LSPD 2021 - YEAR IN REVIEW

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LSPD 2021 - YEAR IN REVIEW

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WWW.LSPD.SAGOV.US
Los Santos Police Department
Press Release
Thursday, December 30th, 2021

"TO PROTECT AND SERVE"

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Year in Review 2021
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2021 has been a great challenge for the Los Santos Police Department in many ways, and as we look back on changes and improvements during the year for the Los Santos Police Department we highlight the most important happenings from 2021. Numerous departures, a Department ranking structure revamp, and closing of the Police Training Bureau are a few things that have marked this calendar year for the Los Santos Police Department.

As in 2020, and previous years, the Los Santos Police Department is very proud of its accomplishments, and we thank you for joining us in looking back on 2021, and celebrating it with us. A year of introductions and dissolutions has been followed by updates and positive changes in every Bureau in the Department. An important step was taken forward as the Los Santos Police Department is better equipped, and more capable than ever to handle tough duties serving the citizens of Los Santos. We look forward to what we can achieve together in 2022.
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2021 Restructuring

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Message from Assistant Chief of Police Elena Blake:
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Contrary to 2020, the year 2021 has been a trying year for the Los Santos Police Department, seeing many prominent figures of the organization depart, along with a general decrease in employee numbers calling for the downsizing in patrol divisions. Nevertheless, the Los Santos Police Department has seen many positive changes and will continue to strive for improvement, both for our employees and those we serve, and to remain second to none as a world-class law enforcement agency.

As the Chief of Staff of the Los Santos Police Department, when the Office of the Chief of Police is not actively and primarily focusing and working on department-scale changes, my primary focus is on the personnel of the Department. With that, I am taking this opportunity to thank our employees publicly, from our patrol officers to our currently serving Staff Officers, for their hard work, dedication, and effort over this year. It is often difficult to ensure all employees receive adequate recognition for their work, regardless of its nature, in a law enforcement agency with the size of the Los Santos Police Department. The work and commitment of every individual employee of the Los Santos Police Department, however, is most certainly noticed and greatly appreciated.

What is more, I would like to congratulate and recognize Commander Dezzy Bala as the first employee of the Los Santos Police Department's Command Staff to be promoted into the position of Commander following the restructure of supervisor and command ranks within the Los Santos Police Department in 2021. Commander Bala has proven himself as an exceptionally strong candidate for this position through his performance, dedication, and passion, rivaled by none. Commander Bala currently oversees the Field Training Division and the Field Training Program, overseeing the training process and progress of the recruits of the Los Santos Police Department.

The Los Santos Police Department will continue to maintain open recruitment for prospective Police Officers and continue the training of in-service (sworn) employees to ensure that we can continue to provide the highest quality of service possible to the residents of the City of Los Santos.


DEPARTMENT RANKING STRUCTURE REVAMP
Following internal developments, a rise in employee numbers, and a large interest in the Supervisor Team, Command Staff team, and subsequent Staff Officer group several changes to the ranking structure ensued. The Los Santos Police Department believes it should offer ample career and progression opportunities to ensure that a glas ceiling is near non-existent within the Department for deserving and qualified personnel. While eliminating an inevitable ceiling in terms of progression completely is hard, changes to the ranking structure were made as the first major step to achieving this goal.

Preparations to work to this goal have been made and refined over time, such as the introduction of upgrades to the Department which has formally separated paygrade advancements from promotions to re-introduce paygrade advancements in positions that had them in the past, or the lowering of ranks with no current use in the capacity of their current category.
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  • CHANGES TO POLICE LIEUTENANT Image
    • The position of Police Lieutenant was moved down into the category of Police Supervisors, with the intention of this position serving as a senior supervisor position and a position achievable by Sergeant II/Detective IIIs.
    • The grade advancements of Lieutenant I and Lieutenant II will be re-introduced to allow further progression and seniority as a Police Supervisor.
      • The requirement to be eligible for the position of Police Lieutenant is to hold a minimum position as an Officer-in-Charge of a unit within the Los Santos Police Department.
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    • The grade advancements of Captain I, Captain II, and Captain III have been re-introduced to allow further progression and seniority as a Command Officer, as well as introduce progression and seniority into a rank that was otherwise restricted with no future progression.
      • To be eligible for a position as Captain I, an employee has to hold a position as an Assistant Commanding Officer of a division within the Los Santos Police Department.
      • To be eligible for a position as Captain II and Captain III, an employee has to hold a position as a Commanding Officer of a division within the Department.
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  • CHANGES TO POLICE COMMANDER Image
    • The position of Police Commander has been moved down into the category of Command Officers to Command Officers who perform exceptionally within their respective Bureau.
      • Commander is and has been an extremely prestigious position. As such, considerations for Commanders are only made based on vacancies, necessity within the Bureau, performance, and STAFF discussion. There will not be more than ONE Commander per Bureau serving simultaneously, however, the expectation should not be that every Bureau will have a Commander as this position will be rarely rewarded to those who perform exceptionally.
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We believe that we have paved the way for further progression in various areas for all employees of the Los Santos Police Department, but realize that for Police Supervisors or Command Officers, this did not change much in terms of their progression being halted either due to a lack of vacancies or a lack of further progression. This major step in what we believe to be the right direction will allow for further progression and seniority overtime for employees in rank categories where this was previously unachievable.

