Feb 7, 2008 10:18 am US/Pacific
Police Protective League Remembers SWAT Officer
Randy Simmons, 51, Killed In Standoff
LOS ANGELES
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Randal Simmons was killed on Thursday.
LAPD
The president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League said that the fatal shooting of an LAPD SWAT officer, the first in the history of the elite team, is a "devastating" and "shocking" reminder of the risks officers face on a day-to-day basis.
Veteran LAPD SWAT Officer Randy Simmons, 51, was killed inside a Winnetka home on Thursday morning. He was involved in a gun battle with a man who admitted to killing three family members before the standoff began.
It was the first fatality in the history of the elite LAPD SWAT team, which was created in 1967 and went on full-time status in 1971.
"Every day when we go on duty we know the dangers we are facing, yet it is still devastating and shocking when we lose one of our own," said Tim Sands, president of the LAPPL, the union representing the LAPD rank-and-file.
"Officer Randal Simmons was a good friend, loyal partner and an exemplary officer. He was proud to be a member of the LAPD SWAT, despite the risks that came with that assignment, and today that bravery cost him his life. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family members, who lost a good man."
Officer James Veenstra, the 51-year-old husband of an LAPD captain, was also hit during the standoff. His injuries are considered critical, but he is expected to survive.
"Our thoughts and prayers are also with Officer James Veenstra, who is recovering from surgery, and his family, including his wife, (LAPD) Capt. Michelle Veenstra. We pledge our support to the families of both Officer Simmons and Officer Veenstra, to help them through this difficult time," Sands said.
The Los Angeles Police Protective League represents the more than 9,000 rank and file members of the Los Angeles Police Department.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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