nothing more fulfilling as a supervisor in watching someone you have mentored come up through the ranks and possibly one day become a supervisor themself, if that is their aspiration.
  

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  The LSSD extends our heartfelt congratulations to these Deputies, and we hope this provides the public with a valuable behind-the-scenes look at the future of the Department. As always, individuals interested in starting their career in Law Enforcement and potentially becoming a Supervisor one day should check out our Recruitment Section here.

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• For Information, Contact:
  
  
  Captain Amelia Clark
  Commanding Officer, Sheriff's Information Division
  (909) 474-8130 — [email protected]
  
  
  Sergeant Sayaka Yukimura
  Community Relations Manager, Sheriff's Information Division
  (909) 304-2935 — [email protected]
  
  
  Ret. Deputy Sheriff I Brittany Wojciechowski
  Probationary Writer, Sheriff's Information Division
  
  Sheriff's Information Division
  Los Santos County Sheriff's Department
  Procopio Promenade 1, Paleto Bay
  Los Santos, SA, 909