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CLOSING OF THE POLICE TRAINING BUREAU
The Police Training Bureau closed its doors in March of 2021, and with this, divisions situated under the aforementioned bureau have been subsequently moved over to other bureaus. The Police Training Bureau housed the Advanced Training Division, Field Training Division, and the Supervisor Training Program - the bureau served as a universal training ground, turning Cadets into Police Officers, and Police Officers into Supervisors alike. Day-to-day operations continued without issue during and after the transition as the Department implemented and finalized the change.
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  • Advanced Training Division has been moved to Administrative Services Bureau, under the leadership of Deputy Chief Jay Bacon as the new Director of Administrative Services Bureau. Chief Bacon has previously been the Commanding Officer of the Recruitment and Employment Division, as well as the Media Relations Division.
  • Field Training Division has been moved to General Operations Bureau, under the leadership of Deputy Chief Phillipe Sanchez as the new Director of General Operations Bureau. Chief Sanchez has previously been the Commanding Officer of the Field Training Division, as well as having been the Co-Director of the General Operations Bureau before his move to the Police Training Bureau as its director when it was first established.
  • Supervisor Training Program has been moved back to the Office of the Chief of Police. There were no major changes to the Supervisor Training Program.
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During the year the leadership of the divisions has transitioned as the Department continued to make all possible efforts to improve training, and following subsequent resignations, the (Assistant) Commanding Officer positions have been solidified. The Advanced Training Division is led by Captain Jason Steel and Lieutenant Steve Smyth which has seen vast improvements and changes, most notably the weapons and vehicle certifications which have been revised and improved. The Field Training Division is led by Commander Dezzy Bala and Detective Eleanor Quinn who have continuously managed to improve the Field Training Program, and better their Supervisor Team to not only boost training but to better the quality of material being taught. The Supervisor Training Program remains the same with Chief of Police Alex Donnelly and Deputy Chief Phillipe Sanchez leading the training for the ever-growing Supervisor Team - training a record amount of Supervisors for 2021.

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INTRODUCTION OF PUBLIC INQUIRIES
Public Inquiries which can currently be found in the office of Public Affairs are handled by members of the Media Relations Division and were implemented mid-March this year. The Public Inquiries were introduced as an initiative to improve communication with the wider public and the media, to increase transparency, and to allow the public to grow familiar with our work. Developments began in early January with protocol and following formats being made, discussed, and adjusted - reserving a prior role for media requests only. Former Captain Ashley York, then Deputy Chief and Director of the Administrative Service Bureau worked with the Commanding Officer of the Media Relations Division, former Sergeant Jonathan Norton, and the Staff Officer team to develop and implement the Public Inquiry form.
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Public Inquiries are divided into sections, for members of the press, and members of the general public, and other institutions. The press can send four different requests, a request for information, a request for comment, a request for a meeting, and a request for a press conference, each reserving a specific, and different way of arrangement and releasable information. Members of the general public and other institutions can send three different requests, a citizen public inquiry, an institutional public inquiry, and an institutional event inquiry. Since the implementation of the Public Inquiry section in March, the section received a total of 36 inquiries, facilitating 3 events, and providing comments/information on 33 inquiries to members of the press, general public, and other institutions.

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INTRODUCTION OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS UNIT
The Community Relations Unit is a part of the Media Relations Division and was suggested, designed, and implemented as a unit that would work with the general public to primarily, and proactively improve the bond between the Los Santos Police Department and the citizens of Los Santos, and the State of San Andreas. A Community Relations Officer of the Community Relations Division would perform Community Policing Patrols that solely aim to build and improve relationships with the community, businesses, and departments by consistently, and positively engaging with the aforementioned entities to address their concerns and provide council for matters if required. Preventing a crime from even happening, solving root problems with a view of building trust, and bettering the quality of trust between the Los Santos Police Department and the wider public is the top priority for every Community Relations Officer.
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The proposal to split the Media Relations Division into two units was made in late November of 2020 by the Commanding Officer of the Media Relations Division, former Detective Belle Cavallera. The unit name was initially proposed as 'Public Relations Unit' but was changed as advanced developments were made in January of 2021. Former Captain Grace Hunter devised a list of roles and responsibilities within the Community Outreach Program which was a suggestion made by the Captain separately from the Media Relations Division, and along with the initial proposal from former Detective Belle Cavallera was later used as a foundation to make the unit. Restructuring began, Assistant Chief Elena Blake and the Office of the Chief of Police extensively discussed, reviewed, and improved the designed protocol before finally splitting the division, and implementing a second unit in mid-April, 2021.
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The Community Relations Unit has hosted 2 community events to this day with positive overwhelmingly positive feedback as developments continue to be made, how internally, that externally as well. The Media Relations Division is extensively working on improving the current events draft to standardize community events, and allow them to be hosted with ease, and much more frequently, how on a small scale, that on a larger one as well.

INTRODUCTION OF THE METRO K9 PLATOON

The K-9 Unit has made its debut this summer, with the first couple of specially trained canines put into the field with their handlers, members of the Special Operations Bureau. This extremely specialized unit consisting of members of the Metropolitan Division works with various canine officers to assist in a variety of tasks, from sniffing out narcotics to detecting weapons, finding suspects and injured civilians. Established under the leadership of Captain Victor Einhart the K9 Unit uses dogs to pursue and track suspects, detect hidden evidence, participate in public relations events, and even sniff out explosives. Depending on the kind of training a dog receives, it will have a skill set to track suspects and detect various kinds of items.

The program is still growing and the ultimate goal will be to open it up to more officers, rank Police Officer II and higher in Los Santos Police Department, as the K-9 unit grows. Right now we have three certified trainers and handlers with four trained canine officers on the force, the handlers must know how to work with their animal companions in a variety of scenarios and to use the right dog for the correct job. The animals, specially trained dogs, go through a rigorous course. Scent K-9 training varies in length depending on the discipline the K-9 will be trained in. During that time the K-9 is imprinted on target odors - actual narcotics and explosives are used in this process. The K-9’s play drive is used to hunt/search for their reward and after the K-9 is imprinted with the target odor, the K-9 is taught how to search rooms, cars, fields, etc. for select odors and give an ‘indication’.
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Specialized K-9 vehicles are used by our officers for safe transportation and deployment of the dog. As these dogs train regularly they are adept at working in large crowds, busy situations, while working hard to detect a wide variety of illegal contraband. These officers are also deployed when conducting warrants on houses and in crime scenes looking for such items as hidden narcotics and weapons. The dogs are given a badge, they are treated the same as any high-ranking officer whilst on duty. The K-9 teams provide the department with an exceptional presence in the field, giving unprecedented assistance that would not be available to normal officers or detectives. We are happy to welcome the K-9 Handlers and their companions to our department.
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Patrol Division Changes

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DISSOLUTION OF ROCKFORD HILLS PATROL DIVISION

The Rockford Hills Patrol Division saw changes this year as the General Operations Bureau was also revamped to better accommodate officers. The Los Santos Police Department evolved considerably since its foundation. Expansions that were made initially in a surge of recruitment needed led to many changes across the department, namely hitting the General Operations Bureau. This resulted in expansion, initially expanding from three divisions to the opening of the Rockford Hills Patrol Division about two years ago, and eventually La Mesa.
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However, as many officers specialized over the years, retired, or moved on to different ventures within or outside of the Police Department, the need for more divisions in the General Operations Bureau was no longer required. Initially to keep up with numbers as well as other fluxes the closure of La Mesa first began last year. As the department evolved, the original structure of three patrol divisions within the bureau was seen as a more valuable move. This resulted in the dissolution of the Rockford Hills Patrol Division within the General Operation Bureau. This allowed supervisors to be more efficient and not spread out too thin.
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However, the Rockford Hills Office is not going to be completely empty. It was quickly reassigned to the Special Operations Bureau. The reassignment quickly gave a new home to the Metropolitan Division, for briefings, operational planning, and more. Its position in the center of the city, close to many banks and stores that are high targets of crime in the city is very valuable. While no longer a Patrol Division, Rockford Hills has been retasked and given a new purpose and home to a division that will be putting it to good use.
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INTRODUCTION OF PATROL NOTICES

Early this year the Los Santos Police Department saw the introduction of internal notifications, called Patrol Notices, to keep officers reminded of pertinent information and changes in policy, keeping all officers up to date. Any relevant information and updates that were previously distributed by Commanding Officers of divisions due to their various assignments were now consolidated. All the information that they would usually give to their internal divisions, be it reminders or changes, is now easily distributed to all employees of the Department through one single bulletin.

The notices have helped tremendously to cut down on the amount of paperwork that needed to be done and made sure that not just one specific area of the department is reminded of certain priority information and policy, but that all officers now see and are able to get the information in one concise area. These announcements can define specific charges or procedures and provide needed clarification such as how the definitions of charges pertain to actions of officers and reinforce internal policies that may have needed further clarification or interpretation. These patrol notices, consolidate pertinent information into one central area, relevant to the day-to-day operations of the Los Santos Police Department.


MISSION ROW REBUILD

The Department saw a large-scale renovation of its Mission Row building, located on Sinner Street early this year. This renovation was a big endeavor to increase productivity and efficiency at the main building where the majority of the department conducts its business. After the completion of additional precincts from the year before allowed for an expansion and revamp of the Mission Row building, ensuring a better work environment for officers. Being able to add many needed features to the building helped to up productivity, efficiency, and expand the work area for the larger-sized force while being able to better host the needs of civilians and other government employees.

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The new three-story building plays host to several areas that boost the Los Santos Police Department’s presence while adding much-needed offices, cell areas, processing equipment, and more. A large part of the building houses several different equipment areas, a larger armory while also enabling the Los Santos Police Department to have its own internal firing range. This also includes multiple meeting rooms and dedicated areas for planning which is used by many including our Metropolitan Division. While nearby there hosts a dedicated forensics lab, where the Detective Bureau is able to conduct a very detailed analysis of evidence pertaining to multiple cases. The larger interior on the main floor gives host to multiple computers and desks in the bullpen for officers to work in, a very sizable locker room and a very large entrance allowing civilians to pay their tickets automatically at the counter, or interact safely with our officers to be able to ask questions, run background checks and more. A special press room is available for specialized events and ceremonies while officers are able to benefit from an improved break room, janitorial facilities, and open bullpen that improves communication and productivity between officers, giving them privacy to write paperwork and work together seamlessly.

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Underneath the building houses a larger parking garage, dedicated to employee parking while Staff is able to have designated private parking spots. There is also a large and improved cell area, including the processing of mugshots and fingerprints, as well as detention cells. There is also access to specialized rooms for the Detective Bureau to conduct interviews giving them access to many tools to increase productivity and identification. The addition of a third floor gives even more access and efficiency, including a surveillance room, multiple classrooms, and a large briefing room with attached offices used for meetings, training, interviews, and many other daily tasks of the Department. This includes easy roof access for our Air Support Division to be able to reach the helipads on the roof.

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Needless to say, this was a very large change in one of the busiest precincts but the time and effort that went into the changes have benefited the police force as a whole on numerous levels. While the Mission Row renovation was quite extensive and not only increased the space and different offices but is allowing productivity and interaction to flourish while also improving the efficiency of the Los Santos Police Department as a whole.


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Yearly Divisional Update

Message from Deputy Chief of Police Jay Bacon:
With yet another year under our belts the LSPD has continued to change, adapt and grow. With the resignation of Captain Ashley York, I was appointed director of the Administrative Services Bureau due to my previous experience leading the Recruitment and Employment Division, creating of the Media Relations Division, and my previous experience as a Senior Instructor within the Advanced Training Division. This transition has not been an easy one but made far simpler by the exceptional team of leaders that each of the divisions contains.

The Recruitment and Employment division has seen a leadership change, with the retirement of Captain Grace Hunter, she has passed along the flag to long-time serving RED member, Sergeant Jessica Nash, and her partner Sergeant Jaxon Nash. This team offers a competitive, friendly, and approachable atmosphere - taking the revamping of the entire recruitment process as their top priority. This revamp is in no way a small task and has taken time, and will continue to develop as the team continues to update and move the division forward. I look forward to seeing how these changes roll out.

The Firearms Licensing Division, this year saw a large change in our License Certification process, implementing in-person mandatory training to gain firearms licensing approval. This change was made after a lengthy review and was determined to be a requirement due in part to the abuse of the previous program. With the new training, we have seen an improvement in licensed firearms owners handling and knowledge pertaining to the safety of their firearms. With Lieutenant Colonna leading the charge for some time, he has stepped back to take on more responsibilities with the Detective Bureau, as such the division is currently reviewing candidates for the position of Commanding Officer.

The Media Relations Division, now under the ever-vigilant eye of Lieutenant Tim Havlicek has seen the creation of the Community Relations Unit - hosting multiple events including the recent Christmas Parade. The division is pushing out monthly articles, weekly reports - as the division constantly cycles members due to the heavy administrative side of the job. This cycling, while bad, also has provided us a golden lining, this turnover provides the division with new ideas, and thoughts on public awareness. With the year coming to a close and 2022 now upon us, I look forward to seeing what events and activities this division has for the department and the public.

The Advanced Training Division, more changes for the Bureau as ATD has seen a leadership change as well. This change has brought new life to the division with increased training, advanced certifications, and stricter regulations surrounding all the department's advanced equipment. Under Captain Jason Steel and Captain Steve Smyth, the division has been given a fresh approach and has been consistently growing to adapt to the constantly changing needs in our city.

I would like to thank all the members of the department for their continued service and dedication. Thank you.
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The Major Crimes Division falls under the Detective Bureau within the Los Santos Police Department. The mission of the Major Crimes Division is to focus mainly on robberies, homicides, firearms trafficking, and many other crimes committed by very limited groups of individuals without clear affiliations with known criminal organizations.

The Major Crimes Division is structured into three different units, the Robbery-Homicide Unit, Vice Unit, and Detective Support Unit. These three units have specific tasks and duties that they perform to solve the above-mentioned crimes. The Robbery-Homicide Unit name best describes itself with a focus on anything ranging from petty thieves to coldblooded murderers. The Vice Unit is more versatile and deals with criminal threats and hate crimes, firearms sales and trafficking, fraud, illegal gambling, prostitution, and various other crimes. The Detective Support Unit is mainly composed of Officers who help Detectives with the majority of crime reports that are submitted by the public on a daily basis.

  • Lieutenant Samuele Colonna, Major Crimes Division
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Commanding Officer Samuele Colonna wrote:The Major Crimes Division is relatively new for the Detective Bureau. Initially, we had the Investigations Bureau with its three divisions: Gangs and Narcotics Division, Robbery-Homicide Division, and Detective Support & Vice Division. The last two became units and together with the Detective Support Unit, they have been incorporated into this new project. For those who do not know, the division is made of both officers and detectives. Its components work together to solve crimes ranging from petty theft to mass distribution of contraband and racketeering.
This year Major Crimes has seen more leaders take its reins, compared to other divisions in the department. Despite that, its goal has never changed and we keep working closely with the citizens of San Andreas to put an end to those criminal offenses which require further investigation and cannot be solved on the spot.
If you acquire evidence about a crime and wish to report it or you have useful information for our bureau, do not hesitate to submit a crime report from the appropriate section of the government website. Our detectives will be more than happy to review your findings or interview you.
Together we can bring to justice all the crimes that went unpunished!
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The Media Relations Division is situated under the Administrative Service Bureau of the Los Santos Police Department. The mission of the Media Relations Divison is to develop, nurture and maintain a trusting relationship between the Department it represents and the public. Providing information, transparency and stories are one of the few roles the Media Relations Division takes on.

The Media Relations Division is split into two separate, official units - the Media Relations Unit and the Community Relations Unit. A Media Relations Officers of the Media Relations Unit, routinely, takes on several tasks some of which are drafting press releases, drafting public service announcements, and working on the Monthly Bulletin. Being a Media Relations Officer also opens up a pathway to one of the most unique positions of the Department; becoming a certified Liaison and Spokesperson gives increased authority to release information to members of the press and public that otherwise only Staff Officers may share. A Community Relations Officer of the Community Relations Unit plays an important role in the Media Relations Division as they strive to maintain a strong relationship with community leaders and community members, how locally, that on a larger scale. Community Relations Officers are passionate about their mission to spread awareness and build trust with the larger public. Community Relations Officers routinely plan and organize internal and interdepartmental events, conduct community police patrols, answer public inquiries and actively work with other agencies, Departments, and businesses.
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  • Lieutenant Tim Havlicek, Media Relations Division
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Commanding Officer Tim Havlicek wrote:The Media Relations Division has made major changes to how it operates internally followed by a revamp of public communications. After the introduction of the Public Inquiries section found under the Public Affairs Office, the Media Relations Division has taken a big step forward toward bridging the gap between the general public, the press, and the Los Santos Police Department. The division was led by former Sergeant Jonathan Norton for the greater part of the year who gave me the opportunity to carry on what he had left. Sergeant Jonathan Norton has been awarded a prestigious commendation this year following his amazing tenure as the Commanding Officer of the Media Relations Division, and on this occasion, I would like to thank him for his irreplaceable work.

Additionally, the Media Relations Division successfully established the Community Relations Unit, effectively splitting the division into two separate units, making it an integral part of the work the Media Relations Unit does. A routine year for the Media Relations Division - hosting a job fair, a public award ceremony, two community events, a Christmas parade, and a number of events for employees of the Los Santos Police Department. While our team of marvelous divisional members never ceases to amaze, we hope to open doors to more talented, and creative individuals to assist us in our mission!
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The Gang and Narcotics Division is a specialized division within the Detective Bureau and is responsible for disrupting, suppressing, and apprehending violent street gangs and the means by which they support their lifestyle within the state of San Andreas. The Gang and Narcotics Division houses the Gang Field Unit, which is responsible for conducting surveillance of organizations or persons of interest as per the direction of the Officer-in-Charge. Captain Lex Roth is the Commanding Officer of this Division working side by side with his Assistant Commanding Officer Captain Jason Steel.

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  • Captain Lex Roth, Gang and Narcotics Division
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Commanding Officer Lex Roth wrote: Gangs have been a major contributor to the growth of violent crime in the past years. Heavily armed with sophisticated weapons, gangs are involved in drug trafficking, murder, witness intimidation, robbery, extortion, and turf battles. Gangs now operate in cities of all sizes, as well as suburban communities throughout the San Andreas; gang violence no longer is limited to major cities.

The Gang and Narcotics Division and the Detective Bureau, will not tolerate any illegal activities in Los Santos and the County. Our units will always be one step ahead of everyone who wishes to jeopardize public safety through illegal operations. We will continue suppressing the criminal organizations and their activity.

The Gang and Narcotics Division have implemented innovative and resourceful initiatives to stop gangs from terrorizing our communities. Multijurisdictional efforts range from our special units dedicated to investigating and prosecuting gang-related crimes to state-of-the-art surveillance equipment and sophisticated data collection and analysis technologies.
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Message from Assistant Chief of Police Elena Blake:
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The Special Operations Bureau of the Los Santos Police Department saw the departure of Deputy Chief Scott Dunbar. Deputy Chief Dunbar previously oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Special Operations Bureau as the Chief of Special Operations. Chief of Police Alex Donnelly and I are currently reviewing suitable candidates to appoint in the former position of Deputy Chief Dunbar. Naturally, the Special Operations Bureau continues its day-to-day operations.

As such, the Air Support Division, which has had its operations restructured to Air Support To Regular Operations (ASTRO) and the Special Flight Section (SFS), throughout the year has seen the departure of former both Captain Zoey Deul and Lieutenant Mikael Cowell as its Commanding Officers. Sergeant Josh Durry has since been appointed as the new Commanding Officer and, together with his newly appointed Assistant Commanding Officer, Sergeant Alexander Olsson, will oversee the Air Support Division.

The Metropolitan Division, consisting of the D Platoon (SWAT), K9 Platoon (canine unit), and the M Platoon (training and administration), has seen the unfortunate departure of former Captain Torsten Church. Appointed by the Commanding Officer of the Metropolitan Division, Captain Victor Einhart, Lieutenant Darion Rueb has been appointed as the Assistant Commanding Officer. The Metropolitan Division always seeks and strives to improve and adapt its training techniques and applied tactics to that necessary in real-life situations. Currently, the Metropolitan Division is actively working to establish a recruitment process for Canine Handlers within the K9 Platoon.
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The Metropolitan Division, commonly known by the abbreviation METRO falls under the Special Operations Bureau within the Los Santos Police Department. METRO is tasked with numerous crime-fighting duties including property breaches, surveillance, providing counter-terrorism details, and attending high-risk barricaded situations such as a hostage situation. It, therefore, is one of the most specialized divisions the Los Santos Police Department has to offer. METRO consists of a few platoons, of which the D platoon is the most known. D Platoon is the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team of the Los Santos Police Department. D Platoon provides the Department with 24-hour coverage necessary for immediate response to barricaded suspects, shootouts, crisis and hostage negotiations, potential suicide-related situations, and other high-risk incidents.

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  • Captain Victor Einhart, Metropolitan Division
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Commanding Officer Victor Einhart wrote: The Metropolitan Division is focused on high-risk situations that regular police training does not cover. We respond to the most stressful and dangerous situations, and therefore Metro officers receive advanced training to rise to the occasion. Metro has worked to improve our performance in response to a changing environment in the city, notably the uptick in hostage situations the department faced. There were some days the department dealt with four or five of these kinds of situations per day, and Metro responded by changing our tactics. Word of this has spread, and the number of these types of situations dropped dramatically. Our continuing goal is safety, and we will continue to adapt to changing circumstances and meet this goal.

In addition, Metro will soon be rolling out applications for the K9 unit for the wider department. Expect to see more K9 officers in the field once recruitment and training for this unit are completed.
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The Recruitment and Employment Division or RED falls under the Administrative Services Bureau. RED is the division that new applicants to the Los Santos Police Department will likely encounter first. Overall, RED is split into two groups. The first one is Application Handlers and Interviewers, and the latter is Academy Instructors.

Application Handlers and Interviewers are the ever-diligent individuals behind the screen who are constantly reviewing the gargantuan amount of applications received by the LSPD. These individuals are comprised of only the most capable officers holding the rank of Police Officer II and above. Following up on them would be the Interviewers who bring applicants in for a face-to-face interview in order to get to know them better. This position is very selective, only accepting those holding the rank of Police Officer III and above.

Academy Instructors are the friendly men and women ready to teach and assist applicants on their first day in the Department. Once they are sworn in as Law Enforcement Officers, these instructors will teach them all they need to know for their first day on the job. The position requires an officer to be quite experienced, which is why the position is restricted to the rank of Police Officer II and above.
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  • Sergeant Jessica Nash, Recruitment and Employment Division
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Commanding Officer Jessica Nash wrote: In the fall, former Captain Grace Hunter made the tough decision to relinquish leadership of the Recruitment and Employment division after an exceptional tenure, providing outstanding service to the division.
Captain Hunter taught me everything I know about the division and still continues to provide support and guidance. I decided to pick up the reigns and continue her legacy in the division.

In the coming year, we aim to tweak and upgrade parts of the division, with the main goal of promoting efficiency and effectiveness, without compromising the quality service the division offers.
We have thus far upgraded our academy protocols, interview processes, and application processing time.
We still have so many more things we wish to introduce and work on, such as having a DPT (Department Promise Time) which is to ensure each applicant can have guaranteed progression into an academy within a short amount of time should the be an ideal candidate. We also wish to add policy and procedure to the initial recruitment process to limit application processing time and ensure all applicants are dedicated and
enthusiastic about joining the department, promoting a healthy and ideal career path.
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  • Sergeant Jaxon Nash, Recruitment and Employment Division
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Assistant Commanding Officer Jaxon Nash wrote: It's been great to see such an improvement in the division, along with the dedication of each member of the division. We have seen great interest in taking part in this division and are exceptionally proud in training staff and their enthusiasm for being a part of the changes up and coming.
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The Firearms Licensing Division, commonly known by the abbreviation FLD, falls under the Administrative Services Bureau inside the Los Santos Police Department. The FLD is the entity that regulates the provision of firearms licenses for the populace of San Andreas. It is therefore the division that most civilians will encounter, especially if they are interested in obtaining such a license.

Licensing officers are the ever-diligent individuals behind the screen who are constantly reviewing the gargantuan amount of firearms licensing applications received by the LSPD. This team consists of officers who hold the rank of at least Police Officer II and who have shown to be the most proficient and accurate with paperwork out of the whole Department.
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  • Lieutenant Samuele Colonna, Firearms Licensing Division
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Commanding Officer Samuele Colonna wrote:The Firearms Licensing Division, just like most of our department, has to adapt to the public it serves. The Los Santos Police Department spends a portion of its time making sure licensed citizens use their firearms properly. This year we attempted to reduce the misuse of legal firearms to a minimum by educating and testing each individual before allowing them to possess instruments of death. Six months ago we introduced the Firearms Safety Course: an extra step required to receive a firearms license. This theoretical course cut in half the number of applications sent by individuals who have no intention to use their firearms lawfully and drastically reduced the number of incidents involving legally owned firearms, thus leading to a reduction in revoked permits. To this day, the division scheduled more than 50 courses, and more are expected every week.
Before attending a course you have to go through the regular application process. The Firearms Safety Course (FSC) is divided into two parts which explain what a licensed citizen should know about the laws surrounding firearms, self-defense, citizen's arrest and firearms safety. At the same time, the citizens will learn how to correctly interact with law enforcement when a crime has been committed in the area. At the end of the course, each applicant has to pass a quiz before they are allowed to purchase their firearms license.
If you believe that you have done anything wrong or you have doubts, your wisest choice is to get in touch with law enforcement and request assistance. Responsible licensed individuals are useful to society because they can protect themselves and their community. When the witnessed crimes do not warrant a citizen's arrest, please keep your firearm holstered and dial 911 if necessary.
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The Air Support Division, commonly known by the abbreviation ASD, falls under the Special Operations Bureau within the Los Santos Police Department. The Air Support Division (ASD) is responsible for providing Air Support to patrol and specialized units of the Los Santos Police Department. The Air Support Division is also here to enhance Officer and public safety, reduce the incidence of crime and thus reduce the fear of crime. To accomplish their mission, they will provide rapid response, tactical insight, and airborne assessments of incidents, in a safe and professional manner.

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  • Sergeant Josh Durry, Air Support Divsion
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Commanding Officer Josh Durry wrote: The Air Support Division is situated under the Special Operations Bureau that provides aerial support through the means of a helicopter, our division utilizes both the Maverick and the Buzzard for our day-to-day duties. These duties include but are not limited to; providing visual support during pursuits, providing overwatch on static scenes, and personnel transportation. Throughout the year we have provided these services for thousands of situations that the LSPD has encountered. The work that an AIR unit does for the ground units in LSPD is essential, when AIR is in operation the LSPD will catch more criminals on average in any given shift, but the AIR unit is not just about catching criminals. We have provided transport for injured civilians and officers when it makes sense to use a helicopter for transportation, we have also provided our services for the Metropolitan Division with our SFS certified pilots, allowing our pilots to take Metropolitan SWAT operatives in the air and neutralize armed suspects. Our division has seen many changes throughout the year, we changed the way we trained our pilots with a revamped training system. We have also gone through multiple changes within the command team. As we look towards the future we will be focusing on recruitment within the department and building our Reserve Pilots team.
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The Field Training Division, commonly known by the abbreviation FTD, falls under the General Operations Bureau within the Los Santos Police Department. The mission of the Field Training Division is to provide the best possible training for new Police Cadets that have just passed the Police Academy and police personnel from other agencies who avail themselves of our services.
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  • Commander Dezzy Bala, Field Training Division
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Commanding Officer Dezzy Bala wrote:The Field Training Division is responsible for the training and betterment of our academy graduates into full-fledged Police Officers. We specialize in both handbook training as well as encouraging the Cadet to think and act for themselves within Police guidelines. This year we introduced a new curriculum to the Field Training Program which has had mixed success.

It is my own desire to overhaul the training program once again in 2022 with Cadet 3.0, expanding the number of sessions and the length that the training continues while offering the trainee the flexibility and support to maximize their potential within the department. In addition to this, reviewing the role of Police Cadet and its place within the policing structure as we head into 2022.

The output of the division has dipped significantly in 2021, but this is mostly in part due to the number of Cadets enrolled in the program and also, those actually enrolled who finish the program successfully. We have seen changes to the availability of the amount of Field Training Officers, with exemptions for different divisions but also, somewhat of a drop-off in overall quality of training from the FTOs.

We turned around our staff, with Captain Smyth, former Captain Hunter, and Captain Sanchez all departing for pastures new and Detective Quinn and Detective Tavares finishing the year as part of the FTD Command Team. All in all, a slightly disappointing year of Field Training but the exciting challenge is setting that right in the new year.
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The Advanced Training Division falls under the Administrative Services Bureau as part of the Los Santos Police Department. This division is dedicated to providing programs to Officers that allow them to both expand their introductory knowledge and advanced knowledge into a specific technique or field. The Advanced Training Division also helps with ongoing training, reviewing basic and advanced policing measures with dedicated classes in specific areas throughout the year. The Commanding Officer of this division is Captain Jason Steel with Captain Steve Smyth holding the position of Assistant Commanding Officer. Together they oversee everything from vehicle certifications to training courses.
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  • Captain Jason Steel, Advanced Training Division
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Commanding Officer Jason Steel wrote:The Advanced Training Division underwent a concerted modernization effort this year, seeing a complete restructure of most of its internal files. In addition, the requirements for obtaining certifications were raised in order to ensure their proper use in the field. Furthermore, the aforementioned restructure will allow the division to suspend and revoke certifications much easier.

It is our hope that these efforts will result in a Police Department that is better trained and much more proficient in the use of its equipment while allowing its supervisory staff to take corrective actions as needed.
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Department Statistics

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An important part of reflecting on the year that has passed is looking back at how our statistics have changed from month to month. For the sake of transparency, statistics about recruitment, training, reported arrests and impounds, as well as total employment numbers, are published at the end of every month in the Monthly Bulletin. Going through the numbers published each month reveals interesting information that will be analyzed below. But first, here are the total statistics for the entire year of 2021, as well as our current employment numbers.
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  • Employee Adjustments
    331
    005
    080
    190
    057
    Promotions
    Demotions
    Suspensions
    Resignations
    Terminations

    Recruitment
    512
    101
    312
    034
    105
    Total Applications
    Accepted
    Denied
    Withdrawn
    New Cadets

    Field Training Program
    716
    512
    087
    045
    Sessions Conducted
    Field Training Reports
    Passed Cadets
    Failed Cadets
  • Patrol Reports
    7681
    3659
    8015
    4685
    0779
    Arrest
    Impound
    Impound Release
    Traffic Stop
    Use of Force

    Detective Bureau
    169
    028
    045
    079
    Crimes Reported
    Cases Denied
    Cases Concluded
    Cases Closed

    Ride-Along Program
    864
    Ride-Alongs Accepted
    0
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  • -------------------
    5 | 5.75%
    1 | 1.15%
    1 | 1.15%
    3 | 3.45%

    Staff Officers
    Image Chief of Police
    Image Assistant Chief of Police
    Image Deputy Chief of Police

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    6 | 6.90%
    1 | 1.15%
    1 | 1.15%
    1 | 1.15%
    3 | 3.45%

    Command Officers
    Image Commander
    Image Captain III
    Image Captain II
    Image Captain I
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    4 | 4.60%
    1 | 1.15%
    3 | 3.45%

    Police Lieutenants
    Image Lieutenant II
    Image Lieutenant I
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    8 l 9.20%
    3 | 3.45%
    5 | 5.75%

    Police Sergeants
    Image Sergeant II
    Image Sergeant I
  • -------------------
    10 | 11.50%
    03 | 3.45%
    01 | 1.15%
    06 | 6.90%

    Police Detectives
    Image Detective III
    Image Detective II
    Image Detective I
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    54 | 62.07%
    03 | 3.45%
    19 | 21.84%
    18 | 20.69%
    08 | 9.20%

    Patrol Officers
    Image Police Officer III+1
    Image Police Officer III
    Image Police Officer II
    Image Police Officer I
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    06 | 6.90%
    06 | 6.90%

    Police Cadets
    Cadet
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    93

    Total Employees
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Recruitment has stayed increasingly selective following an initiative from 2020 and as seen on the graphic, recruitment is very similar to 2020 with a visible spike in interest that starts in March, tops out in April, and declines in May, where it would see another rise in June before descending to under 20 applications in early December. The number of accepted applications constantly fluctuates but remains sub 20 for the entire year, where the amount denied applications spiked in April following an increase of total applications, proportionally following the trend.

Officer availability has been on a decline since the start of 2021 as employees departed and recruitment requirements and qualifications have been raised. From close to 160 employees in early February the employee count has fallen close to 90 in late December as the year comes to a close. New Cadets have remained sub 20 as the exact amount fluctuates each month in accordance to the total amount of applications, followed by accepted applications.


The statistics for field training sessions reflect the number of Cadets in key ways. With an increase in new Cadets, more Field Training Sessions (FTS) - those sessions required for a Cadet to pass the program - are conducted. However, a comparatively lower amount of Field Training Reports (FTR) is filed, as signified by the graph of FTRs going below that of FTSs. When there are fewer Cadets in the program this goes the other way, which is especially evident towards the end of the year with recruitment dropping off. This is the result of having a consistent amount of Field Training Officers available regardless of how many Cadets there are and the fact that Field Training Sessions are limited in number while Field Training Reports are not. The effect of this is that with the lower amount of Cadets accepted today, Field Training Officers are conducting more Field Training Reports to meet their quotas, giving each Cadet more attention and time in the field.

The amount of optional paperwork filed in May was more than four times that of November. The increase is most significant in late spring to early summer, reflecting a highly successful push by the Supervisor team for officers to use optional paperwork as a way to stand out from others. This coincided with Supervisor positions filling up and recruitment for the Detective Bureau becoming stricter, requiring officers to file more reports to set themselves apart for one of the few positions available. Including Duty Reports, the result is close to 25,000 pieces of optional paperwork being filed by our Officers this year, compared to 30,000 of 2020.

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Internal Affairs Group

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The Internal Affairs Group is a division within the Los Santos Police Department that maintains officer accountability and is separate from all other Divisions. The Internal Affairs Group, or IAG, is run strictly under the Office of the Chief of Police to stay indifferent and neutral in their investigations. The Internal Affairs Group also acts as the investigative arm of the Chief of Police with respect to employee misconduct. All complaints are reviewed by the Internal Affairs Group to determine the appropriate investigative entity. The Internal Affairs Group is responsible for investigating the more serious complaints of misconduct and cases of official corruption. The Commanding Officer of the Internal Affairs Group is Deputy Chief Phillipe Sanchez, who recently took over the position from Assistant Chief of Police Elena Blake. The Internal Affairs Group works closely with Chief of Police Alex Donnelly and complaints are compartmentalized directly under the Office of the Chief of Police to remain fair and unbiased.

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  • Deputy Chief Phillipe Sanchez, Internal Affairs Group
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Commanding Officer Phillipe Sanchez wrote:The Internal Affairs Division continues to be the backbone of the Police Department when it comes to transparency and officer accountability. The Division accepts complaints from all individuals regardless of personal background as a means to make their voice heard when suspected officer misconduct is reported. The Internal Affairs Division reviews each and every complaint thoroughly and have a team of investigators who scrutinize the report, the officer(s) reported, and any submitted or linked evidence. This investigation is then reviewed and concluded by the (Assistant) Commanding Officer of the Division who then issues the appropriate responses and disciplinary actions.

2021 has been a solid year for Internal Affairs. Assistant Chief of Police Elena Blake worked tirelessly and dedicated a tremendous amount of time to the Division this past year. What she has done for the Division is nothing short of phenomenal and I strive to follow in her footsteps by continuing to focus on accuracy and efficiency in enforcing officer accountability. I took over leadership in October and the Division continues to output high-level investigations in very efficient time-frames. I look forward to upcoming developments that will further promote accountability of actions and efficiency of investigation. 2022 will be an exciting year for Internal Affairs!
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The Internal Affairs Group of the Los Santos Police Department has received a total of 317 employee complaints, of which 94 were marked as Sustained upon completion meaning the reported employee committed all or part of the allegations of misconduct or poor service. 41 complaints were marked as Not Resolved and dismissed following a lack of information or evidence to continue the investigation. 82 complaints have been marked as Exonerated, indicating that the investigation had shown that the alleged acts did occur, but that they were fully justified, lawful, and proper. 14 complaints were Withdraw by complainants submitting their reports. 1 complaint was marked as Insufficient Evidence to Adjudicate meaning the complaint was closed due to a lack of evidence. 13 complaints were marked as Actions Could be Different, the investigation had shown that the alleged act(s) occurred and were justified, legal, and proper, but the employee could have performed to a higher standard during the reported incident. 15 complaints were marked as No Misconduct, for a total number of 112 complaints being ruled in the favor of the reported employee - human errors in terms of charges and citations often happen and are corrected by the Internal Affairs Group, these incidents, for example, make up the percentage of complaint results outlined in these statistics and are ruled differently.
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Closing Message

  • We would like to thank you for reading our review for 2021, as well as our past press releases, public service announcements, and participating in the events we have hosted throughout the year. We have moved further once again this year as we await new hurdles in 2022 as we continue our tradition of improvement and service. The city of Los Santos will only be safer as time moves on.

    I would like to thank the Staff Officers of our Department for assisting with the review, our divisional leaders for providing statements about their divisions and assisting in completing the release, and finally, our Media Relations Officers for their continued efforts throughout the year. The Media Relations Divison team and the Los Santos Police Department wish everyone a happy New Year and a great 2022 with a lot of luck as we look forward to seeing you again next year!

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    Lieutenant Tim Havlicek
    Commanding Officer, Media Relations Division
    Los Santos Police Department
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MEDIA RELATIONS DIVISION
Administrative Services Bureau
Los Santos Police Department — "To Protect and to Serve"

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